3 October 2017 No 24 ISSN 1664-7963

Current Concerns PO Box CH-8044 Zurich Current Concerns Switzerland The international journal for independent thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Phone: +41 44 350 65 50 Fax: +41 44 350 65 51 and for the promotion and respect of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law

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Niklaus von Flüe: patron saint of non-intervention by Paul Widmer* Brother Klaus as sprung from the ideas of Brother Klaus. form the essential features for a whole con- the apical ancestor And in the early 1980s, Secretary of State text of meaning. Just because something is of Swiss Neutrality? Albert Weitnauer wrote in his memoirs: not yet conceptually comprehensible, this School historians do “Neutrality is the living expression of does not mean that there are not already not admit it. They are what the Swiss National Saint Niklaus von facts that anticipate the concept. Conse- doubly mistaken: the Flüe already expressed in the time of the quently, we must ask ourselves: did Broth- National Saint has, in Burgundian wars, with his well-known er Klaus really have no idea of what we call the course of history, warning, ‘Don’t get involved in other peo- neutrality today, simply because he neither coined the foreign pol- ple’s affairs!’” used the word nor knew the term? Let us Paul Widmer icy of the Confedera- But beware! This is supposedly past his- look more closely at these objections. (picture ma) tion by his words and tory now. Whoever says anything like this The appeal not to interfere with for- through their interpretations. today will earn only a tired smile from his- eign quarrels can well be understood as torians. It has long ago been proved, they a call for neutral behaviour. No one dis- Nobody has exerted as much influence on say, that Brother Klaus did not care two putes that. But the critics deny that Broth- the Swiss foreign policy as Niklaus von figs for neutrality. Their reasoning is some- er Klaus expressed himself in this way. Flüe. The hermit in the Ranft wanted thing like this: First, the phrase “Don’t get They say that the dictum was not coined to escape the world, but he did not suc- involved in other people’s affairs!” does by him; but that it was foisted on him fifty ceed. Even the envoys of the Great Pow- not originate from him, but from the Lu- years after his death. This opinion, how- ers sought him out in his cell in the wild cerne chronicler Hans Salat. They say that ever, is to be objected due to a few things, Melch Valley. Archduke Sigismund of it was he who put those words in the mouth especially testimonies of contemporaries Austria, the Doge of Venice and the Duke of the hermit, in 1537. And secondly, Salat who attest an attitude of mind based on the of Milan, they all wanted to know what did not mean to bring them across as an principle of non-interference to the Swiss Brother Klaus thought of war and peace. appeal to neutrality, but used them to de- patron saint. Why so? Because he was an opinion lead- nounce the Bernese for the conquest of the er, a moral authority. The Milanese envoy Vaud. Thirdly, they say, linking neutrality “Greed and lust for power” Bernardino Imperiali told his prince: to the work of Brother Klaus is a concoc- Brother Klaus’ first biographer is Heinrich “The Confederation trusts him greatly.” tion of the nationalist historiography of the von Gundelfingen. He was a canon at Be­ What made Brother Klaus so interesting 19th and 20th centuries. In short: to elevate romünster and a professor at the Univer- for the Great Powers of the time? Above Brother Klaus to the rank of forefather of sity of Freiburg im Breisgau. In his writ- all, two things: on the one hand, he advised Swiss neutrality is, they say, a falsification ings, which already appeared in 1488, a the Swiss to maintain a foreign policy of re- of history. year after the death of the hermit, he said straint, to renounce warlike conquests; on Is this really so? I am not convinced of that the advice of the holy man would be the other, he exhorted them to settle a dis- it, and I shall try to explain why hereaf- a great salvation to the confederates if pute amicably, and to bring it to the judge ter. Certainly, Brother Klaus did not pro- they followed them. And what did Gun- only in an emergency. He therefore recom- nounce the word neutrality – of course he delfingen understand these recommenda- mended a behaviour that was oriented to- could not. The concept of neutrality only tions to be? Not to be corrupted by foreign wards neutrality and arbitration. He im- just broke fresh ground about then. The rulers, to hold honour higher than mate- pressed not only his contemporaries. With medieval world order with Pope and Em- rial advantages, not to engage in foreign his advice, he has influenced Swiss foreign peror at the top was breaking up. As long conflicts, nor to bring war to one’s neigh- policy up to the present day. as it had been quite intact, there could be bours. This is advice which is not contrary no neutrality. For the Christians it was, at to neutrality; it is, in fact, rather a prereq- Spiritual father of neutrality least in theory, a sacred duty to support uisite for the successful implementation of So people thought for a long time, all over the cause of the supreme ruler of Christi- neutrality. our country, in the Federal Council and anity. His wars were just, fighting against The highly educated humanist Jo- in historical scholarship. After the Second him was sin. That only changed with the hannes Trithemius expresses himself World War, Federal Councillor Max Pe- advent of sovereign nation-states. Now the even more clearly, as the former state ar- titpierre did not doubt that neutrality had rulers were equal. In a case of war, a third chivist of Obwalden, Angelo Garovi, re- party could side with one or the other of cently pointed out. The abbot of the mon- * Paul Widmer is a lecturer for international rela- the war parties – or stay out. astery of Sponheim had visited Niklaus tions at the University of St. Gallen; he was in the The concept of a foreign policy of neu- von Flüe in 1486. In his report at the be- diplomatic service from 1977 to 2014. He is the trality arose in this world of sovereign ginning of the sixteenth century, about author of several books. Most recently, his book states – but not overnight. As the great his- thirty years before Salat, he put the fol- “Bundesrat Arthur Hoffmann. Aufstieg und Fall” (“Federal Councillor Arthur Hoffmann. Rise torian Reinhart Koselleck taught us, con- lowing advice in the mouth of Brother and fall”) appeared in the NZZ book publishing cepts are formed in a long process, like a house. distillate. Various facts flow together and continued on page 3 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 2

Remarks on the life of Niklaus von Flüe

by Erika Vögeli Niklaus von Flüe, born in 1417, is the as an envoy to Brother Klaus: “During interfere in foreign conflicts]“ are son of Hemma, born Ruobert, and the absence of Louis I was with Gabri- coined by the memory of the chroni- Heinrich von Flüe in Sachseln (Obwal- el at the hermit, who is considered to cler Hans Salat. But to what end this den). The mother comes from peasant be holy because he eats nothing. The sophistry, by which it is attempted backgrounds from the community of Confederation has great confidence in quite transparently to play down the Wolfenschiessen (Nidwalden). His fa- him. I spent an evening and a morning importance of this character convey- ther Heinrich appears in the various with him and talked much about these ing concord. The statement being documents as distinguished commu- matters. I found him well informed understood indeed as peacekeep- nity citizen and member of the Coun- about everything ...“ ing message over the centuries, one ty Council. Niklaus grew up with his This interest in the human condi- would have to ask himself: Cui bono? brother Peter and possibly another tions and his constant commitment Niklaus von Flüe’s concern is undis- brother as the son of free farmers. for justice, for dispute resolution and puted, and people very well under- Little is known about Niklaus von peace let him become a widely es- stood the reminder to give the spiri- Flüe’s younger years. Around 1446 he teemed and valued counsellor. tual orientation of peace and balance married Dorothea Wyss from Schwen- In 1482, Brother Klaus writes to the greater importance as power politics di, born around 1430. Five sons and power-conscious Council of the patri- ambitions throughout many, very bel- five daughters are born. cian Berne meaningfully: “Obedience ligerent and difficult centuries. Niklaus von Flüe is mentioned early [in the former meaning of listening to Sources: as respected, efficient farmer and each other] is the biggest honour that www.bruderklaus.com; “Rottmeister” (Captain). He takes part there is in Heaven and on Earth, that is Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz; in military actions, but was averse to why you need to seek to be obedient warfare. Around 1455, he is a judge to each other, and wisdom is the dear- Vokinger, Konstantin. Bruder-Klausen Buch; and councillor in prominent public po- est, because all things start best. Peace sitions – he is a member of the Small is always in God, because God is peace, Wenger-Schneiter, Mariann. Bruder Klaus. Eine erstaunliche Geschichte aus dem Council, the highest political and judi- and peace may not be destroyed, but Mittelalter.­ Comic, not only for children. cial body of the State of Obwalden. He strife would destroy. Therefore, you Gonten 2016 rejects the office of “Landammann”. should build on peace.“ Although he had achieved everything The most famous mediation took – family-style happiness, economic place in the course of the discussion of success and social status, the grievanc- the city cantons and rural cantons after es of the time preoccupied him, and the Burgundian wars, among other a long process of reflection and con- things about the admission of Solo- sulting begun, amongst others with thurn and Fribourg into the Confed- the fellow pastor Heimo Amgrund. In eration. Following his admonition to 1465, he laid down all his political of- peace, mediated by the pastor Heimo fices, and on the Gallus’ day, the 16th Amgrund and the four-year domestic October 1467, he left his family in – Federal conflict which threatened to probably on all sides hardly achieved break the Confederation was resolved – agreement with his wife Dorothee and settled on 21 December 1481 in and trusts his considerable farm to his the “Stanser Verkommnis“. Fribourg two oldest, already adult sons. First, and Solothurn joined the Confedera- he went forth as a pilgrim on a pil- tion as new members. grimage. In the vicinity of Basel, he de- Brother Klaus died in his Hermitage cides to follow the advice of a farmer in the Ranft on 21 March 1487. and to return to his homeland. So, he His spirit of peace love, mutual ac- settled finally as a hermit in the Ranft, commodation and of equity, in which close to the family. There the country he always sought equitable solutions, people helped him in 1468 in the con- combined with his quest for truthful- struction of the cell and the Chapel ness in own doing, made him become which is inaugurated in 1469 by the the patron of peace and of cohesion. suffragan Thomas of Constance. Long before his canonisation by the In the aftermath Brother Klaus, as Pope in 1947, the Confederates elect- whom he is known since then is visited ed him as the patron saint of Switzer- and asked for advice by many people land. The recent stirred up discussion of all ranks. Despite the seclusion in about Brother Klaus seems, however, the Ranft, Brother Klaus is always in- petty and somewhat unworldly. Might formed about the events of his nearer be, that the literally wordings “Ma- and further surrounding. So, Bernardi- chet den Zun nit zu wit [don’t extend no Imperiali writes on 27 June 1483 to the border fence too far]“ or “Mischet the Duke of Milan who had sent him euch nicht in fremde Händel! [Don’t No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 3

