Toughening up – especially when it's cold: In memory of the White Rose

Every era has its own challenges.

We must recognize them and face them head on.

On February 6, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave a speech in which he commemorated the White Rose resistance group, to which Hans and Sophie Scholl belonged. In view of the current war, his contribution is of outstanding importance. This is not the first time that the Federal President has sought to identify the state of our society and offer recommendations to the population on how to master the challenges of our time. This article is intended to support this effort – in view of the opportunities that lie ahead.

Cherish the legacy and memory of the White Rose in the best way I can imagine: help ensure that never again in Germany will young people have to sacrifice their lives for freedom and humanity.

Hardening yourself is healthy, according to an article published by the German Pharmacists' Network at the end of December. Many people would rather stay indoors, so that their immune system is not challenged and they become ill despite the cozy warmth. It would be much better to exercise outdoors and expose yourself to the cold – because this strengthens your immune system. It can now be assumed that the recommendations to exercise and expose oneself to the cold are anchored in the trivial knowledge of the population and, at most, need to be reminded of from time to time so that they are applied by large sections of the population – because the challenge is not to do something, but to put oneself in the position to do it. In a society that is increasingly suffering from mobility problems due to the transition from primarily physical to primarily mental work, there is a growing awareness that physical exertion is worthwhile and is rewarded with fitness, mobility, and a better quality of life.

The situation is obviously quite different when it comes to mental agility and the willingness to move outside familiar patterns of thinking. Like physical agility, however, these are also dependent on training. But those who avoid engaging with issues will not learn to engage with them, and there is no initiative to be found that has set itself the task of training society as a whole in this regard. On the contrary, there seem to be forces that are not happy with expanding the capabilities of the population of one of the most innovative and export-strong countries in the world and are preoccupied with banal tittytainment in the hope that it will not exploit its dormant potential.

Where this leads when the ability to engage in debate is not trained and people are not prepared to deal with the cold realities "out there" can be seen particularly since the "turning point." Even before that, it was already apparent—during the NSA affair and the coronavirus pandemic, for example—that the cognitive abilities of the political and journalistic elite were shrinking more and more—or perhaps just becoming apparent because past events had not yet been used so comprehensively for measurements— but the "turning point" apparently increased the mental CO2 content like a sudden climate change to such an extent that it became only possible to spew Russophobic rhetoric – albeit in an incredible variety – and to act Russophobically.

Atreyu: But then why is fantasy dying? G'mork: Because people have begun to forget their dreams and lose their hopes. Thus, the Nothing grows stronger.

Atreyu: What is nothingness? G'mork: It is the emptiness that remains. A kind of despair. It destroys our world. And I tried to help nothingness.

Atreyu: Why? G'mork: Because people who have no hope are easier to control. And whoever controls the world... has the power!

While journalists from the mainstream media were obviously already so severely restricted in their closed rooms that they – what a coincidence – mutated from journalists into propagandists for the same media at the beginning of the "turning point," higher gifts were necessary for the loss of substance among politicians. The CO2 cartridges, which were blown out via the former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnik, and the penitential trips to Ukrainian Canossa, which some initially undertook reluctantly—such as Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz—but then returned sufficiently cleansed and strengthened, triggering a veritable pilgrimage. Lars Klingbeil and Kevin Kühnert make it clear that a trip to Kiev is not necessarily required – although it should be noted that the atmosphere in the SPD has long been conducive to such transformation processes. Only Rolf Mützenich seems to have a genetic predisposition that allows him to maintain a reasonably clear mind even under such environmental conditions.

Those are big, strong hands. The tiny creature with its racing snail, the night elf, its sleepy bat. I couldn't hold on to them. The NOTHING simply snatched them out of my hands. ... Those are big, strong hands, aren't they?

Just as the air we exhale has a much higher CO2 content than the air we inhale, the same is true when politicians and journalists, after inhaling the orientations that bind them, release their exhalations to the population, thereby intensifying the greenhouse effect: An already sleepy population then falls further into mental lethargy and only subconsciously perceives that the militarization of Germany is becoming the primacy of German politics, that the sanctions packages are leading to a drastic increase in energy and living costs, that essential framework conditions for the German economy are being permanently damaged, and that the divide between rich and poor is widening.

