“Often the phone flying champion.” Portrait of Hans Dietrich Genscher, the late chief of German diplomacy – Gazeta Wyborcza

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Hans-Dietrich Genscher in 2014. (Martin Meissner (AP Photo / Martin Meissner, File))

                  
                  
                  

                  
             

             
   
   
   
 
 
 
 

Genscher wanted to maintain friendly relations with heaven, in-depth partnership with the earth and its fruitful cooperation with hell. The legendary head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the time of German reunification, died Thursday night at his home in Wachtberg-Pech in the west of the country. He was 89 years.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                          
 

                 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

         

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I remember chasing Hans Dietrich Genscher the stairs of the Berlin representation of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was spring 2011. In his hand he had a petition to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to released from prison, our correspondent Andrzej Poczobut. It was not funny then. Andrew threatened to three years penal colony for the fact that in "Election" called Lukashenko a dictator. In Berlin it took Polish-German forum, among the guests was Roland Dumas, the head of French diplomacy in the early 90s, prof. Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, and no Genscher. Two of the first to support our efforts to draw Poczobut from custody, I managed to convince easily. But Genscher had to chase. Although age was still in the thick of work.

"Genszeryzm" on turbulent times

From this, it can not idly sit, he was famous even in times when working as an active politician. In the years 1969-1974 he was head of the German Ministry of the Interior, then to 1992., The head of German diplomacy.

It was an anxious time. In 1972. Palestinian terrorists took hostages at the Munich Olympics. Share their reflections ended in disaster - kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes were killed. Later led Germany to the brink of leftists terrorists of the Red Army Faction, the Cold War reached its apogee, and the Americans stationed in Germany medium-range missiles with nuclear warheads. In the diplomatic circuit then appeared the slogan "genszeryzm."

The head of the West German diplomacy had an extraordinary ability to working out compromises. So he could choose his words and grind the texts of the documents that were acceptable to all. Timothy Garton Ash wrote half-jokingly, that Genscher "wanted to maintain friendly relations with heaven, in-depth partnership with the earth and its fruitful cooperation with hell." Under his leadership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued started in the days before Brandt's dialogue with Russia. The Minister believed that in the time of the arms race and the growing tensions need to talk to each other.

enrolled in German history

and finally started perestroika, bacillus of freedom passed from Polish to East Germany and the Berlin wall fell. Genscher wrote at that time in German history.

30 September 1989. From the balcony of the German embassy in Prague spoke to camped out under the building of thousands of East German refugees. - Dear countrymen, your trip to Germany became possible - he said. The crowd cheered.

In 1990. Negotiations began 2 + 4, during which determined the conditions for the reunification of Germany. Things were going in the direction unfavorable for the Polish, because Chancellor Helmut Kohl, fearing the reaction of displaced communities, wanted to defer recognition of the Oder-Neisse. Genscher had a different opinion. Thanks to his intervention, and intervention alarmed by the Warsaw Powers, Kohl resigned. Polish-German border treaty Genscher and prof. Krzysztof Skubiszewski, the first foreign minister of the free Polish, signed November 14, 1990 r., A few weeks after the unification of Germany

Common fly or call

Genscher surprised diligence. Getting used to the hard work he has been with his youth. He had been ill with tuberculosis, he spent his childhood in hospitals and sanatoriums. And when he came to himself, he had to catch up with their peers. During the war he was Flakhelferem, helper for anti-aircraft artillery. In January, 1945. He reported to the Wehrmacht. As he said, he wished to avoid conscription to the Waffen SS.

It was said of him that he is "Vielflieger" or "often flying." And as I have never left Bonn, the capital of West Germany, he hung on the phone. This way it could mitigate internal conflicts and get along with other countries. Hence, he took his second nickname: "master telephone".

A tough guy in the yellow pullover

His trademark was yellow sweater under his jacket. This color FDP - liberal party, which was connected since the 50s, and in the years 1974-1985 stood on its head. The yellow home jerseys had the entire wardrobe every now and then distributed them to the needs of raffles and exhibited at charity auctions. So he had to buy new ones. And we must add that not just any sweaters walked. In the 90s, he paid for the piece 150 brands.

- symbols of symbols, but I do not like to sweat - and he spoke in the heat under his jacket he wore only a shirt. But this yellow tie.

The FDP was difficult field. Politicians of social democracy and Christian Democrats reminded disciplined army, and even if they disagreed leaders, loyalty to the party kept them at bay. Liberals were the jumble of individualists and egoists political PLAYBOY. It is difficult to them was put to the vertical. On the other hand, the party of the people associated with the business was like a pack of wolves. When the leader weakened, przegryzało his throat.

Genscher, however, was hard. Looking at the fall of his party, which in the 2009 elections. Reached a record 15.6 percent. votes, and four years later did not exceed the threshold, and it is not known whether she could in a year, you can see how the liberals lacked such a leader.

last mission: release Khodorkovsky

About the Poczobut had to speak to him on the run, on the stairs. He paused, thought. He said that it enters. He signed and moved on.

I could write a text that veterans diplomacy Weimar Triangle demand the release of a Polish journalist from Belarusian custody. Perhaps in some way, was translated into the fact that three months later Poczobut was already at liberty.

The last diplomatic mission Genscher also concerned the dismissal of a prisoner. In 2013. On behalf of Angela Merkel to negotiate with Russia on the release of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of Yukos, a personal enemy of Vladimir Putin, who spent ten years in prison. Twice he met with Putin. And just before Christmas Khodorkovsky greeted at the airport in Berlin.

         

         

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