Culture of Attention and Appreciation

Germany's president Horst Köhler spoke to the nation this Christmas. One might wonder and ask: Does Germany have a President? Does it not have a Chancellor? And in fact that is correct. True political power in Germany is concentrated in the position of the Chancellor, who happens to be Angela Merkel.

Yet, Horst Köhler is the German President. His position however, is rather comparable to a constitutional monarch as found in other European states. But the German President is being elected and selected on his distinguished reputation. He may be considered the "national conscience," as he is called on to develop, interpret and communicate a long-term view of trends affecting Germany and its role in the world. Horst Köhler had had a career in politics, being a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). His career was mainly about finances, first as civil servant in the German country Schleswig-Holstein, then as Secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance. He became President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London and later even the Managing Director and Chairman of the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2004 he was elected the President of Germany for his first 5 year term, and he got re-elected for his second term in 2009.

In his position as President of Germany and as such the main representative of the German people he is a non-partisan person who takes care that Germany and German democracy keeps following the Basic Law. He is not a member of government or of legislature and he is not the commander-in-chief of the military. He is really a representative identification figure for Germans on all levels.

In his addressing to his people he reminded all of many a value, like the one of solidarity and unity by mentioning the 2009 celebrations of the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the wall. "We are one people" He said and that "the call back then remains a demand for every single one of us." Further he called the Germans to consciously remain democratic "Because democracy is who we all are." Indeed, democracy can only be reality when lived by the democratic people in it.

He appreciated much all the millions of citizens, who serve the other and the society voluntarily. In that context however he also looks back on 2009 and points at the amok run of Winnenden, where a student had killed 15 fellow students and then himself, and he also mentions the incident, when at a Munich S-Rail station and adult had tried to shelter some minor kids who were attacked by hooligans. That adult got beaten to death by the aggressors, and so Köhler asks: "How come that happened? And inside of us the feeling is gnawing we might have overlooked something important about how we live together. ... Are we attentive enough with one another?"