”Niklaus von Flüe: patron saint …” spared the ignominity of Marignano, had stance. He told them to settle their dis- continued from page 1 they followed the advice of Brother Klaus. pute amicably – and to bring the matter As important as the advice of the her- before the judges only if it were not oth- Klaus: “If you remain within your bor- mit was, it is doubtful whether neutrality erwise possible. Reconciliation, he said, ders, no one can overcome you, but you would have been so strongly absorbed in was more important than knowing who is will be superior to your enemies at any the Swiss consciousness of foreign policy right. This was the only way to achieve time, and prevail. But if, beguiled by without the Reformation. The confession- lasting peace. greed and lust for power, you begin to al division made an abstinent foreign pol- The advice of Brother Klaus sprung expand your power to the outside; then icy not only advisable, but into a question from his deep religious conviction. But your power will not last long.” Trithe- of survival. After the two battles of Kap- he also fell back upon what was custom mius thus ascribes to Brother Klaus the pel, two equally strong camps opposed around him. The confederates knew no same reminder as does Salat. And he is each other within. To be sure, Catholics centralist ruler, who would have been able not alone. In the coarse language of polit- and Protestants felt the urge to take part in to impose court decisions by force in their ical debate, a Zurich flyer states in 1522: European conflicts. But that would have loose federal framework. They therefore “Bruoder Clauss said that we should stay meant political suicide, which they wanted preferred to settle a dispute by arbitration on our own muck heap.” to avoid despite all animosities. Ultimate- or a settlement. Those affected were, with ly, the fate of the country was put above the help of others, to help find a solution Sitting still as the greatest service confessionalism. to the problem and to assert their will to Now it might be objected that even if This is very well illustrated by a let- implement this by an oath before God. this were true, Brother Klaus also gave ter from Heinrich Bullinger to Philip of This procedure was so common, that it advice quite to the contrary. But this is Hesse, the leader of the Protestants in the was called the “Law of the Confederates” not actually true. The saint in the Ranft Schmalkaldic War. The latter had asked in the other parts of the empire. was very consistent in his views. He al- the Swiss Reformed for support. The Zu- After the First World War, when Swit- ways emphasised the need for peace; he rich reformer rejected his request. For if zerland was preparing to join the League never advised military conquests; and the Reformed came to his aid, the Cath- of Nations, a great admirer of Broth- neither did he advocate the Swiss mer- olics would do the same for the other er Klaus had recourse to his ideas. Max cenary trade. As the Treaty of Stans of side. For this reason “sitting still” was the Huber, at that time a legal adviser in the 1481 proves, he did not fundamentally re- greatest service the Swiss could provide Political Department (now the EDA), later ject the expansion of the eight old plac- to their brothers in the faith. Logically, the the president of the Permanent Court of es. But this had to happen peacefully, not Swiss Diet banned the passage of foreign International Justice and of the Inter- with weapons. Thanks to his settlement, troops and arms, and imposed strict neu- national Committee of the Red Cross Freiburg and Solothurn were able to join trality, even before the beginning of the (ICRC), at the request of federal council- the Swiss Confederation. war (1546). lor Motta wrote a Federal Council’s dis- Not to begin a war of conquest and not In the Thirty Years’ War, the under- patch for the attention of parliament about to support any war party militarily, these standing of neutrality was consolidat- the principles of Swiss Arbitration Policy. principles constitute the core of neutrality. ed. If, originally, neutrality was decided It was a bold plan. Huber wanted to lay the Brother Klaus advised both. Whether or on a case-by-case basis, it became more foundations for a new world order with the not the saying “Do not make the fence too and more fundamental. So it was possi- expansion of peaceful dispute settlement. wide” actually comes from him is second- ble that the Swiss Diet could already de- He did not succeed. The experiment fal- ary. There are several instances of lore that clare Switzerland a neutral state in 1674. tered in the early stages. However, Swit- testify to the fact that the conception be- And in 1782, the Zurich scholar and coun- zerland concluded a considerable number hind it corresponds to his ideas. So, there sellor Hans Heinrich Füssli completed the of arbitration and settlement agreements is much more speaking for Brother Klaus circle. At the Annual General Meeting of with other states. as the apical ancestor of Swiss Neutrality, the Helvetian Society in Olten, he called In a speech at the 1951 Obwaldner than against. out to the enlightened elite of the country “Landsgemeinde” (gathering of the elec- Of course, occasionally Brother Klaus’ that Switzerland should adhere to eternal torate), Huber, this outstanding interna- warnings fell on deaf ears. As early as neutrality in its foreign policy, as Brother tional lawyer and chief architect of the 1512, the chronicler Anton Tegerfeld Klaus had already advised. The connec- Geneva Red Cross Conventions, acknowl- of Mellingen wrote that many years be- tion between Niklaus von Flüe and Swiss edged how much he had been influenced fore, Brother Klaus had already advised neutrality thus arose decades, indeed cen- the work of Brother Klaus. After the First the Swiss to refrain from their mercenary turies, before nationalised historiography World War, he had wanted to build on the trade. Unfortunately, a deaf ear had been is said to have invented it. At the Congress legacy of the country’s spiritual father in turned to this advice. But after Marigna- of Vienna (1814/15) neutrality was then the Swiss Arbitration Policy. Ambassa- no (1515) the fiasco was obvious. The recognised internationally, as had been dor Paul Ruegger, Huber’s successor at confederates were not able to carry out most ardently desired. the head of the ICRC, confirmed this and large wars of conquest. The loose alliance counted himself in with those rooted in of rural and urban communities lacked a Peaceful resolution of disputes this tradition. central power of command, which would Neutrality is by far the most important But there were other after-effects. At have been necessary for this purpose. principle in Swiss foreign policy. Howev- the beginning of the 1970s, when the Fed- They drew the correct conclusion from er, Brother Klaus’ advice still continues eral Council decided to open up the coun- the defeat and renounced superpower pol- to have an effect in another area of for- try’s foreign policy by participating in icies from then on. They never again en- eign policy as well: that is the peaceful the Conference on Security and Cooper- tered into an offensive alliance. They pre- settlement of disputes. In his famous mes- ation in Europe (CSCE), the first head of ferred to preserve the great freedom of the sage of 1482 (“Fried ist allweg in Gott” the delegation, Ambassador Rudolf Bind- individual communities, and did not sacri- – “Peace is forever in God”), he advised schedler, resorted to Huber’s proposals fice them to a centralist struggle for power. the Bernese to settle a dispute peacefully. and presented a draft for a European sys- A contemporary South German mocking He expressed himself even more clearly in poem said that the Swiss would have been the same year towards the people of Con- continued on page 4 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 4

”Niklaus von Flüe: patron saint …” continued from page 3 tem of peaceful settlement of disputes. For many years he made sure that the topic did not disappear from the agenda in the great East-West negotiations. However, the in- terest of the large states was, to say the least, low. The hobby of the Swiss delega- tion was smiled at and nothing more. But fate took an unprecedented turn. After the end of the Cold War, France began to be interested in the issue and sent her Justice Minister Robert Badinter. Now eve- rything was different. The OSCE (OSCE) adopted an agreement on conciliation and arbitration in 1992. But Bindschedler was already dead at this time. The conference honoured the deceased by acknowledging that without the steadfast commitment of the Swiss delegation’s head, the convention would never have come about. ISBN 9783906073248 Of course Bindschedler was also spared a bitter disappointment by his entrust a powerless institution like the influenced the development of Switzer- early death. The new mechanism re- OSCE with the task. land in two ways: first, by what he said, mained a dead letter. To date, the Secre- Brother Klaus plays a humble role in and second, no less important, by the in- tariat at Avenue de France 23 in Geneva today’s foreign policy. His name is rare- terpretations which his words have expe- has not received a single application for ly found in official announcements. The rienced over the centuries. Without him, peaceful dispute settlement. States sim- bells no longer ring across the whole our foreign policy would have been dif- ply do not willingly submit to the judg- country on his birthday, as they did in ferent indeed. • ment of third parties in international con- 1917. However, the memory of this right- Source: “Die Weltwoche”, issue 26/2017 flicts. And if, by way of exception, they eous patriot is not extinct in the general from 22 September 2017 for once do it, they will certainly not population. It is well known that he has (Translation Current Concerns)