These developments also resulted in extensive efforts to ensure that the "turning point" could not be disrupted by climate change. The carpet bombing of this new kind of war by the media artillery into the imagined space of the population is indeed successful in leaving behind a scorched, Russophobic, monocultural earth of stupidity, thus paving the way for sanctions and further measures triggered as a result, it cannot be ruled out that oxygen enrichment will lead to weeds spreading again. This is why alternative media such as NachDenkSeiten, ANTI-SPIEGEL, and Russia Today are being defamed, their activities restricted, or even completely shut down. As a weed that even this era does not know what to do with – and certainly does not bother to test its ingredients for their healing properties – I have been consuming this weed quite intensively since the "turning point" due to malnutrition. I can see a similar effect to cannabis – you get used to it – but basically this dietary supplement agrees with me and has not led me to stop consuming the media's uniform mush, as my daily posts on TWITTER prove.

Now, in connection with its digestibility for me, the question naturally arises as to whether such a change in diet could also be suitable for the general population and be recommended as a spring cleansing regimen. This time, it is not the Network of German Pharmacists that is helpful in clarifying this, but rather this speech by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in memory of the White Rose resistance group, which addressed all Germans 80 years ago in 1943:

Tear away the cloak of indifference that you have wrapped around your hearts! Make up your minds before it is too late!

At first glance, it may seem surprising that the Federal President of Germany would be called upon to recommend that the German population combat malnutrition with fresh ingredients in order to strengthen their resilience to the challenges of our time and enable them to develop from mothered objects into creative subjects who act independently and contribute to the community. In his keynote speech on October 28 last year, he spoke out in favor of the militarization of Germany and prepared the population for years of deprivation – clearly the long-term consequences of his trip to Kiev. Together with the speech by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on February 27, his opinion piece for FOREIGN AFFAIRS on December 5, and Angela Merkel's interview on December 7 last year, these are the national pillars on which the political and media elite are pushing forward the "turning point."

What does this mean for us in Germany? My answer is: we are facing tougher years, rough years. The peace dividend has been exhausted. Germany is entering an era of headwinds. ...

We must become capable of conflict, both internally and externally. We need the will to assert ourselves, and we also need the strength to exercise self-restraint. ...

First and foremost, this requires a strong and well-equipped Bundeswehr. ...

We will have to get used to the fact that a country like ours is subject to criticism. Look at the US, they have a lot of practice in this. The US is a global leader. They are criticized for what they do and what they don't do. They cannot point the finger at others or appeal to higher authorities. They have to know what they are doing and why. ... What matters is not the applause of the audience. What matters is strengthening Europe. The more uncertain the world around us becomes, the more certain we must be about this common path. ...

In two years' time, we want to be able to say: we have passed the economic trough. In five years' time, we want to be able to say: not only has Ukraine asserted its sovereignty, but we ourselves no longer need to fear new wars in Europe. In ten years, we want to be able to say: We have held this society together, supporting and including the weaker members, and the majority has retained its faith in democracy. In fifteen years, we want to be able to say: Despite war and crisis, we have ensured that future generations will also be able to live well on our planet.

Yes, we will probably not be able to continue our country's success story at the same pace as in the last three decades. But what is essential will become important again, and that deserves all our energy.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has demonstrated on several occasions that some learning processes are necessary in order to have the desired effect: as elegant as the Federal President – one must be able to deal with conflict, and the applause of the audience is not decisive – she was unable to express herself when she said that she did not care what her voters thought and that we were at war with Russia: but she followed in his footsteps.

What is special about the development of human civilization is the dialectic between its various manifestations—which is particularly true of democracies.

