← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Dan Dare
Thread ID: 4748 | Posts: 6 | Started: 2003-02-02
2003-02-02 18:18 | User Profile
This one will be worth following. What's the betting the Tribe and its media lackeys now round on *der eisene Roland * just as they did on Haider and Stoiber.
[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/02/02/wschr02.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/02/02/ixworld.html]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...02/ixworld.html[/url]
Schröder's new rival attacked for 'slur on Jews' By Tony Paterson in Berlin (Filed: 02/02/2003)
Roland Koch, who sports a duelling scar on his right cheek, is a fervent opponent of immigration and was recently accused of "unbearably insulting" victims of the Holocaust by the head of Germany's Jewish community.
Yet Mr Koch is expected to come a step closer to the German chancellorship later today. In key regional elections in the state of Hesse, his conservative Christian Democrats are on course to win a resounding victory.
The result is almost certain to confirm the controversial Mr Koch as state prime minister for a second term. Mr Koch's success will not only inflict further damage on Gerhard Schröder's unpopular government but will also elevate him into the front rank of those bidding to be Germany's conservative candidate for chancellor in the 2006 general election.
Mr Koch may appear passive - his broad, fleshy face has been likened to that of a "clown without make-up"; his hobbies are cooking and eating at McDonald's - yet he displays considerable energy.
Last week "Iron Roland", as he has been nicknamed, was on the hustings drumming up support in typically acerbic attacks on the reform-shy Mr Schröder.
"Nobody has lied to the electorate as much as the present government," he said, referring to recent tax increases. "If you want Schröder to reform, you must give him a hefty kick up the backside in these elections," he added to loud applause.
Last year, the CDU lost the general election after putting up Edmund Stoiber, the maverick Bavarian leader, as its candidate for chancellor. It must now choose between Mr Koch and his rival, Angela Merkel, the leader of the CDU.
As prime minister of Germany's third wealthiest state Mr Koch has enjoyed significant, albeit controversial, success. He makes no secret of his opposition to a multi-cultural German society, and to Turkey's proposed membership of the European Union.
In elections in 1999 he defeated the state's incumbent coalition of Social Democrats and Greens by mounting a "citizens' lobby" against the Berlin government's plans to introduce dual citizenship for foreign residents. He collected thousands of signatures of protest in a ploy that successfully mobilised the conservative mainstream.
Unlike many German conservatives, however, Mr Koch is acid about the federal government's opposition to war against Iraq, believing that Germany belongs within the international community over the issue.
In Hesse, he has boosted the economy by dispensing with local laws that restricted businesses. He has employed nearly 3,000 new teachers and crime is falling after he pumped more money into the police.
Even local farmers are pleased by his measures to cut agricultural bureaucracy. "Our dream candidate has become reality," said one Hesse farmer last week.
Yet the "dream candidate" is regarded with barely concealed loathing by liberals and members of the country's Jewish community. The popular Left-wing German cabaret artist, Martin Buchholz recently described Mr Koch as a "vile anti-semite".
The outburst was prompted by Mr Koch's response to a list published by Frank Bsirske, the head of Germany's largest trade union, of rich Germans whom he thought should be eligible for a wealth tax.
In a reference to the yellow "Judensten", the star that Jewish citizens were forced to wear during the Third Reich, Mr Koch claimed that Mr Bsriske's move amounted to a "new version of the star on the chest".
Paul Spiegel, a prominent member of the Jewish community, accused him of "unbearably insulting all victims of the Nazi Holocaust". Although Mr Koch apologised, doubters remain unconvinced about his suitability for political office.
Roland Koch's background does much to explain his confrontational Right-wing politics. His father, a former CDU justice minister in Hesse, epitomised German provincial conservatism and Mr Koch was schooled in the Cold War philosophy of the German Right which regarded socialism as a creeping form of communism. He became involved in politics at the age of 16.
He joined a duelling society while reading law in Frankfurt, which led to his facial scar. At 21, he became the youngest regional leader of the party's youth wing.
"What is the young Koch doing here?" asked one elderly conservative at a CDU meeting. "He is studying to become chancellor," one of Mr Koch's mentors replied.
Achieving his goal will depend on whether he can capitalise on today's anticipated election result.
2003-02-03 20:13 | User Profile
**In Hesse, he has boosted the economy by dispensing with local laws that restricted businesses. He has employed nearly 3,000 new teachers and crime is falling after he pumped more money into the police.
Even local farmers are pleased by his measures to cut agricultural bureaucracy."Our dream candidate has become reality," said one Hesse farmer last week.
Yet the "dream candidate" is regarded with barely concealed loathing by liberals and members of the country's Jewish community. The popular Left-wing German cabaret artist, Martin Buchholz recently described Mr Koch as a "vile anti-semite".**
That pretty much sums it up -- if you're good for the host population, you're a "vile anti-semite".
The headline is disgraceful; there's not even an allegation of a slur on Jews -- just an allegation of insensitivity. I must say, though, that there might have been a bit of a double entendre, as one would not be surprised to find that the list of wealthy "citizens" would have been disproportionately Jewish.
2003-02-03 20:41 | User Profile
**In Hesse, he has boosted the economy by dispensing with local laws that restricted businesses. He has employed nearly 3,000 new teachers and crime is falling after he pumped more money into the police.
Even local farmers are pleased by his measures to cut agricultural bureaucracy. "Our dream candidate has become reality," said one Hesse farmer last week.
Yet the "dream candidate" is regarded with barely concealed loathing by liberals and members of the country's Jewish community. The popular Left-wing German cabaret artist, Martin Buchholz recently described Mr Koch as a "vile anti-semite".**
If you had to reduce the essential nature ofthe Jewish question - of Jewry - to a single parable, outwardly simple yet rich in subtext, the above would do nicely.
2003-06-11 20:11 | User Profile
Kohl called the red head of parlament Wolfgang Thierse "worst parlamentspresident since Herman Göring".
Leland Gaunt, you seem to be pretty informed about political details. Are you an expatriat?
2003-06-17 00:36 | User Profile
"Conservatives" in europe are just as worthless as the ones here.
2003-07-02 02:11 | User Profile
*Originally posted by W.R.I.T.O.S@Jun 16 2003, 18:36 * ** "Conservatives" in europe are just as worthless as the ones here. **
What is to conserve? Any that was good is gone.