Election of a new Federal Councillor rt. Whether it is a targeted position, a bur- So we do not expect our new Federal tion and asks for high financial contri- den, a duty, an ambitious project or a mix- Councillor to put up any insincere fire- butions, for example for the Cohesion ture of everything, that will be answered fighting exercises in order to occupy a Fund or for contributions to Schen- individually. It is not an easy task to meet front rank in the media, but also not to gen, without warranting to us a right the various demands as a Federal Council- curry favour with foreign powers feeling to speak. Not even the individual EU lor. But what are the demands to be met or that the own people are just a brake block. member-states are allowed to decide which ones should be fulfilled? We expect him to lead a well-managed de- on their own. Ignazio Cassis can certainly show a partment, its direction not predestined by – A wild running monetary policy of the track record of political experience gained an expensive civil servant or “expert” ap- large central banks (ECB, FED) has at cantonal and national level in Ticino and paratus, but executing missions and ad- forced the Swiss National Bank to buy Berne. He has gained personal experienc- dressing concerns of the people. It’s a de- a gigantic amount of foreign currencies es with federalism as a Ticino. As a doc- manding task. thus inflating its own balance sheets. tor, we expect him to show a human ethic Especially today, the situation in a glo- This will expose our country to major and as an actor in various foundations a balised, closely interconnected world is risks. certain ability to cooperate. The country complex and dangerous: – A probable economic recession with a can trust to have found a wise member of – A creeping integration into NATO serious impact on Switzerland as an ex- the Federal Council. (PFP), which has transformed into a port nation with a low level of self-suf- Our country has certain benchmarks war alliance, endangers our neutrali- ficiency requires good relations with that distinguish it from many other coun- ty policy and brings us closer to war. our neighbour states. tries around us: among other things, its di- This in times of escalating internation- On the one hand, this is a demanding rect democracy, through which we citi- al conflicts. initial position, on the other hand, Swit- zens can express our will and our interests – By chance our country is located in zerland can put its internationally rec- in a genuine way. This also includes fed- the midst of an undemocratic EU-state ognised role as mediator in conflicts in eralism with a balance to be well kept be- structure. The individual neighbour- balance and, with its experience, can tween the interests of the various munic- ing countries are no longer our contact contribute to peaceful conflict resolution, ipalities and cantons. And of course, the persons, but an unelected central of- not to be underestimated. The duties and neutrality of our country is also to be men- fice in Brussels. It attempts to impose possibilities are great. All the more for tioned as a value, which has so far kept us its interests as a great power and dic- an honest and sincere advocacy of our out of many conflicts of foreign powers. tates the implementation of its legisla- country. • No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 5 Swiss traditions must not be overgrown by EU law A lesson from the parliament’s autumn session by Dr iur Marianne Wüthrich What an “Institutional Framework Agree- ment”– meaning Switzerland’s subordi- nation under the law and jurisdiction of the EU – would mean, can be seen at the moment by the example of the EU Par- liament’s and the EU Council’s tighten- ing of the EU-Firearms-Directive. Since the author is not a weapons expert, here are a few words concerning the content of the directive: in spring 2017, in response to the terrorist attacks of 2015 in Paris, EU leaders severely restricted the private possession of firearms, especially of army weapons. Now the Member States have 15 (!) months to implement the amended directive. Exceptions have at least been contended successfully by hunters, sports shooters, collectors of arms and museums in many countries.1

This EU-Firearms-Directive was dis- cussed in March 2017 in the Swiss Na- tional Council and in the current autumn session in the Council of States. A motion With approximately 175,000 members, the Swiss Shooting Association (SSV) is the out of the National Council required the third largest sports federation in Switzerland and represents around 1,300 local Federal Council to join forces with EU associations. (picture Keystone) states and to resist against a tightening of the Swiss Arms Law.2 tive is a further development of the Schen- Dublin? I didn’t know. Who could have You may now ask yourself what Swit- gen acquis, and you know that the associa- known 12 years ago which new decrees zerland has to do with a Firearms-Direc- tion with Schengen/Dublin was subject to would be issued in Brussels in the future? tive from Brussels. Why do we have to a referendum, so it is a mission there, that That’s why I voted no on 5 June 2005. defend ourselves against the impending we are a taking part in Schengen/Dublin. In the brochure “Schengen/Dublin – in abolition of the tradition of our Shoot- It was very well known at the time what we brief”4, the interested reader learns on 19 ing Associations? I had exactly the same got involved with, which was intensely dis- pages what is included in this agreement, questions, too. cussed then, that Switzerland is in princi- which governs “international cooperation ple obliged to take on further developments in the field of internal security and asy- “Further development of the within the framework of the Schengen ac- lum”. For example, “Minimum rules for Schengen Acquis”: What does quis and to incorporate it into national law. combating trade of firearms and drugs”, that mean in concrete terms? So, we have to implement this in national with an appropriate adaptation of the Swiss In March, Federal Councillor Simonetta law, it is not an automatic takeover. “ [em- weapons legislation, “without questioning Sommaruga explained this to the Nation- phasis added mw.]3 the areas of hunting, shooting associations al Council and thus also to us as citizens: Did we exactly know at that time what and arms collecting” (p. 14; emphasis “The adaptation of the EU-Firearms-Direc- Switzerland got involved with Schengen/ added mw.). I repeat my question: Did you know exactly what Schengen/Dublin would mean for the Swiss rule of law and direct Preservation of national traditions? democracy in the future? Did Mrs Som- maruga know exactly at that time? Or not rather stronger control over citizens? An emasculated parliament “With regard to the adaptation of the into consideration the traditions of Swit- without a right of decision new weapons firearms-directive, however, zerland, the 28 EU member states and the needs of the traditionally established the 3 EEA states in its legislative machin- This is what the Swiss legislation would shooting system sport and the shooters ery, is simply impossible. Apart from this, look like after an Institutional Frame- and hunters must also be taken into ac- the EU head office is pursuing entirely work Agreement with Brussels became count. We have recently adapted and sub- different objectives: there is no place valid: the National Council discusses on stantially sharpened the arms legislation.“ for cultural diversity in the targeted cen- 15 March 2017 the Motion 16.3719, which Josef Dittli, Council of States tralised state with uniform law, but for merely asks the Federal Council to “act member FDP and former Security the total digital monitoring of the citi- in the interest of the people in favour of Director of the Canton of Uri, zens. A sharper control of the purchase a liberal and free weapons law that cor- on 11 September 2017 of weapons and their possession serves in the Council of States this aim. Thus you can not prevent ter- responds with our Swiss traditions”. The mw. To all Europeans to think: The fact rorist attacks, because terrorists do not author of the motion can even refer to a that the Brussels bureaucracy can take buy their weapons in the shop ... referendum, namely the clear rejection of

continued on page 6 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 6 Swiss participation in protecting EU’s external borders National Council marks the red line mw. On Thursday, 21 September 2017, the As a matter of fact, “Schengen” is con- butions to Schengen/Dublin, the overall National Council as first council adopted cerned solely with accelerating a central- sum of which the Federal Council does the EU-Regulation 2016/1624 “on the Eu- ist unitary state. For if a state effective- not make transparent in its message to ropean Border and Coast Guard” by 102 ly protects the Schengen external borders Parliament. As a second condition, the to 75 votes and 10 abstentions, however, and thereby keeps its own borders under National Council wants to stipulate that it issued a caveat. This EU-regulation is its own control, just as the Hungarian gov- the planned involvement of the Swiss part of the “further development of the ernment has dared to do, then it is the end border guards at the Schengen external Schengen acquis”, which, according to the of all noble theories! borders should not lead to a poorer sur- agreement Switzerland has to adopt if it Only the EU lobby in Berne knows, veillance of the Swiss borders. wishes to remain in Schengen. It were “a why Switzerland has to be absolutely The National Council is right! Thereby necessary step towards improving the sit- with Schengen. This lobby has pressur- he calls on the Federal Council, on the one uation on the Schengen external border,” ised us voters for years that we would be- hand, not to swallow everything, which according to the narrow majority of the come European outsiders without Schen- the Brussels bureaucracy dopes out, but, National Council’s Security Policy Com- gen like some former Soviet republics on the other hand, first to take its respon- mittee (SPC-N).1 and that we would have to be in the same sibility for protecting the Swiss national In reality, the so-called Schengen area queue at the airports with their nationals. borders. – It is to be hoped that the Coun- is one of the many Brussels’ blessings that So what? cil of States will at least confirm this red cannot work because they are self-contra- The National Council now wants to line in the winter session. • dictory: “The basic idea is to facilitate trav- stop the steady increase of Swiss finan- elling within the ‘Schengen area’ with its cial contributions. Firstly, the Federal approximately 500 million inhabitants with- Decree is designed to ensure that Swit- 1 To strengthen the European Border and Coast out reduction of security” as mentioned in zerland is involved in the cost of the new Guard. 17.033 Media release SPC-N 2 from 29 August 2017 a FDFA brochure. For the European na- European border and coastal guards at a 2 Federal Departement of Foreign Affairs. Integra- tion states, Schengen means a fundamental maximum of 12 million francs per year.3 tion Office FDFA/EAER. Schengen/Dublin – kurz ban on identity checks on its borders with For in 2015, Switzerland paid 4.6 million erklärt. 2nd edition 2011, p. 4 3 Federal decision on the approval and implementa- the neighbouring states, if they are also part euros only for the “European Agency for tion of the exchange of notes between Switzerland of Schengen. Instead the external borders Border and Coastal Guards Frontex”, in and the European Union for the adoption of the should be protected with combined forc- 2016 already 9.9 million – thus more EU Regulation on the European Border and Coast es – a true Sisyphus work! In any case, the than twice as much! – in 2017, an esti- Guard (17.033). Minutes of the National Council from 21 September 2017 idea of ​​a Europe without borders soon fell mated 12.4 million, and in 2020 it should 4 Embassy of the Federal Council on 17.033, from through the harsh objection of reality. be 14.2 million.4 There are also contri- 17 May 2017. Bundesblatt 2017, p. 41821

”Swiss traditions must not …” agree to the motion, because the Feder- the decision has long since been taken: continued from page 5 al Council had done everything possible The Federal Council has already “made it in Brussels anyway; however, the EU di- clear to the EU that we will implement the the People’s initiative “For the protection rective would still need to be transposed directive. As we must do so within thir- against armed violence”, which was re- into national law. The National Council ty days.”6 jected by the Swiss people on 13 Febru- cannot be put off until a later draft of this I do recommend to our citizens and to ary 2011 with 56.3% no votes. The adop- act of transposition, but agrees to the mo- the members of the parliament as elect- tion of that initiative would have meant tion with 118 Yes against 58 No with 3 ed by us: it is bad enough if there are al- that the Swiss soldiers would no longer abstentions.5 ready such meaningless Council debates have been allowed to keep their infantry The Council of States, on the other in Berne today as a result of the integra- rifle at home; the majority of the voting hand, rejected the motion with 29 to 13 tion into the EU. If we want the Swiss people didn’t agree on that. votes and 2 abstentions on 11 September Parliament to be able to decide in the fu- On 15 March of this year, Mrs Som- 2017, after Federal Councillor Sommaru- ture, we must not accept an “institution- maruga also assured that she had advo- ga declared: “Whether you decide to reject al framework agreement” according to the cated in the spirit of the motion “to en- or to accept – the most important thing is blessings of Brussels! • sure that the continuation of the Swiss that we agree on the content. Whether you tradition of the shooting sports associ- accept or reject now leads to no difference 1 cf. New bans. EU Parliament tightens weapons ations is possible. As you know, sports in the direction to proceed.” law – open dispute at press conference. Spiegel shooters often use their former army This is almost as much the case as in online from 14.3.2017 weapon. Switzerland has therefore been the largely disempowered parliaments of 2 16.3719 Motion Salzmann Werner. We will not committed to ensuring that the infan- the EU Member States: whether the Na- be disarmed by the EU! try rifle can continue to be kept when tional Council or the Council of States say 3 16.3719 Motion Salzmann Werner. National Council debate from 15.3.2017 the army service is terminated. We have yes or no, does not matter. After all, Mrs 4 2nd Issue 2011. https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/ achieved this goal”. [emphasis added Federal Councillor tells you “the direction eda/de/documents/publications/Europaeis- mw. And note: So, is the Federal Coun- to proceed”: “We will implement this di- cheAngelegenheiten/Schengen_de. pdf cil able to achieve something in Brussels rective, because otherwise the Schengen/ 5 16.3719 Motion Salzmann Werner. National from time to time? We have to remember Dublin would be automatically terminat- Council debate from 15.3.2017 this for coming confrontations!] That is ed […]. We do not want that at all.” By the 6 16.3719 Motion Salzmann Werner. Council of why the National Council might calmly way, the attentive citizen also learns that States debate from 11.9.2017 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 7