The oldest collection of laws is the Codex Ur-Nammu from the 21st century BC. It was commissioned by King Ur-Nammu of Ur and his son Shulgi in Mesopotamia, a region between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers that stretches from southeastern Turkey through parts of Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran to the Persian Gulf. It legitimized the divinely determined position of the ruler and differentiated between citizens and slaves. It already recognized capital crimes such as murder, robbery, adultery, and rape, dealt with divorce, marriage law, bodily harm, and loans, but also slaves and water theft. These were standards within which evil, when the law took effect, was kept in check and good was given guidance that it is not virtuous to murder, rob, commit adultery, and rape. The order thus created made it possible to wage many crusades and expand the empire. Good thus enabled evil. ...

The only chance for the West – and for the survival of humanity – is to combine the humanization of the ape with democracy. The possibility for this exists, because there are other perspectives on democracy. One aspect of the paradigm paradox of democracy, tying values to its form of society – in order to enforce the still-effective law of the strongest at the height of social development and to systematically ensure that nothing changes in this regard – without wanting to satisfy them from the outset or to meet them predominantly, is also that – as in pre-Christian times through the view of God – good qualities have developed and continue to develop in society. Democracy thus contributes to the humanization of the ape.

And so it is not surprising that in his speech commemorating the White Rose, the Federal President expresses many things that, if taken into account, are likely to bring about a climate change in our society and thus put the brakes on the "turning point in history." There are three aspects that are of fundamental importance in this regard: respect, humanity, and debate (the content of the following text passages has been combined).

The men and women of the White Rose no longer wanted to remain silent. They wanted action to be taken at last. Above all, they were driven by a conviction that everyone must and can do something. They called on all Germans to finally wake up from their lethargy and indifference.

Peace, freedom, the dignity of every human being, and the responsibility of each individual—these values guided the White Rose. Today, they form the foundation of our liberal democracy. As we gather here today to remember the women and men of the White Rose— —we feel that peace, freedom, and respect for human dignity were fought for, won, and achieved through sacrifice. But they cannot be taken for granted! And yes, our constitution is the answer to arbitrariness and tyranny, but democracy cannot be taken for granted either!

Finally, the fifth leaflet, the "Appeal to All Germans," is based on the conviction that, despite all the lies and propaganda, the war was finally lost.

Very few people actually had the courage to dissent or even resist. It was a lonely resistance, a resistance of outsiders, as historian Wolfgang Benz writes. But they did exist, the courageous ones who joined forces, who wanted to act together and did so. It was probably best described by Ricarda Huch after the war. She came to the conclusion: "Thousands thought: These young people did what we should have done but did not dare to do." The vast majority of Germans, however, kept the cloak of indifference wrapped around their hearts. They did not want to see or hear. ... because they were afraid of the consequences of the truth, most of them probably because they believed that by keeping a low profile, they could at least personally escape hell and survive.

For us Germans, remembering always involves painful questions. They must be painful if we are serious about our responsibility to our history: How was it possible for what happened to happen? And another question arises, even if it is difficult to answer truthfully and honestly: How would I myself have behaved under such circumstances? How would I act, and would I act at all, if I knew that the price would be prison, torture, or even death? Those who did not act and remained silent were guilty of complicity. That is why resistance was not only permitted, it was imperative.

Our Basic Law not only guarantees the dignity of every individual—one of the most important lessons learned from the Nazi era. It also guarantees freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press. In our democracy, dissent is not only expressly possible. It is necessary! Criticism, demonstrations, and protests are part of the very essence of democracy. This applies also and especially to minorities, even when they use means that the majority criticizes, finds disturbing, or finds annoying.

Democracy is the only form of government that considers it part of its self-image to discuss mistakes and undesirable developments. Above all, it is the only form of government in which the possibility of self-correction is part of the legal and political constitution. To do this, it needs debate and controversy; it also needs conflict. Democracy thrives on this!

Our democracy, our society, is facing challenges today as it has not done for a long time. The return of war to Europe and the attempt to reorganize geopolitics according to old patterns, according to Cold War patterns, but also the consequences of the pandemic and the fight against climate change: we are facing enormous upheaval and restructuring.

What we need is a democracy that is capable of defending itself! Let us breathe new life into the concept of a capable democracy for our times! A resilient democracy needs committed citizens who are morally clear and firm in their political judgment, who are committed to our country and to democracy. It needs citizens who are democratically mature and capable of democracy, who see democracy as their cause. That is the best protection!

