http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-20/merkel-has-some-words-encouragement-or-warning
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/20/2013 15:06 -0400
Künast was seconded by the editor-in-chief of the influential Süddeutsche Zeitung, Kurt Kister. "It isn't particularly wise for the chancellor to visit the memorial site essentially on the sidelines of a campaign appearance in a beer tent," he writes on Tuesday. "The visit obtains a bitter aftertaste that is unnecessary."
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/08/surprise-awakening-awaits-merkel-in.html
The September election will be interesting to say the least.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock
Merkel Has Some Words Of Encouragement... Or Is That Warning?
Germany's Angela Merkel visited the German concentration camp in Dachau - the first such visit by a sitting German Chancellor- where one may say, she could have picked her words a tad more wisely:
- MERKEL SAYS NATIONS SHARING A CURRENCY WILL NEVER GO TO WAR
- MERKEL SAYS 'WORTH IT' TO FIGHT FOR UNITED EUROPE
US civil war counterfactual aside, the stunned European population was confused by the implication of her words: is it that Germany will keep ploughing German funds to keep a pacifist, socialist dream alive (which is really just a front to keep Deutsche Bank and its $50+ trillion in derivatives solvent) even as hours ago her own Finance Minister admitted that a third (and certainly not last) bailout of Greece is now just a matter of time... or was it simply a warning to Greece, Cyprus and anyone else contemplating a true recovery, one which begins with their own currency, and maybe with a few Panzers crossing the border?
Angela Merkel has become the first German chancellor to visit the former concentration camp at Dachau where she expressed “shame” at the crimes of the Nazi regime but faced criticism over the timing of her trip.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/controversy-over-merkel-campaign-visit-to-dachau-concentration-camp-a-917608.html
For tourists to Munich, it's a standard combination. First, a visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, to learn about the vast crimes perpetrated by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler. Afterwards, a trip to the famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall to listen to oompah-pah music while downing a few liters of brew. Horror followed by hilarity: For travellers on a schedule, such an itinerary can almost be excused.
But for a German chancellor? Some in Germany aren't so sure on Tuesday as Angela Merkel prepares to follow up a tour of the former concentration camp by attending a campaign event for Bavarian conservatives in a beer tent. Even worse, it comes as part of Merkel's whistle-stop campaign trip through Germany as she seeks re-election.
"If you are serious about remembrance at such a horrific site, you certainly don't make such a visit during a campaign," Renate Künast, parliamentary floor leader for the Green Party, told the daily Leipziger Volkszeitung. She went on to call it "tasteless and an unacceptable combination."Künast was seconded by the editor-in-chief of the influential Süddeutsche Zeitung, Kurt Kister. "It isn't particularly wise for the chancellor to visit the memorial site essentially on the sidelines of a campaign appearance in a beer tent," he writes on Tuesday. "The visit obtains a bitter aftertaste that is unnecessary."
A Symbolic Act?
Still, as Kister himself notes, it is the first ever visit by a German chancellor to the Dachau memorial site. While German leaders have made a habit of staging symbolic visits to other concentration and death camps, Dachau was never on the list until then German President Horst Köhler went there in 2010. As such, Merkel's stopover there can be seen as a symbolic act that is long overdue.
That, at least, is how the Central Council of Jews in Germany is choosing to interpret the event. "Ms. Merkel's visit is the first ever by a chancellor to the concentration camp memorial at Dachau," Dieter Graumann, head of the Central Council, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "As such, the chancellor is sending a signal that the horror didn't just take place in the east, but rather right amongst us in Germany. It is good that she is going there."
Still, as Kister himself notes, it is the first ever visit by a German chancellor to the Dachau memorial site. While German leaders have made a habit of staging symbolic visits to other concentration and death camps, Dachau was never on the list until then German President Horst Köhler went there in 2010. As such, Merkel's stopover there can be seen as a symbolic act that is long overdue.
He added that he didn't want to complain about her beer tent appearance, made to boost the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to her Christian Democratic Union. "If the chancellor had only gone to the campaign event near Dachau, she would have been criticized for not visiting the concentration camp memorial," he said.
Dachau was one of the first concentration camps established in Germany, with the first prisoners arriving there in 1933. Ultimately, some 200,000 people were interred either at the main camp or at one of its numerous satellite camps. Some 41,500 people died in the Dachau camp.
Is Merkel feeling the heat of a closer than forecast election ?
In response to my August 13 post Tale of Colours, All in Denial; Assessing Merkel's Chances reader Bernd from Germany (not AfD chairman Bernd Lucke) offered these comments ...
Hello MishAfD appears unlikely to get to the 10% I thought possible a few months ago, but even 5% will prove very problematic to Merkel, even more so if FDP does not get the 5% it needs.
Main stream parties have had success pushing AfD into the “right wing” corner. It would appear that many voters or potential voters are “embarrassed” to be seen in that environment, rightly or wrongly. As is tradition in Germany, under such circumstances potential voters will lie to polls and pollsters.
Internal polls by AfD – professionally done by independent pollsters – show AfD consistently at above 8%. Correspondingly CDU/CSU is lower by approximately that same figure.
I do not say AFD will be in the next Parliament with 8% of seats, however, I believe AfD will do a lot better than expected by anyone in main stream at this moment. I also believe that “other parties” will clock much better results than polled right now. A party to watch are “Die Piraten”, which are coming out of their very low figures.
If there is a considerably higher voter turnout than expected (expected is 60%), it might be a “blood bath” for main stream parties. Please note: there are about 20 additional parties on the election ticket, more than at any time before. If 2 of them get 4% and the remainder each get 0.5% you will have 17% of voters not represented in Parliament due to Germany’s 5% hurdle. If that outcome comes true, all current predictions are out the window, irrespective of who made them, especially for coalition possibilities.
I maintain it will be a surprise awakening by Mm Merkel and her CDU/CSU as well as by many other “main stream” parties. I stick to my predictions made months ago. There will be no stable Government in Germany after the elections, save for the CDU/CSU-SPD one (grand coalition). I doubt such a coalition can happen under Mm Merkel’s leadership.
Best wishes
Bernd
The September election will be interesting to say the least.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock
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