International Day of Peace – 21 September 2017 UN Independent Expert demands: “Silence the drums of war and disarm for development” The UN Independent Expert on the promo- “All Members shall refrain in their international relations tion of a democrat- ic and equitable in- from the threat or use of force against the territorial integri- ternational order, ty or political independence of any state, or in any other man- Alfred de Zayas, is calling on States to ner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.” transform war econo- (Chapter I, Article 2(4) UN-Charter) mies into peace econ- Alfred de Zayas omies. The appeal is (picture ma) being made in a state- national conflict, often emerging from the Rights system, is the general name of the Coun- ment to mark International Day of Peace unrepresentative nature of governments, cil’s independent fact-finding and monitoring on Thursday, 21 September. great injustices and inequalities prevail- mechanisms that address either specific coun- ing in the world. try situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on “Lobbying on behalf of military and in- Over the past seventy years many a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do dustrial companies is fuelling wars world- armed conflicts had their origin in the de- not receive a salary for their work. They are in- wide and frustrating the aspiration of hu- nial of the right of internal or external self- dependent from any government or organization manity to live in peace. Instead of cutting determination. and serve in their individual capacity. military budgets, many States are current- There are still many indigenous peo- Source: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/ ly increasing their military expenditure ples, non-self-governing peoples and oth- Pages/DisplayNews. and reducing investment in health, educa- ers living under occupation who have a le- aspx?NewsID=22109&LangID=E tion and social services. gitimate claim to self-determination. It is States should refrain not only from the time for the United Nations to proactively use of force in international relations, but support the realization of self-determina- Current Concerns also from the threat of force, as stipulat- tion as a conflict-prevention strategy, re- The international journal for independent ed in the UN Charter (Article 2(4) UN- quiring mediation. thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Charter). However, in spite of these well- My previous reports to the UN Human and for the promotion and respect known rules, many politicians engage in Rights Council and the UN General As- of public international law, human rights sabre-rattling, frequently with the support sembly emphasized that addressing glob- and humanitarian law and applause of political commentators al problems including pandemics, climate Publisher: Zeit-Fragen Cooperative and the mainstream media. change and the challenges of the Sustain- Editor: Erika Vögeli Based on the UN Charter’s call to save able Development Goals requires trillions Address: Current Concerns, succeeding generations from the scourge of dollars. P.O. Box, CH-8044 Zurich of war, civil society is leading the move- It is therefore imperative to drastical- Phone: +41 (0)44 350 65 50 ment to ensure peace becomes a clearly ly reduce military expenditure and convert Fax: +41 (0)44 350 65 51 defined human right. war economies into peace economies. It is E-Mail: [email protected] This initiative was enshrined in the unconscionable to continue the arms race Subscription details: Santiago Declaration of 10 Decem- when millions of human beings are suffer- published regularly electronically as PDF file ber 2010, which led to a draft declara- ing from extreme poverty, famine and no Annual subscription rate of SFr. 40,-, € 30,-, £ 25,-, $ 40,- tion on the right to peace by the Advisory access to clean water and sanitation. for the following countries: Committee of the Human Rights Coun- We must silence the drums of war and Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, cil, a document manifesting a holistic ap- disarm for development.” • Cyprus, , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hongkong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, proach to peace and encompassing civil, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Nether- cultural, economic, political and social Mr Alfred de Zayas (United States of America) lands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, rights. was appointed as the first Independent Expert on Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab ­Emirates, the promotion of a democratic and equitable in- United Kingdom, USA The watered-down resolution adopted ternational order by the Human Rights Council, Annual subscription rate of by the Human Rights Council is not the effective May 2012. He is currently professor of SFr. 20,-, € 15,-, £ 12,50, $ 20,- international law at the Geneva School of Diplo- end of the story. States must listen to civil for all other countries. macy. Mr Alfred de Zayas practiced corporate society and complete the work already Account: Postscheck-Konto: PC 87-644472-4 started by the General Assembly at the law and family law in New York and Florida. As a Human Rights Council mandate holder, he is The editors reserve the right to shorten letters to height of the cold war. A renewed cold independent from any government or organiza- the editor. Letters to the editor do not necessarily war makes a new Human Rights Council tion and serves in his individual capacity. reflect the views and opinions of Current Concerns. resolution all the more urgent. The Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human © 2017. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or States must work together on resolving Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. the root causes of local, regional and inter- body of independent experts in the UN Human No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 8 World Congress of the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) was held in York by Dr Matin Baraki The organisation million deaths. Never was the danger that participant called for the necessary popu- IPPNW – an in- the human species could be extinguished, larisation of prohibition in his speech, the ternational group- as great as today. delegate from Costa Rica highlighted the ing of physicians The text of the nuclear weapons ban role of his country as the most commit- – also has a Ger- agreement shows how the countries can ted country for a ban, pointing out that 25 man section (“In- exit of this program. The treaty is to be en- to 30 Latin and Central American coun- ternationale Ärzte shrined in international law, and the ideas tries had signed the contract on the prohi- für die Verhütung of “collective security” in the partner or- bition of nuclear bombs. Costa Rica pre- Matin Baraki des Atomkrieg- ganisations and states are to be dissemi- sented the prohibition agreement to the (picture bremer- es, Ärzte in sozial- nated. However, with the current strategy UNO in 1997. All African states are nu- friedensformum.de) er Verantwortung of the nuclear powers, the existing power clear-free, and South Africa, which al- e.V.”), which mainly works for the disar- structures in the world are being cement- ready had the nuclear bomb, has, how- mament of nuclear weapons. ed. This makes a change in the status quo ever, ceded it long ago, as a guest from In 1985, the organisation received the more difficult. Indeed, these powers do Kenya informed. Nobel Peace Prize for its “considerable not intend to dissolve the Nuclear Non- The Afghan delegate presented a service to mankind by spreading author- Proliferation Treaty, but they also do not “peace plan” for Afghanistan, the imple- itative information and by creating an want to sign it, explicitly referring to India mentation of which would require the awareness of the catastrophic consequenc- and Pakistan. replacement of the NATO military by es of atomic warfare”. Delegation members reported on their military units from the Islamic and non- For the 22nd time, this internation- work and the struggle of the peace forc- aligned countries. The already 38-year al meeting was held in York (Great Brit- es in their countries. The British nuclear war in the Hindu Kush shows that only a ain) in September with approximately 600 bomb opponents see their focus on ob- political solution of the conflict is prom- guests from all over the world. taining a ban on British nuclear subma- ising. For this solution, a concept and a The strong presence of representatives rines. They pointed out that for the US program should be developed and imple- from India and Japan was conspicuous. armaments industry, the nuclear bomb mented by the Afghans themselves, in ac- The “face” of the meeting was charac- is a “sacred cow”. In the USA peace cordance with the local conditions, involv- terized by young people who’s messag- movement, the medical and humanitari- ing the broad masses of the population and es contributed to the constructive progress an consequences of a nuclear weapon de- all political groups, including the Taliban. achieved at this meeting. The Congress ployment are addressed in order to mobi- It was emphasised that the USA did not called for a peaceful coexistence of all na- lise the people there against the nuclear sign the Cluster Bomb Prohibition Treaty, tions without nuclear bombs and set its bomb. A Russian representative empha- however, stopped its production. Here the goal of contributing to the enforcement of sised that for the government of Russia normative force of a treaty becomes clear, the worldwide ban on nuclear weapons. nuclear safety was the first priority to pro- which in the case of a prohibition of nu- In the opening speech, the President of mote conditions for the abolition of the clear bombs could have a similar effect. the Conference pointed out that it would nuclear bomb. An Indian delegate empha- In meetings of the regions (Africa, Eu- be a matter of convincing all nations to sised the role of UNO and criticised the rope, Latin America, the Middle East, support the nuclear weapons ban agree- Indian mass media, which hardly reports North America, South Asia and South- ment, which is already supported by 486 on the subject of the prohibition of nu- east Asia and the Pacific) and in numer- organizations from 130 countries around clear weapons. The Japanese participant ous workshops, the participants discussed the world. pointed out the confrontational behav- and deepened the questions and problems It was emphasised that with the es- iour of North Korea and the USA, which presented in the plenary session. calation of the conflict between North has reached a frightening stage. But these A British soldier who was deployed in Korea and the USA, the acute danger of tensions can only be solved politically. Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland the actual use of nuclear bombs is grow- The US administration should respect gave a historical overview of the brutality ing today. A study was presented which the sovereignty of North Korea. Austral- of the British Empire, in which the conti- informed of the consequences of such an ia, like the Federal Republic of Germa- nuity of the warfare of British imperialism operation. Just 50 bombs – if India and Pa- ny, put themselves under the nuclear pro- was unmistakable. His appearance turned kistan were to use them in the event of a tection shield of the USA. Therefore, the out to be a highlight of the Congress. • war – would kill 30 million people imme- government in Canberra has no interest diately. The resulting global nuclear cli- in banning nuclear bombs, declared an mate change would lead to further 200 Australian delegate. While a Norwegian (Translation Current Concerns) No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 9

