“For a neutral Germany”
Press release from the Cologne-based working group «AG Frieden dieBasis Köln» on the campaign it initiated
(28 February 2025) (CH-S) In Germany, too, more and more people are realising that a consistently neutral policy would protect the population from being drawn into the wars of foreign powers. The spectre of a war against Russia, which is being conjured up by European and Swiss media and Russophobic politicians, would see Germany as a battleground.
Even Erich Vad, a retired brigadier general of the Bundeswehr who has been an advisor to the German government for many years, warns in his current book “Ernstfall für Deutschland – Ein Handbuch gegen den Krieg” [A Case of Emergency for Germany – A Handbook Against War]:
“One spark – or even one ‘Taurus’ – is enough to start a war in Germany. A war that is more cruel and worse than we can imagine. A war that could be the end of us all.”
Instead of conducting peace negotiations themselves, in which the security needs of all sides are considered, as in the earlier OSCE treaties, or at least supporting the Americans in their quest for peace with Russia, some European politicians are still calling for a continuation of the hostilities and are gambling with the lives of Ukrainians and their own European populations.
Within a few days, thousands of people signed the following appeal.
* * *
“With more than 120 initial signatories, including many well-known personalities from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as more than 20 organisations and initiatives, the campaign “For a Neutral Germany” was launched on 15 February 2025 – the day of the Munich Security Conference, which will take place under a star of hope, and numerous peace initiatives throughout Germany. The campaign sees itself as cross-party and cross-border.
Twice in Germany’s history, the opportunity for neutrality has been squandered. After the Second World War, this led to the division of the Germany and the confrontation between the blocs. In 1990, the “Two Plus Four Treaty” overcame the country’s integration into the Eastern bloc, but not its integration into the Western bloc. The result was countless wars by a West that felt all-powerful. The opportunity for neutrality and peace must not be wasted a third time.”
Appeal
“We declare: Germany shall become neutral, following the example of Switzerland and Austria.
- Then Germany will no longer interfere in foreign wars.
- • Then Germany will no longer belong to alliances through which it can be drawn into wars.
- Then there will be no foreign military installations serving warfare on German soil.
- Then no nuclear weapons and no medium- and long-range missiles will be stationed in Germany.
- Then Germany will no longer supply any war material to other countries. Then the Bundeswehr will only serve the defence of the country.
- Then peace will emanate from German soil and Germany will see itself as an active mediator of peace. Only in this way can we achieve lasting security.”
Source: https://deutschlandNEUTRAL.de
(Translation “Swiss Standpoint”)
If you would like to sign, please email here:
unterzeichnen@deutschlandNEUTRAL.de
(with first name, surname, city, country and short personal information or commentary – by difficulties please send an email as usual at: unterzeichnen@deutschlandNEUTRAL.de)
Supporting organisations/initiatives:
