Former German President Christian Wulff (r.) under discussion (archive) © Rainer Jensen
Christian Wulff has no doubts about whether his statement that Islam belongs to Germany was and is correct. Ten years after saying it, he still stands by it and now even finds the phrase "more necessary than ever".
Ten years after the fierce debate surrounding his sentence "Islam now also belongs to Germany," former German President Christian Wulff continues to stand by the statement. "I think the sentence is more necessary than ever," Wulff said in an interview with the Evangelical Press Service . "The opponents of diversity, of a colorful republic of Germany, of equal coexistence with minorities have become more," he added.
It would do the debate good if more politicians said the phrase as a matter of course, Wulff said. Human dignity and religious freedom were guaranteed in the Basic Law. "Since it is undeniable that mosques are now part of our everyday life and consideration should be given to religious concerns of Muslims."
Wulff triggered debate
As Germany's president, Wulff had made a number of statements in his speech on German Unity Day on 3. In his speech of October 2010, Thusing said that, in addition to Christianity and Judaism, Islam now also belongs to Germany. Afterwards, a heated debate flared up about integration and identity in Germany.
Wulff said the phrase took on meaning at the time because it was uttered at the height of the debate over Thilo Sarrazin's book "Germany is abolishing itself". "The mood in the country had changed significantly, and it was my attempt to recapture that debate and bring it back to the core of the Basic Law," Wulff said. After his speech, the "inconceivable" had come to light: "the murders of the NSU. Over many years." The list of right-wing extremist murders continues in Kassel, Halle, Hanau and many other places.
Wulff for more civil courage
The former German president and CDU politician called for more civil courage and dialogue between immigrants and natives. After right-wing extremist attacks, the image was repeatedly conveyed that the perpetrators had been "inconspicuous, actually friendly and approachable, nice neighbors or fellow marksmen.". "I doubt whether these perpetrators have not, after all, expressed here and there content that should have been clearly and unequivocally contradicted by the environment," said the 61-year-old.
Furthermore, Wulff, who lives in Hanover, said he was concerned "that we are experiencing so much hatred, radicalization and malice at a time when our country is doing so well economically as it has never done before". This ties in with the question of "how society will debate and vote in the coming years as Corona and global competition in the job market make the air thinner".
Right-wing extremist forums are full of conspiracy theories and gloating against "those up there". "I see the danger that more people will fall for it," Wulff said.