One war can hide another – after the Caliphate, Rojava by Thierry Meyssan While the Syrian Arab Army, the Rus- sian aviation and Hezbollah are pre- paring to finish off Daesh, the Pentagon is planning a new war against Syria, this time with Kurd- Thierry Meyssan ish troops. Just as the (picture mission of the Cali- wikipedia) phate was to create a Sunnistan straddling Iraq and Syria, so the mission of “Roja- va” is to create a Kurdistan straddling the two states, as the Pentagon has been pub- licly stating for the last four years. According to US grand strategy, as de- fined by Admiral Cebrowski in 2001, and published in 2004 by his assistant Thom- as Barnett, all of the Greater Middle East must be destroyed except for Israël, Jor- dan and Lebanon. Consequently, the imminent victory against Daesh will change nothing of the This map was published by Robin Wright nine months before the offensive by Daesh Pentagon’s intentions. into Iraq and Syria. According to this Pentagon researcher, it rectifies the map pub- President Trump is against the manipu- lished in 2005 by Ralf Peters for the reshaping of the Greater Middle East. (picture ma) lation of the jihadists. He has stopped the financial and military support that his coun- no possibility of preventing a procedure for His special representative against try was giving them, and has managed to destitution other than negotiating with the Daesh, Brett McGurk, is an ex-collabora- convince Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to do Democratic Party. tor of President Obama, and is supposed the same. He has modified NATO policies Donald Trump has composed his ad- to serve Trump’s new policy. On 18 Au- in the matter. However, nothing yet hints ministration of ex-senior civil servants gust, he organised a meeting with the trib- as to whether or not he will also oppose the from the Obama administration, a num- al leaders to “fight Daesh”. However, the Pentagon’s grand strategy. As far as the US ber of opportunistic politicians, many im- photographs he published attest to the fact Interior is concerned, the whole of Con- provised representatives, and very very that, on the contrary, several of Daesh’s gress is in league against him, and he has few trustworthy personalities. leaders also participated in the meeting. In the same vein, helicopters of the US Special Forces exfiltrated two Euro- Kurds and Kurdistan pean leaders of Daesh and their families from the outskirts of Deiz ez-Zor, before “The Kurds live in a region of strate- southeast of Adiyaman) have been they could be taken prisoner by the Syr- gic importance. Abundance of water put into operation, used to produce ian Arab Army on 26 August. Two days and oil deposits are such a signifi- electricity and in partly initiated and later, they also exfiltrated about twenty cant factor that neither Turkey nor partially realized projects – such as more Daesh officers. Iraq can waive these resources also the South East Anatolia Project (GAP, Everything looks as though the Penta- claimed by the Kurds. Thus, Kurdistan abbreviation for Güney-Dogu Anado- gon were storing away its jihadist struc- is of geopolitical importance for the lu Projesi) – to transform vast land be- ture and conserving it for other opera- Western world. This has contributed tween Urfa and Gaziantep into agri- tions elsewhere. Simultaneously, it is to a lively interest in the events and cultural land.” (pp. 24) preparing a new episode against Syria persons.” (p. 15) “Oil deposits in Kurdistan are a with a new army, which, this time, will “It’s abundance of water makes major economic and geo-political be composed around Kurdish forces. Kurdistan a strategic region of im- factor. The distribution of the income This war, like the war against the portance in an otherwise arid world. from the oil fields of Kirkuk (not lay- With a glance at the map the two ing in the Kurdish part, but claimed Caliphate,was announced four years streams Euphrates and Tigris are al- by the Kurds) has not yet been con- ago in the New York Times, by Robin ready dominating, but numerous riv- clusively clarified between the cen- Wright, a researcher at the US Institute ers and lakes are to be added, e.g. tral government in Baghdad and the of Peace (equivalent to the NED for the the two Zab rivers and the Aras. The RRKI (regional government Kurdistan Pentagon). It also planned to divide the headstreams (those of the Euphra- Iraq).” (p. 25) Yemen into two states, potentially shared tes are called Murat and Karasu) and between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi – and fi- Source: Strohmeier, Martin; Yalcin-Heck- nally, last but not least, to dismember the upper courses of the two streams mann, Lale. Die Kurden. Geschichte. Poli- run on Turkish territory. Several large tik. Kultur. 2010, ISBN 978-3406 59195 2 Saudi Arabia. dams (inter alia the Atatürk Dam (Translation Current Concerns) continued on page 10 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 10

”One war can hide another …” Not long ago, the French Minister for continued from page 9 Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, public- Nato’s Anarchist Brigades ly declared that President Assad “did not “So the Pentagon has added to the Meanwhile, the “Rojava” project cor- deserve to be on Earth”, and confirmed number of ‘their’ Kurds, not only a responds to Israeli strategy, which, since that the jihadists were doing a “good job”. few Arab and Assyrian mercenaries, the end of the 1990’s and the develop- Many young people answered his call by but above all, militants from the Eu- ment of missiles, is no longer concentrat- joining Al-Nusra (Al-Qaida), then Daesh. ropean extreme-left. […] Just as the ed on controlling its border regions (the Today, the French ex-Minister for For- CIA has enrolled tens of thousands of Sinai, the Golan and South Lebanon), eign Affairs, Bernard Kouchner, publicly young Western Muslims in order to but on taking its neighbours from behind announced that France would support the turn them into Islamists, in the same (hence the creation of South Sudan and creation of state which would include Iraqi way, it has recruited European anar- chists to create the International Bri- eventually, Greater Kurdistan). Kurdistan and the corridor to the Mediter- gades, on the model of those which The recruiting drive for European sol- ranean via Syria. A few young Europeans fought in 1936 in Barcelona against the diers for the “Rojava” project has only just have already answered this call, and many fascists. We can also find auxiliary YPG/ begun. A priori, it could assemble as many others will follow. NATO troops such as the Internation- combatants as there were for the jihad, inso- Today, as in 2011–12, the Western alist Antifascist Batallion (Central Eu- far as the members of the anarchist groups Press has taken the side of this new anti- rope), the Bob Crow Brigade (English which provide manpower are as numerous Syrian army, supported by their govern- and Irish), the Henri Krasucki Brigade in Europe as common law prisoners. ments. It will never question the treach- (French), the International Revolution- Indeed, the jihadist network began in ery of Abdullah Öcalan, who renounced ary People’s Guerrilla Forces (Ameri- cas), the Revolutionary Union for Inter- French prisons before becoming a gener- Marxist-Leninism for anarchy. It will nationalist Solidarity (Greek), the Unity alised “crusade”. It is probable that the repeat that Kurdistan has already been of the Marxist-Leninist Party (Spanish), recruitment within the anarchist move- recognised by the Sèvres Conference, and all the pro-US Turkish groupus- ment will also spread as the conflict in 1920, but it will avoid looking at the cules (DK, DKP, MLSPB-DC, PDKÖ, SI, goes on. Washington, London, Paris and documents which specify its boundaries. TDP, TKEP/L, TKPML) to mention only Berlin, who organised this recruitment, It will believe it to be legitimate in Iraq the most visible (cf. “LGBT Brigades In planned in the long term. and Syria, although it is currently situat- Syria? Western Anarcho-Leftists Cut- I use the word “crusade” deliberately, ed in Turkey. It will ignore the fact that ting Their Teeth With Western-Backed because these wars in the Middle Ages, the frontiers in fact correspond to noth- Kurdish YPG”, Brandon Turbeville, Ac- like the one we have just experienced, tivist Post, July 27, 2017. “Le Rojava, un ing other than the plans developed by the califat d’extrême gauche? Réseaux ‘an- were in fact European imperialist oper- Pentagon. tifascistes’ et terrorisme: le laboratoire ations against the people of the Great- The referendum for the independence kurde”, Observatoire des extrêmes de er Middle East. It is just as grotesque of the Iraqi region of Kurdistan and the gauche, 16 août 2017). to claim that there is a link between the territories annexed with the help of Daesh Source: Meyssan, Thierry. Nato’s An- message of Christ and the crusades as will launch the beginning of this opera- archist Brigades, www.voltairenet.org to claim a link between the Prophet and tion, on 25 September. As in 2014, it will from 12 September 2017 jihadism. In both cases, the command- be intended to simultaneously destroy ers were “Westerners”1 and these con- Iraq and Syria, this time without creating flicts exclusively served Western impe- a “Sunnistan” from Rakka to Mossul, but ly the Europeans, the North-Americans and the rialism. The successive crusades bled a “Kurdistan”, on a territory linking Erbil Israelis. Author’s note. across two centuries, and the majority of and Kirkuk to the Mediterranean. • Chrisitians in the Levant fought along- (Translation Pete Kimberley) 1 This term is poorly chosen insofar as “Western- side their Muslim compatriots against er” is not opposed to “Oriental”, but to “Soviet”. Source: www.voltairenet.org the invaders. I could find no other term to describe collective- from 19 September 2017

Whom does an “independent” Kurdish state serve? cc. Such diverse media as the “Neue claring: ‘Israel supports the legitimate ing pro-American governments in these Zürcher Zeitung” and Sputnik agree on efforts of the Kurdish people to estab- countries. This is an advantage for Isra- one point: the founding of a Kurdish lish their own state’. He’s being celebrat- el as an ally of the United States. This state in northern Syria and Iraq is asso- ed in northern Iraq”. An Iraqi security [the regime change] would also allow Is- ciated with geo-strategical issues. On 23 expert, Ahmed al Sharafi, was quoted rael to bring oil and water sources under September, the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” at Sputnik on 22 September: “[Israel’s its control. Israel would then have loyal wrote: “Only one state has so far openly Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanya- neighbours – from the Persian Gulf to the taken the side of the Kurds: Israel. An in- hu has been talking about the necessi- Mediterranean. But the persistence of the dependent Kurdistan, so the calculation, ty to build an oil pipeline from Kirkuk Syrians made these plans fail. Therefore, could help to contain the growing influ- and Mosul [both in Iraq] via Syrian ter- they now rely on the implementation of ence of Tehran in the region. Both states, ritory to the Mediterranean Sea since the ‘Kurdish project’ to divide Syria and Israel and Kurdistan, are surrounded by 2005, so that Israel would have a relia- Iraq”. Sputnik scontinues: “According to hostile states and share a history of cen- ble source of energy”. And further: “The Haim Hassun, the Syrian brigadier gen- turies of persecution and statelessness. foundation of the Da’esh [Islamic State/ eral, the Syrian army has already begun On 13 September, Israel’s Prime Minis- IS] had the goal of overthrowing the re- to avert the threat posed by the Kurds on ter Benjamin Netanyahu spoke out, de- gimes in Iraq and Syria and establish- Syria’s territory”. • No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 11

