Heinrich Böll on Willy Brandt’s Life and Political Significance

"Germany is a supertanker—but sitting in the bridge is not the Federal Chancellor. Sitting there are the people here on this podium." Ernst-Moritz Lipp

"The fact that Angela Merkel has been named the most powerful woman in the world is a farce. She is not even the most powerful woman in her own country. The fact that newspapers are now writing that Ursula von der Leyen is the second most powerful woman in Germany is a deliberate attempt by the press to dumb down the public. The two most powerful women in this country are Liz Mohn and Friede Springer – Bertelsmann and Bild Group. The Bild newspaper, which already carries the illiteracy of this country in its name. Bertelsmann and Bild are the vociferous heralds of a moribund system that is dangling from the strings of money lenders worldwide. A wave of Friede Springer's hand is enough, and the hired writers will finally dethrone the chancellor and throw her to her own party to be devoured. Perhaps we will see this happen soon. Those who are truly powerful are certain that they have already lost the favor of the people. That is what makes the chancellor so valuable. For as long as she has the favor of the people, she will be needed. But only as long as she has the favor of those in power will she be able to do so. In biology, this is called symbiosis. But when it is at the expense of the host animal, it is called parasitic symbiosis, and unfortunately, we are the host animal." Georg Schramm alias Lothar Dombrowski