Open letter to Friedrich Merz
Celebrities demand weapons export stop to Israel
Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked over 200 German celebrities in an open letter to stop weapon exports to Israel.
In clear words, more than 200 German cultural workers turn to Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (69, CDU). “Don’t let Gaza die, Mr. Merz” – that is the unmistakable heading of your open letter. The message of the celebrities is clear: talking alone is no longer enough.
According to “Spiegel”, there are well-known faces from the German media landscape among the signatories: The moderators Joko Winterscheidt, Klaas Heufer-Umlauf, Giovanni Zarrella and Jochen Schropp have signed as well as comedian Tedros “Teclebrhan. The music scene is also prominently represented – from rapper Shirin David to Joy Denalane and Ebow to Ski Aggu and Zartmann. The acting team includes names such as Jessica Schwarz, Daniel Brühl, Jella Haase, Karoline Herfurth, Christiane Paul, Anna Thalbach, Meret Becker, Benno Fürmann, Armin Rohde and Jürgen Vogel.
Three specific demands on politics
The letter is aimed specifically at the Federal Chancellor: “They have taken a position in the past few days and criticized the Israeli government,” the artists write to Merz. “We appreciate that, but one thing is clear: words alone do not save life.” The celebrities formulate three concrete demands: an immediate stop of all German weapon exports to Israel, the suspension of the association agreement between the EU and Israel as well as the demand for immediate ceasefire and unhindered access for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
The signatories appeal to humanity with urgent words: “Mothers. Fathers. Children. Children who are not part of this war – and yet bear his whole load.” Director Laura Fischer (39), one of the initiators of the letter, explains to the “Spiegel” how quickly the support came about: “We started with our own contacts. Many artists were grateful for the idea and offered to request further celebrities.” She wrote the letter together with the human rights organization Avaaz.
Clear positioning despite the difficult mixture
The celebrities leave no doubt about their attitude: they condemn “the gruesome crimes of Hamas”, but at the same time emphasize that no crime legitimizes “to punish millions of innocent people collectively”. Fischer emphasizes the desire in the cultural scene to position itself politically: “You can tell that there is currently a great need.” The appeal to Merz is deliberately chosen: “Mr. Merz – you are one of the few who can move Israel to change the course.”
Second open letter within a few months
It is not the first time that German celebrities become active in this matter. As early as June, cultural workers like actors Axel Prahl, climate activist Luisa Neubauer, sociologist Harald Welzer, musician Michael Barenboim and actress Enissa Amani wrote a similar letter to Merz in which they demanded a reverse of German Israel.
Spotonnews
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
