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| Knobloch’s election favourably commented
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Charlotte Knobloch (2nd from the left) with German President Horst Koehler (3d from the left) at Paul Spiegel's memorial ceremony.
Photo: German Press Office
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BERLIN (EJP)---German politicians and media have responded favourably to the election of Charlotte Knoblauch as the president of the Central Council of Jews.
Commentators praised her energy, clarity of mind and dedication.
Thomas Steg, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman (Christian Democratic Union) said in a press conference that the chancellor is looking forward to working closely with Charlotte Knobloch, the new elected president of the Council of Jews in Germany. He believes that their working relationship will be “good”. He lauded the “untiring work” which Knobloch had devoted to rebuilding Jewish communities in Germany.
The 73-year-old Knobloch, who has led the Jewish community in the southern city of Munich since 1985, was Wednesday unanimously elected by the executive board of the Central Council.
A Holocaust survivor, Knobloch succeeds Paul Spiegel, a well-liked and respected figure who died in late April at the age of 68 after a long illness.
Open criticism
Interior minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, also of the ruling Christian Democratic Union, sent Knobloch only a simple congratulatory note. Schaeuble has been coming under a lot of pressure lately to find a way to make Iran’s president Ahmadinejad a persona non grata in Germany, should the president decide to come to see his country’s football team play in the FIFA World Cup.
Already, immediately following her election to the Central Council, Knobloch openly and markedly criticised the “appeasement politics” of German and foreign leaders for their half hearted attempt at censuring Iran’s president for his atomic, anti-Israel and Holocaust-denial politics.
“We must counter Iran with resolve,” Knobloch said.
With Knobloch at the helm, the Central Council made its first ever official comment on Ahmadinejad’s potential visit to Germany.
Solomon Korn, Knobloch’s deputy, said that the Central Council would support all initiatives against such a visit – including organising demonstrations.
Federal president Horst Koehler wished Knobloch “all the energy that she needs in order to take over such an important position”. President Koehler and his wife were particularly close to Knobloch’s predecessor, Paul Spiegel. The federal president referred to Spiegel as one of his closest councillors – a legacy that Knobloch will certainly hang over her.
ARD TV, the largest state run network, commented “that even in moments when her rhetorical skills might wane, Knobloch certainly possesses enough goal-oriented willpower to get her mission accomplished.”
Efforts for integration
The weekly newsmagazine Der Spiegel added: “although Knobloch lacks the reconciliatory charm of Paul Spiegel, the moral charisma of Ignatz Bubis (Spiegel’s predecessor), we can expect her to be able to take on the problems of the Jewish communities with resolve and a clear head. Her reputation as a mover and shaker will certainly follow her from Munich to Berlin”.
Deutsche Welle, the short wave radio, lauded Knobloch’s resolve in integrating immigrants into her Munich based congregations during her leadership as head of the Munich Jewish Community.
“In cities throughout Germany, infighting rages between the German-Jewish establishment, hanging onto its last thread of power, and Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union who today make up a majority of Germany’s Jews. Although Knobloch hails from the establishment, she saw the immigrants as an opportunity rather than a threat. Her cooperative style has been directly attributed at having shielded the Munich community from internal strife so prevalent in other cities”.
The new head of the Social Democratic Party, Kurt Beck praised Knobloch for having had made the decision to return to Munich, following the war and to remain in Germany even after an initial decision to emigrate was decided.
Beck stressed how important it was for all democratic parties and institutions to continue the fight against all forms of intolerance, including anti-Semitism – in particular from right-wing groups.
Broad encouragement
Guido Westerwelle’s, leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) assured his party’s support to the Central Council to jointly promote tolerance and intercultural understanding.
Bavarian governor Edmond Stoiber, leader of the Christian Union’s sister party, the Christian Social Union, a political party primarily based in Bavaria, praised Knobloch’s “culture of respect and dialogue”.
The Green Party leaders, Claudia Roth and Reinharf Buetikofer wished Knobloch “stubbornness, clarity, energy and lots of success”.
Cardinal Karl Lehmann “hopes for a continuation of the good and trustworthy cooperation between the German Bishop’s Conference (Catholic), which he heads, and the Central Council.
Bishop Wolfgang Huber, who heads Germany’s Lutheran Church Council wrote that “Knobloch’s life experiences speak for itself”.
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