Afterthoughts on the elections to the German “Bundestag” Who is controlling German politics? A new study on the influence of the US-American Council on Foreign Relations by Karl Müller Nearly for a whole year before Elec- ship with Russia, disapproving of sanc- a “global American Empire” has been tion Day, the German Chancellor stat- tions against Russia, happy about North- created “whose key positions have near- ed that the Germans had “never before Stream 2. Most likely they would also be ly consistently been staffed by the now al- been so well off”. This was the motto of happy about the “New Silk Road” – if fac- most 5,000 representatives of the CFR.” her public appearances – and the com- tual information were available. Maybe In a well-documented manner and with mon theme of her responses to the cit- they also wonder if the course of the Ger- descriptive graphics, the study demon- izens’ questions. Those asking question man campaign had been planned precisely strates how not just German media are in TV shows were quickly satisfied by beforehand. Merkel was to remain Chan- integrated in the CFR’s network but also this, probably they had to… not a single cellor, whatever happens, after Donald non-government organisations, so-called question could be discussed in depth dur- Trump’s election victory. This was and is think tanks and experts, the military, se- ing these stagings. After all, these shows in the interest of the “deep state” in the cret services, governments, press and PR were more or less part of the controlled USA. “Chancellor of the Western Allies” agencies and also individual journalists – stage play “election campaign”. – this would be appropriate today. and also prominent actors. Reality-conscious east The CFR’s role What makes optimistic Public appearances without preselec- It seems like the actual planning offic- The last paragraph of the introduction, tion were different – even more differ- es were not situated in Germany. Most however, makes optimistic: The CFR had ent in East Germany. The Germans from likely a US American association called created an “information matrix” which “is the states Mecklenburg-Hither Pomera- the Council on Foreign Relations, CFR, highly superior to classical government nia, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxo- is much more relevant for Germany. In propaganda.” But “due to the success of ny and Thuringia seem to be more con- early September a highly meritorious independent media it is increasingly [los- scious of reality than their West German Swiss institution called Swiss Propagan- ing] its efficiency.” fellow citizens – and it is not fair to re- da Research has published a comprehen- In the summary we read: “Due to the in- duce their protest to tomato-throwing. sive study: “Die Propaganda-Matrix: Wie ternet there are increasing possibilities to Many of them are employed in the low der CFR den geostrategischen Informa- distribute information in a decentralized wage sector and for example are well tionsfluss kontrolliert” (The Propaganda and cheap way, thus bypassing the gate- aware that the lower 40% in the income Matrix: How the CFR is controlling the keepers of the Council. Meanwhile there distribution have fallen behind the rise geo-strategic flow of information)2. is also a number German-speaking reader- in income of the upper 60% and partial- This study should become compulsive financed media and platforms which chal- ly even had to accept losses in their real reading in all circles concerned about un- lenge the conventional narrative, allowing wage1. One week before the elections, the derstanding reality, in all schools and uni- for new perspectives.” Interesting links are Deutschlandfunk commented: “With this versity seminars. given. clientele, the parties’ programmatic mes- The statement in the introduction is sages must feel like the SED’s [the rul- confirmed when reading the study: “Be it It depends on the citizens ing party in the former GDR] slogans of Russia, Syria or Donald Trump: In order Hence: How long will the Merkel system the permanent exceeding of plans”, add- to understand the geo-political media re- work? The answer for this question will ing that “advertising material in the street porting one has to know the key role of not depend on Merkel alone. It will main- campaign had never been so meaning- the American Council on Foreign Rela- ly depend on us citizens. Those informed less.” tions (CFR). For the first time the fol- can recognise the stage play that is being lowing study is showing how the Coun- performed. Nobody needs to know every- Foreign politics not an issue for the cil’s network has created a trans-Atlantic thing in order to understand: It is high- “Chancellor of the Western Allies” cycle of information, nearly closed in it- ly devious to claim that the Germans self, where nearly all relevant sources “had never been so well off”. The number Remarkable was: German foreign politics and reference points are controlled by and size of the tasks is huge. The general – except regarding the charged Turkey members of the CFR and its propaganda drowsiness which Mrs Merkel was trying issue – was hardly an issue in the cam- organisations.” to impose on the country can be suicidal.• paign. Securing peace, international un- derstanding, international law… hardly Until today: 1 worth a mention. At least not in the media Securing the global US dominance cf. https://www.diw.de/de/diw_01.c.550957. de/themen_nachrichten/realeinkommen_ne- subject to public law. Coincidence? Not The study is informing about the CFR’s hmen_seit_1991_weniger_stark_zu_als_ relevant? Or maybe part of the stage play? history, its goal to secure the global US- die_ wirtschaftskraft_erste_anzeichen_fuer_ Back to East Germany. Many people American dominance. Since the founda- wieder_steigende_einkommensungleichheit.html there are interested in a good relation- tion of the CFR in 1921, an institution for 2 https://swprs.org/die-propaganda-matrix/ No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 12 Globalisers withdraw top technology from Germany by Prof Dr Eberhard Hamer The SME economy in the location-safe submarine technol- – The worst example is Airbus. This has always point- ogy of the Howaldt shipyard, where an aviation group, which is highly subsi- ed out that small unloyal board, with the approval of the dised by us, has – supposedly to gain and medium-sized federal government, allegedly accepted a foothold in the Chinese market – de- entrepreneurs are American takeover requests by hand- livered to the Chinese its own produc- usually true to their ing over all plans and technical inter- tion potential of airbus machines, so home countries, lo- nals, until the Americans had every- that today, the Chinese are already cation-based. This thing and were no longer interested in able to build their own competitor ma- already becomes the shipyard itself. chines to Airbus in their own compa- apparent when you – How dangerous a shift of German pro- nies, using Airbus technology. There Eberhard Hamer look at their family duction abroad is, was experienced by are no powers of imagination neces- (picture ma) ties and the domes- the photo industry decades ago. In the fif- sary to predict that in 10 years Air- tic character of a medium-sized person- ties and sixties, Germany was the world bus will no longer be able to deliver to nel company. leader in photo cameras. Then produc- China, because Chinese airbus com- The large corporations, on the other tion was shifted to Asia “because of the panies will be dominating the market. hand, have long been international. They cheaper labour force” and only sold in – Last message: Siemens, too, sees the not only produce world-wide, have sup- Germany, until the Japanese competition digital future first and foremost in pliers the world over, but also have share- made more attractive offers of the Ger- China, and is moving its global re- holders from all over the world. Accord- man models on the world market than search center for autonomous robots to ing to estimates of the Mittelstandsinstitut we ourselves did, and so they seized the China. It is only logical that after the (SME Institute) of Lower Saxony, more than market leadership. Today, we buy Asian withdrawal of the Kuka robot control, 70% of our DAX companies are predomi- cameras instead of German ones. Siemens cannot keep its world-leading nantly foreign-owned, mostly American. A – After the US and Japan, China is now robotics research without a domestic group controlled by a foreign country no the big technology plagiariser. The production application either, but in- longer has a national bond, has no home, Chinese have more than 3 trillion dol- stead places its future research in the demands globalisation and free trade, and lar assets, for which they are unlikely country which has, among other things, above all, freedom of capital, including tax to get anything any more if they do not acquired the robot technology. savings through tax havens. switch to some tangible assets in good In all cases the German tax payer has We owe our export surpluses to the in- time. They therefore buy everything massively subsidised the future technolo- ternational trade of these global corpora- they can get all around the world, es- gies, especially with the taxes of the small tions. These surpluses, on the other hand, pecially technology – at any price. and medium enterprises and the mid- can only be achieved by the fact that we – They cannot shop in the US, because dle class, and then the international cor- have had or still have important technical the US has a security veto right which porations have transferred the results of advantages in growth industries – most- it is constantly exercising. It is true that these subsidies and of German technolo- ly publicly subsidised. If we lose such a there is such a national security reserve gy abroad, sold them or even given them technical lead, we lose not only our export in Germany as well, but it is never used, free of charge. capability but also a part of our prosperity. because our globalisation-addicted feder- The Federal Government sees this as In this sense, the technological growth al government would see this as an “in- a “normal internationalisation process” drivers of our international corporations ternational trade restriction”. In this way, and does not intervene. On the other hand, are extremely dangerous not only as seen the Chinese are able to buy high-technol- SME research sees the migration of ad- from the ownership structure of a capi- ogy in Germany without hindrance. vanced technologies subsidised by German tal company, but also because of their de- – An example of the sell-out of German tax payers as the cause for the concurrent pendence on foreign powers such as the technology is the acquisition of the ma- migration of thousands of medium-sized USA or China: jority of the shares of the world-leading companies in the supply market and so for – In Germany it is less possible than in robot company Kuka in Augsburg. This the loss of the international competitive other countries to keep technical ad- has reached its rank as a world leader ability of the German economy as a whole, vantages a secret and in reserve, be- with the aid of a lot of German subsidies. in the coming years. cause the Americans, according to the Now that it is Chinese, Kuka’s produc- Why is the federal government so pas- laws made by the occupation forces, tion technology is lost to Germany and is sive when it comes to the migration of have the right to control all our digi- systematically relocated to China. With- German top technology? tal and computer systems, including all in a few years already, we will be buying Why are the international corpora- telephone lines and cell phones in Ger- robots from China, which will not bring tions not obliged to repay the subsidies many, comprehensively and exhaustive- us an export surplus, but export deficits. received by the German taxpayer for the ly. Thus, they can immediately pick up – The German automobile companies, development of the cutting-edge technol- any new technology developed within too, were first exporting to China; ogies when they export these technologies our country through their spy systems they were then forced to build their abroad? and transfer it to their local industry. own production facilities in China, Why is there no outcry from politics, Often, therefore, the competing Amer- thus bringing German technology to middle-class economies and trade unions ican industry knows about new patent Chinese companies. In the next few when our cutting-edge technology moves developments even before a patent has years they will be able to export less to the USA or China, thus drying up high- been granted in our country. and less of their domestic products tech jobs? • – Where this total espionage is not suffi- against the competition of these com- Literature: Hamer, Eberhard (Ed.). Visionen 2050, cient, technical innovations are stolen panies, and will therefore lose the ex- Rottenburg 2016 by financial and bribery tricks, such as port market. (Translation Current Concerns) No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 13