1. Aachener Bündnis «Diplomatie statt Waffen und Sanktionen!»
2. Aachen citizens for a humane future
3. Antiimperialistische Koordination AIK (Austria)
4. Arbeiterfotografie (Federal Association)
5. Arbeitskreis GewerkschafterInnen Aachen
6. Berliner Gesprächskreise of NachDenkSeiten
7. Berliner Kommunarden
8. Bündnis für Frieden, Berlin – Wir sind viele
9. Bündnis für Neutralität (Austria)
10. Bündnis gegen Krieg, Basel (Switzerland)
11. Bürgerinitiative Gemeinwohl-Lobby
12. Bürgerzeitung KLARTEXT Rhein-Main
13. dieBasis
14. dieBasis Stadtverband Köln
15. Freidenker-Landesvorstand Lower Saxony
16. Freie Linke Aachen
17. Freie Linke Berlin
18. Frieden kommt aus der Mitte, peace initiative from the region Jena, Naumburg, Weimar and Weimarer Land
19. Friedensbündnis Neubrandenburg
20. Friedensinitiative Aufstehen Mittelsachsen
21. Friedensinitiative Querdenken 241 Aachen
22. Krieg – Nicht in meinem Namen! Ich gebe dem Frieden meine Stimme!
23. Koblenz: im Dialog
24. Köln ist aktiv
25. Mutigmacher e.V.
26. Mütter gegen den Krieg Berlin-Brandenburg
27. NachDenkSeiten-Gesprächskreis Köln
28. Neue Richtung - Bürgerbewegung für Demokratie, Neutralität und Gerechtigkeit
29. Pädagoginnen und Pädagogen für den Frieden
30. Selberdenken Köln
31. Seniora.org
32. Soldaten für Neutralität (Austria)
Erstunterzeichner:
1. Patrik Baab (Political scientist and publicist)
2. Ute Bales (Political Scientist, specialist in German
studies, author)
3. Hartmut Barth-Engelbart (board member Arbeiterfoto-
grafie, freethinker, graphic artist, writer, musician, publicist)
4. Prof. Dr. Rudolph Bauer (political scientist, writer, artist, Anti-War Conference Berlin and Bremen)
5. Volkmar Becker (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, entre-
preneur)
6. Bettina Irmgard van den Berg-Graef (active over many years in the Free-Assange-Movement)
7. Peter Betscher (Board member Arbeiterfotografie)
8. Carmen Biste (author)
9. Dr. Wolfgang Bittner (writer, author)
10. Dr. med. Jürgen Borchert (Internist-Homeopathy-Psychotherapy, Bremen)
11. Frank Braun (Deutscher Freidenker-Verband, Hannover)
12. Volker Bräutigam (journalsit, Mölln/Schleswig-Holstein)
13. Mathias Bröckers (author and journalist)
14. Dr. Almuth Bruder-Bezzel (psychoanalist, Neue Gesellschaft für Psychologie)
15. Prof. Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Bruder (psychoanalyst, Neue Gesellschaft für Psychologie)
16. Captain Future (aktive for peace and mutual understanding)
17. Jens Carstensen (founding member die Linken, regional board member of die Linken Oberhausen, 13 years in city council, former chairman of the works committee, deputy chairman of the General Works Council)
18. Willy Clev (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, technical editor)
19. Dr. Diether Dehm (leftist, artist, entrepreneur)
20. Perin Dinekli (doctor of homeopathy, singer-song writer)
21. Andrea Drescher (peace activist, author, free journalist, Bündnis für Neutralität, Austria)
22. Dr. Eugen Drewermann (theologian and psychoanalyst)
23. Birgit Dünkler (protest singer)
24. Irene Eckert (ret. senior teacher, publicist, until 2023 board member of "Arbeitskreis für Friedenspolitik – atomwaffenfreies Europa")
25. Wolfgang Effenberger (publicist, former major in reserve and NATO-critic)
26. Andreas Erdmann (sculptor)
27. Anneliese Fikentscher (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, publisher of "Neue Rheinische Zeitung" and KROKODIL, Chairwoman Arbeiterfotografie)
28. Jens Fischer Rodrian (musician and lyricist)
29. Wolfram Fischer (engineer, Deutscher Freidenker-Verband Saxony)
30. Heinrich Frei (architectural draughtsman, diploma Architect, Publizist, boardmember of somalia aid organisation Swisso Kalmo, Switzerland)
31. Daniele Ganser (Historian and peace researcher, Switzerland)
32. Uta Gantzel (Wir sind viele, Berlin)
33. Dr. Ulrich Gausmann (publicist and social scientist)
