Gerhard Schröder Faces Backlash Over Birthday Visit to Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, still a member of the SPD, traveled to Russia to attend Vladimir Putin's birthday celebration in Moscow, where Putin turned 74. The visit drew widespread criticism in Germany, with reactions spanning from Roderich Kiesewetter to Heidi Reichinnek. The article, published by Katharina Körtling in Der Freitag, notes that Schröder's trip occurred amid muted public outrage over other issues, including alleged espionage activities by senior intelligence officials and subdued expressions of solidarity with threatened Jews on the third anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Schröder's continued business dealings in Russia and repeated meetings with the Russian president were framed as shameless and immoral. The piece questions the role the former chancellor plays in German public discourse and identifies who defends him. The article appears in the current issue of Der Freitag.