Germany Sovereign citizens cannot be polarised by Christian Fischer Never since the 1950ies have so many which can be followed in the daily press, and more of their own old principles. parties been elected to the German Bun- have long been known in Germany under Only in campaigns and coalition negotia- destag as this year. Other countries envy the keyword “Agenda 2010”. In France, tions the old slogans pop up as part of the us for that. But are the citizens’ essen- too, the socialist president Hollande had poker game, but in the political daily rou- tial wishes adequately represented and already tried to put similar things on track. tine other priorities are set. What are all expressed in this way? Or are very sim- Old wine in new wineskins, one could say, the parties with those black, red, yellow, ilar concepts just emphasised differently praised with exaggerated advertisement green and recently even blue colours good for the respective group of voters? Are the and accompanied by a dictatorial attitude. for after all? Most of all, it seems, to keep alternatives at the “edges” the ones that up appearances and the acceptance of the promise a more democratic future? A re- Macron wants to “rebuild Europe” citizens for what is going on at the stage view of the French elections shows a re- on his own – with neither parliament where this play called democracy needs orientation of the political agenda, which nor electorate to provide illusions of the old differenc- can also be observed in Germany. This In France, the old wineskins (parties) have es associated with these political colours, can be used to deduce essential tasks for been put aside in the store room. They while there are hardly differences left in a democratic reorientation. themselves had long ceased to take their their acts and deeds. own goals seriously, be it social democra- Members of the German parliament In France, a newly founded political cy or conservatism, but had already pre- from all parties have – with two thirds ma- movement just won the presidential office pared and practiced what Macron now jority – removed the passage dealing with and subsequently also the parliamentary wants to implement more clearly and con- the political aim of national and political elections on the ticket of a neo-liberal Eu- sistently. The barely veiled announcement unity from the preamble of the constitu- ropeanisation of French politics. The rul- reads: We are rebuilding Europe, we are tion (Grundgesetz) already 25 years ago. ing party system has imploded. The new starting the next round in the disman- And with an amendment of Article 23 movement has not received a broad sup- tling of state regulations, of national de- they solidified the dismantling of nation- port but was still able to push conserva- mocracies and in the construction of the al sovereignty and the division of pow- tives and socialists to the far edge. The EU administration. For that we need nei- ers.3 Unlike France, in our party system Front National served as a whipping boy ther a real legislative power nor a sover- the problem is not so much old wine in to make the day for the new star Macron. eign electorate, but all the more a strong new wineskins: The old wineskins are still The Le Pen party which his campaign supranational executive power, which we intact in Germany, but for some time now found so easy to defame turned out to be will equip with sovereign rights and budg- new wine is being served – as compared to the perfect platform which put him right ets and military. In this policy of the big the old party values. Or rather - Euro vine- into the train to Brussels. banks and international corporations with gar. One could say, the political guidelines their disregard of borders, social respon- haven´t changed for a long time, Macron Polarisation in France sibility only seems to be an appeasing In France only changed gears and even ac- In France, the system of majority voting promise – the mantra that once the “re- celerated the process instead of changing and a divisive element among the well- forms” have been implemented, everyone direction, and Germany will follow suit, known political organisations have con- will somehow be better off. regardless of whether the vice chancellor tributed to this polarisation. In Germa- is called Schulz or Lindner. ny, the proportional representation system And what should the Germans expect? will hardly permit such radical changes In Germany, too, political parties have Radical market policies in the party landscape. But does this re- long waved good-bye to many of their old in France and Germany organisation on the political stage also in- values and goals of the past. It was a so- Radical market policies oriented towards dicate a new policy? Or are they just the cial democrat who as chancellor imple- maximum profits for big business and big new tailor-made costumes for the same mented the social cuts which granted a finance are the common denominator for play that has long been on stage for some special hausse to some big actors in the the leading political forces in both France time already? German economy, to the detriment of and Germany. They consider socially re- Macron has already had responsibili- other national and international compet- sponsible politics, federal and national ty as a minister and, as a president, does itors. The first wars which Germany par- democracy, promotion of small and me- not announce anything new, but merely ticipated in after 1945 were led and propa- dium enterprises, ethical values in edu- that he intends to pursue a more consist- gandistically promoted by the same social cation etc. to be useless antiquities. Only ent continuation of social cuts, a stricter democratic chancellor, in breach of inter- the political costumes differ. In France a orientation towards the EU Commission’s national law, aided by his foreign affairs “modern” movement triumphed against a guidelines and the dissolution of nation- secretary from the Green party. Measures nationalistic straw puppet, although 80% al sovereignty. His parliamentary majority meant to protect civil life and functions of the electorate didn’t vote for them in consists of mostly inexperienced members of state sovereignty are degraded step by the first place and antipathy has grown in of parliament, who had to commit them- step, privatised and “deregulated”. A pre- the meantime. In Germany we see a more selves to his presidential decisions with- serving political force which propagates stable party landscape with political par- out any programmatic commitments. One and maintains the spirit of freedom-lov- ties trying hard to keep the various layers of his first steps was to streamline not only ing citizens, decent traditions of education of society on board and maintain politi- “his” members of parliament but also, if and the rule of law in the nation state are cal stability. possible, the press1 and, apart from that, to hardly detectable any longer. In both countries the same guideline is indicate boastful but unrealistic announce- No, contrary to rumours, the Ger- obvious: the old Right-Left-divide is sup- ments about climate policy, for exam- man conservatives are not turned into so- ple.2 His further neo-liberal reform plans, cial democrats, but rather they lost more continued on page 14 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 14

