Today I spoke at the commemoration of the Ministry of the Interiour of the state of Baden-Württemberg to mark the 100th anniversary of Matthias Erzberger’s assassination.
Upon invitation by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interiour, and regional chairman of the conservative CDU party, Thomas Strobl, I spoke about Erzberger’s relevance for today.
I highlighted Erzberger’s contribution to the establishment of first German republic, the threat to democracy and the rule of law by the far right – both in 1921 and today -, and the need to take bold decisions in the face of great challenges. At the beginning of the 20th century, these challenges were the World War, the establishment of stable governing structures, and the future of international relations. At the beginning of the 21st century they are issues like climate change and the pandemic.
After reading parts of the book, I participated in a panel discussion with Minister Strobl and journalist Maria Bloching, moderated by journalist Rüdiger Soldt.
