Reinhard Merkel on Pacifism and Ukraine War in Freitag Interview
In a recent interview with the German weekly newspaper der Freitag, legal scholar Reinhard Merkel revisits his controversial stance on the Ukraine war. Merkel was among the prominent initial signatories of the 2022 open letter by Alice Schwarzer and Sahra Wagenknecht, which called for a halt to heavy weapons deliveries to Ukraine and increased diplomatic efforts. The letter sparked significant backlash, with critics labeling Merkel a 'Putin's voice.' He later clarified his position in a contribution to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, drawing further criticism from colleagues. In the interview, Merkel addresses whether he still considers himself a pacifist, stating that the question is too complex for a simple yes or no, and that with proper differentiations, he would... The full interview is available in the current issue of der Freitag.
Key facts
- Reinhard Merkel was a prominent initial signatory of the 2022 open letter by Alice Schwarzer and Sahra Wagenknecht.
- The open letter called for stopping heavy weapons deliveries to Ukraine and more diplomatic efforts.
- Merkel was criticized as 'Putin's voice' due to his signing of the letter.
- He later clarified his position in a Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung article.
- His clarification drew strong opposition, including from professional colleagues.
- In the interview with der Freitag, Merkel discusses whether he still considers himself a pacifist.
- Merkel says the question of pacifism is too complex for a simple yes or no answer.
- The interview is conducted by Thomas Gesterkamp for der Freitag.
Entities
Artists
- Reinhard Merkel
- Alice Schwarzer
- Sahra Wagenknecht
Institutions
- der Freitag
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Locations
- Germany