Open letter to the German people

Disclaimer: This article is merely my personal translation. The original article in German can be found here.

Are we Germans really such petty-minded, egoistic people, that even during those difficult times we are ready to abandon our neighbours, our friends, our family which is the European Union, to knowingly let them fall into their economic and societal demise? All that because we refuse to share our abundant wealth?

Have we, the German People, ever understood what solidarity means? Or is it just the governing politicians, in this battle for the survival of the society that we have built and shaped, that can see no further that their own welfare? That prefer to let our friends and allies slide into despair alone and abandoned, instead of sharing this burden, and all that for the safeguarding of their own wealth, the wealth of their affluent and influent friends, and of course to secure their vain re-election?

To watch idly as the Italian, Spanish or French economies hopelessly fall prey to the wake of Covid-19, is but a pitiful display of heartless and egoistical Nationalism, a Nationalism that we Germans have long ago sworn to never let rise again, to never again spawn a rift between us and our European neighbours.

I demand from the elected representatives of the people of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, but also from our Eastern friends (those, that once rejoiced for every Deutsche Mark we sent, for every job we provided), I demand to finally agree to the issuance of Corona-bonds. It is only a great crisis that can give rise to great acts, and true solidarity should have no limits in case of hardship. And should we become impoverished as a result – well, then let's start all over again, together. As we once were treated with clemency after the devastating war that we spawned ourselves, we should be selfless in light of a crisis that is no one’s doing.

True solidarity is not limited to the petty admission of a few critically ill or the transfer of some masks, true solidarity requires a sacrifice, it requires us to waive some of our financial privileges. St Martin once tore his coat to help a man in need. May this Christian symbol serve as an example in those dire times.

And to those that believe that our Italian, Spanish, Greek or Portuguese friends and partners “cannot responsibly handle money” or “consider the State as a self-service shop”, I say: they are part of the family, and we must support them, even when painful. The prodigal son has not been scorned; he was warm-heartedly accepted.

It is time to stop considering them as our customers, as our servants, the hosts where we spend our holidays. They are our partners, our countrymen – they are Europeans, our closest relatives.

I want to conclude this letter with an excerpt of what is to me the greatest European speech, ahead of its time. Victor Hugo once said:

“A day will come when your arms will fall from your hands! A day will come when war will seem as absurd between Paris and London, between Petersburg and Berlin, between Vienna and Turin, as it would today between Rouen and Amiens or between Boston and Philadelphia. A day will come when you — France, Russia, Italy, England, Germany — all you nations of the continent will merge, without losing your distinct qualities and your glorious individuality, in a close and higher unity to form a European brotherhood, just as Normandy, Brittany, Burgundy, Lorraine, Alsace, all our provinces are merged together in France.”

Now is the time to show the world the strength of our brotherly bond.