So get involved in our democracy! Be wary of those who always know everything and those whose color spectrum is limited to black and white! Be critical, express your opinion! Democracy needs criticism! But also tolerate ambivalence, accept that things may be unclear and confusing for a while, and above all: remain open to accepting facts! Don't listen to the loudspeakers, don't believe in supposedly simple solutions! Trust my experience: complex problems and simple solutions rarely go together, and even more rarely do they result in good solutions. Don't shy away from debate! Be argumentative! By that I also mean: seek dialogue with people who don't share your views!

Cherish the legacy and memory of the White Rose in the best way I can imagine: help ensure that young people in Germany never again have to sacrifice their lives for freedom and humanity.

These are extremely valuable suggestions for the development of our country. The Federal President recommends that citizens no longer remain silent, but take action and have the courage to speak out. They should not just stand by, as they did in the time of Jesus Christ, but be heroes themselves. He clearly expresses that our democracy needs dissent and that the Basic Law provides us with a foundation from which freedom of expression and freedom of the press can grow. If the Federal President is unable to fully grasp – or at least describe – the nature of the omnipresent war in other parts of his speech, and if he concludes from this war that a strong democracy can primarily be achieved through the internal and external militarization of Germany, then, with regard to this, his desire not to shy away from debate should be taken as an opportunity to point out to him that there are other perspectives on how our country can arm itself against the challenges of our time and secure its future viability – although the Bundeswehr is undoubtedly an essential part of this.

Why is it so dark?" "It's always dark at the beginning!

Have confidence in yourself, have confidence in yourself.

As a people who only have a future together, we must all take an interest in such debates, and one important question at present is: Is a strong democracy primarily determined by the weapons at its disposal? No, it is its citizens who stand up for it. But how do citizens become strong enough to successfully defend democracy? Is it conscription that creates the conditions for this? No, their strength comes from their willingness to continually engage with the challenges of our time. Does it make sense to withhold information and perspectives from citizens in order to protect them from these challenges – provided that they do not violate fundamental moral and ethical values? No, friction of this kind is a fundamental prerequisite for substantial development processes and should be comprehensively promoted by the state.

Just as a snowy owl does not raise its young under its wings, but exposes them to the harsh climate of the tundra so that they learn to fly within a very short time, a state must not withhold reality from its citizens and leave them under the deceptive assumption that the appearance of being taught is sufficient to survive. Defensive citizens grow from within through years and decades of engagement with ideally available fundamental values, orientations, and processes—and not through the uniform they wear.

As a trained GDR citizen who did not grow up in the valley of the clueless, I was confronted with alternative perspectives at an early age. They played a major role in shaping my path to becoming a free spirit and lateral thinker. Even back then, I encountered narrow-mindedness endlessly, and since reunification, it has continued to put endless obstacles in my way. But my Christian-humanist-idealistic foundation could not shake all that. Instead, I grew through constant debate—even on what some considered insignificant topics—and developed an original way of thinking. Today, I seek out topics that allow me to develop further through engagement with them: I have become defensible in the truest sense of the word and do not need a uniform to work in a variety of ways to strengthen the intrinsic value of the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany. I consider it essential for the future viability of our country to open the door to such development processes for the citizens of our country.

If you always set limits for yourself, whether in training or elsewhere, it will spread to other areas, your work, your life. There are no limits, there are only plateaus. And you mustn't stay there. You have to break through them.

In this respect, the above-mentioned and other media are, in the opinion of the Federal President, a valuable contribution as supplementary nutrition to strengthen cognitive diversity in our country and thus promote the development of weeds into spreading crops with their high yield value for Germany as a country of innovation. They are among the necessities for reducing the CO2 content in the imaginary space of our diverse debates about our times and for achieving a climate change that requires fewer weapons for our security—also because, as a consequence, our foreign policy agenda takes into account that we are life, in the midst of life that wants to live—which further strengthens our innovative and economic power and ultimately creates the decisive opportunities: that we can all lead a life worth living.

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