A critical speech by the writer Marko Martin in Bellevue Palace and the reaction of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to it are causing a stir. Marko Martin, who wrote frequently for the Jüdische Allgemeine, denounced, among other things, Steinmeier’s attitude towards Russia and Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin during his time as German Foreign Minister at an event on the fall of the Berlin Wall 35 years ago on Thursday.
According to Martin, Steinmeier reacted to this with an outburst of anger at the reception after the event. In the Interview with the news portal t-online The author said that the Federal President stormed towards him in a rage. “He’s pretty out of it.”
The Federal President’s Office presents the situation differently
When asked, the Federal President’s spokeswoman said that Steinmeier had “controversially but objectively discussed his speech” with Martin at the reception.
When asked by t-online, Martin said that he had consciously deviated from the expected content at such events in his speech. “After 35 years, it’s time to subvert the usual commemorative routine.”
