President Steinmeier emphasized that he warned early on about Putin’s “dangerous nationalism”. The pugnacious democrat Werner Schulz is honored with the German National Prize.
The former GDR civil rights activist Werner Schulz has been honored with the German National Prize for his commitment to democracy and the opposition in Russia.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his predecessor Joachim Gauck paid tribute to the 72-year-old on Tuesday as an opinionated fighter for democratic values.
Schulz was a co-founder of the New Forum in the GDR in 1989 and later a long-time member of the Alliance 90/The Greens in the Bundestag and the European Parliament. For decades, Schulz also maintained contacts with the Russian opposition and with the human rights organization Memorial, which has since been dissolved in Russia.
In his laudatory speech at the award ceremony in Berlin, former Federal President Gauck praised Schulz’s consistently democratic attitude: “Our time, characterized by sometimes hateful, fact-denying debates and a remarkable number of angry citizens who reject liberal democracy, needs such role models.”
Steinmeier also congratulated Schulz. “You raised your voice to point out the threat to the Russian opposition and the oppressed Russian civil society,” said the Federal President. Schulz also warned early on about President Vladimir Putin’s “dangerous nationalism”. “Dear Mr. Schulz, your dedication and commitment are important and are now also receiving outstanding recognition with the German National Prize.”
The prize is awarded by the private German National Foundation, founded by former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and others. The award for Schulz is endowed with 30,000 euros. Berlin’s OstWest TV, which the foundation believes is one of the last independent Russian-language broadcasters in the world, received a sponsorship prize of EUR 20,000.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
