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Germany's refugee response not guilt-driven, says Wolfgang Schäuble Germany's refugee response not guilt-driven, says Wolfgang Schäuble
(6 months later)
Germany’s response to the refugee crisis was not motivated by a need to assuage its war guilt but an attempt to save Europe’s honour, the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, has said.Germany’s response to the refugee crisis was not motivated by a need to assuage its war guilt but an attempt to save Europe’s honour, the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, has said.
He admitted on Thursday that the euro crisis in Greece and the issue of refugees had thrust Germany almost reluctantly into “a new management role” in Europe, adding he hoped the refugee crisis would help the EU realise the need for a common foreign and security policy.He admitted on Thursday that the euro crisis in Greece and the issue of refugees had thrust Germany almost reluctantly into “a new management role” in Europe, adding he hoped the refugee crisis would help the EU realise the need for a common foreign and security policy.
Related: We can't allow refugee crisis to plunge Greece into chaos, says Merkel
He also warned the Greek government not to use the refugee crisis as an excuse to avoid its responsibilities to meet the demands set by the European Union to bring its spending under control.He also warned the Greek government not to use the refugee crisis as an excuse to avoid its responsibilities to meet the demands set by the European Union to bring its spending under control.
In a frank speech about Germany’s response to its growing influence in Europe, he conceded Germany had only partially emerged from the shadow of two world wars. He said the country’s response to the refugee crisis was in part due to the German people’s “understandable dislike of themselves”.In a frank speech about Germany’s response to its growing influence in Europe, he conceded Germany had only partially emerged from the shadow of two world wars. He said the country’s response to the refugee crisis was in part due to the German people’s “understandable dislike of themselves”.
Germany has taken more than 1 million refugees after an instinctively generous response to the crisis by the chancellor, Angela Merkel. But her critics, at home and abroad, say her stance has created chaos across Europe by encouraging so many other refugees to try to reach the country.Germany has taken more than 1 million refugees after an instinctively generous response to the crisis by the chancellor, Angela Merkel. But her critics, at home and abroad, say her stance has created chaos across Europe by encouraging so many other refugees to try to reach the country.
Schäuble said: “A lot of outside commentators are saying that the German response to the refugee crisis is driven by Germany’s desire to free itself of its history. That is taking things a bit too far. I do definitely think there is a moral imperative not to make refugees pay the price for Europe’s inability to take effective action.Schäuble said: “A lot of outside commentators are saying that the German response to the refugee crisis is driven by Germany’s desire to free itself of its history. That is taking things a bit too far. I do definitely think there is a moral imperative not to make refugees pay the price for Europe’s inability to take effective action.
“We simply have a duty to help not because of our history, but because of the hardships that these people are experiencing which we can alleviate. It is not moral imperialism. It is not an attempt to establish moral hegemony or some tyrannical display of German virtue, or any of the other negative suggestions. Simply stated, we did our part to save Europe’s honour.”“We simply have a duty to help not because of our history, but because of the hardships that these people are experiencing which we can alleviate. It is not moral imperialism. It is not an attempt to establish moral hegemony or some tyrannical display of German virtue, or any of the other negative suggestions. Simply stated, we did our part to save Europe’s honour.”
Related: Refugees welcome: top German orchestras hold solidarity concert
He said images from Budapest and Calais where refugees were camped in terrible conditions “are not something that Europeans can be especially proud of”.He said images from Budapest and Calais where refugees were camped in terrible conditions “are not something that Europeans can be especially proud of”.
“I do admit on the other hand that the Germans do have this need now and then to realise that we too can be good people, like when we welcome the world as our guests in the 2006 World Cup,” he continued. “In September, when we gave refugees a warm welcome at Munich’s main train station; this may be connected in some way with the fact that the German people, we do not really like ourselves too much, and understandably so.”“I do admit on the other hand that the Germans do have this need now and then to realise that we too can be good people, like when we welcome the world as our guests in the 2006 World Cup,” he continued. “In September, when we gave refugees a warm welcome at Munich’s main train station; this may be connected in some way with the fact that the German people, we do not really like ourselves too much, and understandably so.”
He called for a clearer EU foreign and security strategy as a result of the refugee crisis, saying Europe owed itself to do more to defeat Vladimir Putin’s efforts to divide Europe.He called for a clearer EU foreign and security strategy as a result of the refugee crisis, saying Europe owed itself to do more to defeat Vladimir Putin’s efforts to divide Europe.
The German finance minister – a fierce advocate of fiscal discipline inside the Eurozone, characterised by his want to enforce austerity in Greece – said it was nonsense to think that he wanted a German Europe. He argued he wanted a competitive Europe. Greece has paid a terrible price for making political promises it could not keep, he said.The German finance minister – a fierce advocate of fiscal discipline inside the Eurozone, characterised by his want to enforce austerity in Greece – said it was nonsense to think that he wanted a German Europe. He argued he wanted a competitive Europe. Greece has paid a terrible price for making political promises it could not keep, he said.
He said Greece was “suffering from a terrible lack of European solidarity” with regard to the refugee crisis, adding the only country to offer its support on the issue was Germany.He said Greece was “suffering from a terrible lack of European solidarity” with regard to the refugee crisis, adding the only country to offer its support on the issue was Germany.