Steinmeier on German unity Urges democracy's defence

Oct 3

Tagesschau reports Bremen's German Unity Day ceremony under 'Many strengths, one country'. Alexander Noodt shows the Philharmonic and Grün-Gold dancers and Katja Riemann introducing Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Steinmeier rejects extremist denigration of the reunified democratic state and foreign or domestic attempts to divide it. He praises the peaceful protesters of 1989, warns against forgetting reunification and urges confidence and change. The report describes his 51-minute speech as his final national-holiday address, while the correspondent more cautiously calls it probably his last major public address. It closes with roughly 10,000 people dancing together to 'Zusammen' in Bremen.

At Bremen's October 3 German Unity Day ceremony, Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for active defence of the reunified democratic state against domestic extremism and foreign attempts to divide it. He praises the peaceful protesters of 1989, warns against forgetting reunification and urges pride, confidence and the courage to change. Tagesschau reports a 51-minute address. Markus Preiß reports standing ovations and praise except from the AfD and interprets it as an unusually direct warning that democracy must assert itself. He says the government-policy message remained abstract: political will to leave routines and pursue reforms, even painful ones, rather than direct unsolicited policy advice.