”Sovereign citizens cannot …” Will so-called national movements be – the respect of state sovereignty has to continued from page 13 instrumentalised by the EU? include those states which happen to The French elections suggest that noth- be no democracies; after all there is al- posed to be replaced by a decision be- ing is more welcome to the EU strategists ways the diplomatic tool to restrict bi- tween pro-Euro (= without alternative) or than such national movements. Howev- lateral cooperation for instance regard- nation (= nationalisms = reactionaries). A er, within those movements there are cer- ing arms trade, new party called Alternative for Germa- tain elements who aim for more polarisa- – peace is the ultimate precondition for ny (AfD) seems to be most welcome as a tion in this regard. This may be logical human life, which may be broken in new kid on the block to be pushed around as a matter of fact, but politically they are situations of foreign aggression war- by all the others and disguising their real falling into the trap. Because that makes ranting defence, but never in order to agendas. Labelled as “progressiveness” it easy to defame the anti-EU arguments pursue political aims. liberal models of society including gen- by pointing towards supposedly inhumane derism insanities are promoted to ever or racist followers of these movements. Labours of a sovereign electorate increasing heights, and at the same time Although AfD, Pegida and the Identity Does this force exist, this awareness in the radical market policies with its urge to movement do issue statements on a regu- middle of our society, mighty and non-ig- quantify anything and everything are sold lar basis to distance themselves from rac- norable? Yes and No. There are many cit- in the same package. All in the name of ism, the narrative is still widely accept- izens who would sign all the point above, freedom. Traditions, orientation towards ed that these statements were “not strong but in the political arena their voices are values etc. ride on the “reactionary” tick- enough”. always silenced by propagandistic noise, et, together with all uncountable qualities, There seems to be no real representa- trumpeting out the opposite view to many including democracy and the rule of state tion for those opposing the EUisation of of these points. Were this awareness pre- law – by now already defamed as twin Germany from a truly democratic stand- sent within a self-confident and capa- sisters of nationalistic racism between the point and who find themselves at the right ble citizenry rather than just the heads of news headlines. edge of the spectrum only for the lack of many individuals, no political party col- alternatives. This includes people like the our trumpeting fuss would be able to dis- The Left joins the masquerade political writer Monika Maron5, whose tract a sovereign electorate towards the The Left, too, are playing their part in experiences reach back as far as to the wrong track. this masquerade. With national democra- German Democratic Republic. There is this elephant called EU in the cy – or any kind of democracy, for that room openly aiming to replace democrat- matter – they never had a very close re- Where is the democratic force? ic sovereignty and division of powers by a lationship. Their agenda has always been Where is the democratic force that can- practically uncontrollable executive - but that of all-knowing elites or experts drag- not be dragged off the track, neither to- too many look the other side and choose ging the people behind them towards their wards the Brussels Leviathan rising, nor to mistake him for some cuddly kitten. In- brighter future. The existential – not just into the swamp of inhumane positions? A stead, the citizenry has the task to evolve ideological – distaste of big business and force aware of the facts that into an elephant themselves and reduce big finance towards nations and borders – democracy will only grow “from the those political mis-leaders to kitten sta- and the fact that they are riding first class grassroots” and therefore always has tus. In order to achieve this aim, we have on the train to Brussels is no big deal for different national faces to support those actors in politics whose the Left. At least one has common inter- – the organisation of democracy has to be hearts still burn for the right issues. Most ests, which is the anti-national stance. The federal and decentralised in order to be of all we as citizens have to revitalise the German party The Left (Die Linke) joins humane and sovereign, founded on the basics of democratic life as outlined above those chanting the Euro hymn with ease, will of a sovereign electorate, therefore and once again start to gain self-respect see for instance their former party leader neither borderless nor subject to a su- from them. We have to discuss ways to- Gysi on the occasion of him being award- pranational executive gether how to erect them firmly in the po- ed the carnevalesque “Medal against – human beings from all nations share litical arena of our countries. This is a deadly seriousness” in Aachen in Febru- the same dignity, including refugees, long-term labour of (Self-)enlightenment ary 2017.4 migrants and even convicted perpetra- towards civil responsibility, independent On the other hand, Madame Le Pen, tors of parliamentary election dates. • whose voters in France should be sup- – a public life based on freedom and co- 1 Macrons Mühe mit den Medien (Macron’s Trou- porters of the left cause according to operation is the best foundation for ble with the Media). In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung the old theory because most of them be- common wealth and security, for the (international) from 25 July 2017, p. 32 long to the socially disadvantaged, has economy, health care and education, 2 Tzermias, Nikos. Frankreichs Energiewende – no problem to demand social justice for international peace between the na- grosse Ziele und ungewisse Umsetzung (France‘s energy turnaround - major targets and uncertain and will perhaps one day even revital- tions, implementation). In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (inter- ise the old Georg Büchner slogan: Peace – the state has the obligation to protect national) from 24 July 2017, p. 5 to the shacks, war on the palaces! And its citizens and has to maintain certain 3 Fischer, Christian. Demokratie braucht Nation (Democracy needs nation) from 24 September she would certainly be more efficient basic institutions of security without 2017, https://zeitgeist-online.de/exklusivonline/ than Martin Schulz in Germany, provid- questioning the self-responsibility of nachdenkliches-und-schoengeistiges/1040- ed she were allowed to. In Germany, too, the citizens, demokratie-braucht-nation.html a right-national movement evolved when – conflicts of interests have to be defined 4 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HoAFg9n95Rk oder https://www.you- it became clear that from the liberal camp and discussed openly in order to settle tube.com/watch?v=w3W40IAW6Xc no opposition to the radical market march them directly by the sovereign in organ- 5 Maron, Monika. Links bin ich schon lange nicht to Brussels was to be expected, unfortu- ised referendums rather than refer them mehr. (It has been a long time since I have been left-wing). In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (internation- nately this movement includes some rath- to party representatives who almost al- al) from 1 July 2017, p. 21 er sinister proponents of antidemocratic ways act without control by the elector- emotions. ate in periods between ballot days, (Translation Current Concerns) No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 15 “Light, air, freedom” – The Ahrenshoop artists’ colony turns 125 by Alfried Nehring* Light, air, freedom – with these signal words, the Ahrenshoop Art Museum cel- ebrates the founding of the “Künstlerkolo- nie Ahrenshoop” 125 years ago with a big anniversary exhibition this season. Young painters followed the example of their colleague Paul Müller-Kaempff in 1892, who had completed his training with the landscape painters Hans Gude and Eugen Bracht in Berlin, to settle down in the small fishing village on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Among the founding members was the painter Elisabeth von Eicken, who was already very well known at that time. Ladies had no access to the academies and thus the artists’ colony enjoyed a large clientele in their painting schools for la- dies from the beginning on. They were of great concern for them and source of in- come equally for the founders Paul Mül- Paul Müller-Kaempf. Sweeping view over the village Ahrenshoop with goat herders and ler-Kaempff and Friedrich Wachenhusen. fishermen, 1890. (picture ma) The unusual light between sea and Bod- den attracted the painters as well as the clear air, the smell of salt of the Baltic Sea and the freshness of the jungle-like forest, which today still extends from the eastern village exit of Ahrenshoop to the island of Rügen as “Vorpommersche Boddenland- schaft” (Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park). Far removed from the reg- ulated and hierarchical art business of the capital, from the hustle and bustle, the nar- rowness and the destruction of nature, be- coming increasingly widespread by a wild industrialisation, they allowed themselves, to use the truth of nature in a still unde- stroyed uncivilised landscape for the most important measure of their painting. They colonised the small village and its pictur- esque surroundings by their art. In simple words Paul Müller-Kaempff Paul Müller-Kaempf. Old boatman’s cemetery in the dunes, 1893. (picture ma) has recorded in his memoirs, what fasci- nated him about Ahrenshoop at that time wide and sandy, no wire fence, no bill- artistic path with weather-resistant large- and how a rather random study trip be- board. Behind the village on the Schiffer- format reproductions on the occasion of came a life choice for him: “In the late berg the churchyard gazed over with white the founding jubilee on the painters’ for- summer of 1889 I stayed in Wustrow on and black wooden lattices and crosses, mer motifs. the ‘Fischland’ with my colleague, the overgrown with golden yellow blooming As an artist colony, Ahrenshoop has the animal painter Oskar Frenzel, to paint hawkweed. Dunes, forest and lake, in the advantage that its countryside is a magnet sketches. On an occasional hike on the distance we could see the dark line of the for the following generations and artists high bank, reaching the last hill, sudden- Darss. The dunes crowned with ancient of European standing. In June of 1911, the ly there lay a village at our feet: Ahren- white haw trees, hollies and wild roses. Russian painters, Marianne von Werefkin shoop. Nobody was to be seen, the hoary This was a place of study, as I had always and Alexej von Jawlenski travelled to Pre- thatched roofs, the gray willows, and gray wished for.” The idea for one of his most row, not far from Ahrenshoop on the Bal- dunes gave the whole picture a touch of famous paintings, “Alter Schifferfried- tic Sea, as summer guests. The latter expe- deepest seriousness and perfect virgini- hof im Dünen” from 1893 was formed by rienced a new beginning in his creativity. ty. Nowhere a bleak utility building with a these impressions. He wrote: “I painted in very strong, glow- cardboard roof, nothing that disturbed the In the new art museum of Ahrenshoop, ing colours, absolutely the opposite of overall impression, the village road very created by civic involvement, the painting natural and material. This was the turning is always present for the visitors and tour- point in my art.” Marianne von Werefkin * The author lives in Ahrenshoop. He was a suc- ists as a permanent loan from the art gal- integrated her impressions in colourful- cesful film and television producer and is the au- thor of art books. His biography of the Russio- lery at Kiel. It is one of 11 works from the ly expressionistic paintings “The cliffs of an impressionist Isaak Levitan was presented in period of the artists’ colony, for which the Current Concerns from 11 May 2017. municipality of Ahrenshoop has built an continued on page 16 No 24 3 October 2017 Current Concerns Page 16

”‘Light, air, freedom‘ – …” continued from page 15

Ahrenshoop” which can be found today in the Museum of Modern Art in Ascona. In a collection of exhibitions due to the jubilee of the artist colony, the Art Muse- um Ahrenshoop displays a further exhibi- tion, dedicated to the artistic dialogue be- tween tradition and modern. It seems to be an unusual idea, to confront the paintings of the Japanese artist, Leiko Ikemura, who currently lives in Berlin, with the paint- ings of the colour magician, Emil Nolde. The double presentation is part of the pro- ject “Nolde in the North” which, at the oc- casion of the 150th birthday of the painter, unifies the Nolde-Foundation in their orig- inal building, Seebüll together with nine other North German museums. Even if Nolde and Ikemura have never met and their paths in life and their work Leiko Ikemura. Genesis – St. Ursula, 2016. (picture ma) conditions were totally different, the mu- seum’s guest can discover inspiring anal- More than hundred years later Leiko local structure from the time of the art- ogies through the paintings chosen by the Ikemura transferred her impressions of her ists’ colony is still recognisable, the sur- curator, Dr Katrin Arrieta. Their realistic studystay in Swiss Grisons in the tradition rounding landscape is largely natural. In landscapes combined with natural expe- of Japanese Tuscan painting to a cycle of the Darss forest, in the dunes of the Bal- riences are a decided source of their art. fairy mountainous landscapes, particular- tic Sea and in the meadows of the Bodden As such, they are part of the tradition of ly large and impressive the picture “Gen- you can still feel the genius loci of once. landscape painting, as it developed in the esis – St. Ursula” from 2016, Tempora on Even the architecture of the new art 19th century. canvas. After her studies in Spain, stays museum in Ahrenshoop is an expression Emile Nolde was born in 1867 in his in Zurich and Munich, Leiko Ikemura cre- of this connection between tradition and beloved land between seas, Schleswig- ates the artistic breakthrough in Cologne. modernity. The Berlin-based architect Holstein and although he is only 6 years In 1987, she received a first large-scale group Staab has put the ensemble of a typ- younger than Paul Müller-Kaempff, he personal exhibition at the “Museum für ical farm with a thatched roof into a mod- stands for a completely new artist gener- Gegenwartskunst” in Basel, which today ern cubature and covered it with architc- ation. As a skilled wood sculptor for the owns more than 100 works by Ikemura. tural bronze. making of furniture, in 1893 he became a In 1907, Emil Nolde is chosen by the By the anniversary year with its many- teacher for drawing and modelling in the artist group Brücke as their spokesman feceted cultural offerings Ahrenshoop has Industry and Trade Museum in St. Gallen. because of his expressive coloring. Great further consolidated its reputation as an His “Mountain postcards” of the summits successes of his exhibitions also lead to artist’s place and gained charisma. The which are depicted as figures of legends, his membership in the Berlin Secession, ties with Switzerland outlined here should sold so well that he decided to become an from which he becomes excluded after be a small example. • independent painter. an argument with Max Liebermann. His life in the metropolis and the art scene in (Translation Current Concerns) the capital do not satisfy him. After all he finds the seclusion and inspiration he de- sired for his work in his own residence in Seebüll. There he created his world-fa- mous still lifes in which “flower scenes” ripen into color-sparkling sensuous art ex- periences. Between the flower pictures of Ikemura and Nolde an artistic dialogue is also taking place in the exhibition at the Ahrenshoop Art Museum. During the last 125 years Ahrenshoop has also changed considerably. At the time Marianne von Werefkin. the artists started a dynamic that changed High coast of Ahrenshoop, 1911. the remote fishing village to a long term Art museum Ahrenshoop. Combination of (picture ma) destination for tourists. Nevertheless the tradition and modernity. (picture ma)