34. Uli Gellermann (Berlin, journalist)
35. Jimmy Gerum (Leuchtturm ARD)
36. Annette van Gessel (lecturer)
37. Senne Glanschneider (board member Arbeiterfotografie)
38. Adi Golbach ("Werder Steht Auf" and "Gemeinwohl Lobby")
39. General Günther Greindl, retired (Soldaten für Neutralität, Austria)
40. Annette Groth (Ex-MdB Die Linke, nature friend, peace activist, Stuttgart)
41. Manfred Grzybek (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, political economist)
42. Prof. Dr. Ulrike Guerot (political scientist, publicist and bestselling author)
43. Gabriele Gysi (film maker, actress, lecturer)
44. Prof. Dr. Franz Hamburger (educationalist and social pedagogue, formerly at University of Mainz)
45. Kay Hanisch (Döbeln, speaker of civil movement NEUE RICHTUNG)
46. Evelyn Hecht-Galinski (publicist)
47. Eva Heizmann (Bündnis gegen Krieg, Basel)
48. Markus Heizmann (Bündnis gegen Krieg, Basel)
49. Skadi Helmert (federal chairwomen dieBasis)
50. Anne Hoffer (paediatric nurse and curative teacher, aktive as freethinker and fotographer of Arbeiter)
51. Michael Höhn (ret. pastor, first signatory of Krefelder Appells)
52. Monika Höhn (author, first signatory of Krefelder Appells)
53. Edith Humeau (board member Arbeiterfotografie)
54. Prof. Dr. Sönke Hundt (economist and business administration, formerly of University of Bremen)
55. Sabiene Jahn (organiser of "Koblenz: Im Dialog", artist and communications specialist, bearer of the Karls prize of cologne for committed literature and journalism)
56. Jean-Theo Jost (actor, Wir sind viele, Berlin)
57. Dr. Ansgar Klein (OStR, Aachener für eine menschliche Zukunft, Aachener Bürgerinitiative 'Gute Nachbarschaft mit Russland')
58. Helene Klein (senior teacher, Würselener Initiative für den Frieden, Aachener für eine menschliche Zukunft)
59. Friedhelm Klinkhammer (lawyer, publicist, Bad Bevensen/Lower Saxony)
60. Peter Koenig (economist, geopolitical analyst, worked over 30 years for the World Bank and WHO)
61. Ulrich Köhne (quality planner from Warstein – wishes a future in security and peace for his children and grandchildren)
62. Dr. med. Andrea Köster (psychosomatic medicin and psychotherapy)
63. Anne Krämer (agricultural engineer)
64. Patrick Krone (dieBasis-NRW-regional board member)
65. Michaele Kundermann (Initiator of network "Zusammen für Frieden jetzt")
66. Klaus-Peter Kurch (blogger, opablog.net)
67. Wilhelm Langthaler (Antiimperialistische Koordination AIK, Austria)
68. Luz María De Stéfano Zuloaga de Lenkait (Chilean attorney and retired diplomat)
69. Anselm Lenz (journalist, dramaturge, founder of democracy movement "NichtOhneUns" and the weekly "Demokratischer Widerstand")
70. Sven Lingreen (federal board member dieBasis)
71. Dr. Pascal Lottaz (operator of network "Neutrality Studies", Switzerland, Associate Professor, law faculty University of Kyoto/Japan)
72. Dr. Manfred Lotze (medical doctor, since 1980 active in peace movement, calling for another, true democracy)
73. Jens Löwe (publicist and peace activist)
74. Rainer Ludes (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, graduate businessman)
75. Friedrich Lüeße (freight forwarder, peace enthusiast)
76. Dr. med. Mechthild Merschhemke-Borchert (general practitioner, homeopathy, psychotherapy, Bremen)
77. Hilmar Marsula (dieBasis-NRW-regional board member Machtbegrenzung)
78. Dr. Priscilla Metscher (historian, painter)
79. Prof. Dr. Thomas Metscher (literary scholar and philosopher, formerly of University of Bremen)
80. Ullrich Mies (publicist, book author and editor)
81. Andreas Neumann (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, editor of "Neue Rheinische Zeitung" and KROKODIL, board member of Arbeiterfotografie)
82. Bernhard Nolz (bearer of peace price of Aachen, speaker for "Pädagoginnen und Pädagogen für den Frieden")
83. Jo Opladen (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, administrative officer)
84. Prof. Dr. Max Otte (entrepreneur and democrat)
85. Dr. Yavuz Özoguz (encyclopaedia of Islam and Muslim-Markt)
86. Christiane Pahnke (Wir sind viele, Berlin)
87. Rudolf-Andreas Palmer (retired study councillor, until 2023 Chairman of "Arbeitskreis für Friedenspolitik – atomwaffenfreies Europa")
88. Gottfried Pausch (retired colonel, Soldaten für Neutralität, Austria)
89. Wolfgang Pawlik (AG Frieden dieBasis cologne, graduate engineer)
90. Christoph Pfluger (author, editor "Zeitpunkt" and initiator of Bewegung für Neutralität – in founding, Switzerland)
91. Hermann Ploppa (editor, publicist, book author)
92. Dirk Pohlmann (Free21-editor-in-chief and author)
93. Harry Popow (Blogger, reviewer and book author, former editor of weekly NVA-Wochenzeitung "Volksarmee")
94. Brigitte Queck (Mütter gegen den Krieg Berlin-Brandenburg)
95. Sonja Raschke (AG Frieden dieBasis Köln, state-certified business economist
96. Peter Rath (pad-Verlag Bergkamen)
97. Arnulf Rating (comedian)
98. Christiane Reymann (publicist)
99. Dr. Günter Rexilius (psychologist, psycho-therapist)
100. Lutz Richter (graduate in business informatics)
101. Walter van Rossum (journalist and publicist)
102. Dr. Artur Rümmler (writer, ver.di, Werkkreis Literatur der Arbeitswelt)
103. Petra Scharrelmann (teacher)
104. Prof. Dr. Sebastian Scheerer (sociologist and criminologist, formerly of University of Hamburg)
105. Uwe Werner Schierhorn (BundesAG Frieden dieBasis, initiative "Atomkrieg aus Versehen")
106. Oliver Schindler (Wir sind viele, Berlin; Radio Berliner Morgenröte)
107. Robert Schmid (M.A., political scientist and journalist)
108. Helmut Schmidt (grammar school teacher, active Freethinker, Arbeiterfotograf and Monday Walker)
109. Marion Schneider (entrepreuneur and author, initiator of peace conferences at Ordensburg Liebstedt)
110. Prof. Dr. Michael Schneider (formerly Film Academy Baden-Württemberg; writer, publicist, magician)
111. Renate Schoof (writer)
112. Fred Schumacher (author and project developer)
113. Walter Schumacher (graduate mathematician, editor "Kritische Aachener Zeitung" (KRAZ))
114. Ernesto Schwarz (musician, member of Deutscher Freidenker-Verband and Arbeiterfotografie)
115. Ekkehard Sieker (science journalist)
116. Hendrik Sodenkamp (cultural scientist, founder of democracy movement "NichtOhneUns" and the weekly "Demokratischer Widerstand")
117. Markus Stockhausen (trumpeter and componist)
118. Mathias Tretschog (free journalist and founder of peace initiative Stop the WAR in Yemen)
119. Frans Vandenbosch (geopolitical analyst, author of „Statecraft and Society in China“, yellowlion.org, Belgium)
120. Thierry Vandries (speaker NachDenkSeiten-Gesprächskreis Köln)
121. Jan Veil (peacr and bascic rights activist, author, musician, Freie Linke Hessen)
122. Peter Vonnahme (retired judge, Kaufering)
123. Gisela Vormann (optician, Deutsch-Russische Friedenstage e.V.)
124. Georg Maria Vormschlag (Arbeiterfotografie)
125. Norbert Voß (peace activist, counselling engineer for construction and architecture, doesn’t miss a Monday Walk in Berlin/Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf)
126. Marie Wasilewski (aktivist for peace, freedom and humanity, many years active in Free Assange movement)
127. Günther Wassenaar (graduate engineer educator, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, active in peace movement)
128. Lutz Weber (Selberdenken Köln, board member of Arbeiterfotografie)
129. Peter Weinfurth (editor linkezeitung.de)
130. Prof. Dr. Claudia von Werlhof (sociologist, political scientist, Austria)
131. Alexander Werner (photodesigner)
132. Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg (specialist in lung and bronchial medicine, until 1994 public health officer, then until 2009 health politician in the German Bundestag)
133. Manal Noura El Zein (dieBasis-NRW-state board member)
134. Elke Zwinge-Makamizile (board member Arbeiterfotografie)