Frankfurt am Main: Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann comments on allegations

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Politician Peter Feldmann: »Stolen?

I just wanted to hold the trophy in my hands."

Photo: Boris Roessler / dpa

Anyone who has followed news about the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt am Main in the past few months has been able to learn a lot about Peter Feldmann.

He has to answer in court on suspicion of corruption, he had to explain himself because of sexist statements on a flight to the Europa League final in Seville, and he is considered complacent because of his behavior after Eintracht Frankfurt's victory at the reception in the town hall.

Feldmann rules out a resignation despite great criticism.

He announced that he would not stand for re-election in 2024, but that is not enough for many MPs: the Frankfurt city parliament voted no confidence in the mayor and voted by a large majority to initiate a voting procedure in mid-July.

If this happens, the citizens would then be questioned.

A majority of at least 30 percent of those entitled to vote is required for the mayor to be voted out.

Feldmann had already declared that he wanted to face the procedure.

And that's not all. "There are currently many requests to Mayor Feldmann to comment on the current allegations," it says under the heading "Transparent Mayor" on the website of the city of Frankfurt am Main.

Feldmann is happy to comply.

What follows is an FAQ or interview where it is clear who is providing the answers: Peter Feldmann.

However, it remains unclear who is asking the questions.

At first glance, they come across as critical, but a closer look reveals that it is more about clever PR.

"A Lord Mayor's conversation with himself" reads the headline on FAZ.net, "Peter interviews Feldmann: The best soliloquy of all time," commented the "Hessian Broadcasting Corporation".

It is all the more interesting what is not asked and said.

Here are some excerpts with classification:

'Why don't you just resign?'

'For me, that would be escaping responsibility.

The people of Frankfurt elected me in 2018 so that I can continue to advance the social issues that are important to them.

(...) At the same time, resignation would in any case be tantamount to an admission of guilt.

The allegations of the public prosecutor's office are immeasurable.

My loyalty was and is solely to the city of Frankfurt.«

A critical interviewer might have asked what exactly is excessive about the prosecutor's allegations.

Or whether taking responsibility might not also mean putting oneself on hold after all these allegations, so as not to further damage the city's reputation.

But then comes the next question, in a seemingly cheeky tone, it's about the prosecutor's allegation that Feldmann's ex-wife benefited from his knowledge of his mayoral office.

'But your ex-wife would never have gotten that job at the Arbeiterwohlfahrt without you, would she?'

'You underestimate my ex-wife.

She brought with her everything you need to run a German-Turkish day-care center: an apprenticeship, relevant studies, good contacts in the Turkish community - and, most importantly, ambition and commitment.

She has achieved what is called advancement through education.

(...)«

Of all the allegations against Feldmann, the criminal one is the most delicate.

Here he is particularly vulnerable, here he will also have to defend himself in court.

A little warm up can't hurt.

A critical question follows:

"If everything was going right - why did you pay money back to the Arbeiterwohlfahrt?"

"I could understand the criticism expressed in public - even if the salary for a managerial position did not seem too high to me overall (2000 to 2500 net ).

My wife at the time and I asked ourselves: How does the normal pay scale employee feel?

Educator is a demanding profession.

People who choose to do this important job shouldn't feel like they're being paid unfairly."

more on the subject

Suspicion of taking advantage in Frankfurt: The mayor, who absolutely does not resignBy Matthias Bartsch

That sounds compassionate, caring.

He even gives details like his ex-wife's net salary.

(She should get 4300 euros gross per month.) He does not go into further details.

For example, the local head of workers' welfare (Awo) made sure that Feldmann's partner, then 29 years old and fresh out of university, was immediately placed in the highest year of service in her tariff group: Level 6, which is normally only reached after around 17 years of service.

In addition, she was given a company car, which she was also able to use during her maternity leave.

And on the remuneration of educators in general: couldn't a mayor work towards a general improvement?

Rather quickly to the next topic.

'What's the truth behind the allegation that the Arbeiterwohlfahrt collected donations for your election campaign in return?'

'There's no truth to that.

The new CEO of Awo, Steffen Krollmann, also recently confirmed to the

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Rejecting the allegation and citing defense witnesses – not a bad strategy.

What he does not say: that there was a call from the local Awo chairmen at the time to donate to Feldmann.

According to them, however, this has nothing to do with an attempt at bribery.

Rather, as a convinced social democrat, she often supported SPD candidates.

But back to the interview on Frankfurt.de.

A request comes.

“Aren't you making it a little easy for yourself?”

“No.

I actually see the process as an opportunity.

All the facts are finally on the table in court – starting with the question of whether my wife's salary represents an advantage at all to the question of what the 'consideration' allegedly provided should have looked like.

I am firmly convinced that in the end it will be clear: I am not corrupt!«

The exclamation mark emphasizes the central statement.

A question follows about Feldmann's own past at Awo.

This gives him the opportunity to counter the accusation of being too close.

As mayor, he always passed on their concerns to the responsible departments, and he never influenced contracts between the city and welfare organizations.

And now: the farce about the cup.

When the Europa League winners were received, Feldmann took the trophy out of the hands of the players and coaches and, beaming with joy, carried the cup himself.

This question is also cheeky – and the answer allows for a classic of political self-defence: rebut allegations that nobody has raised in this form.

"Why did you steal the trophy from Eintracht at the party?

"

I just wanted to hold the trophy in my hands.

I missed the necessary sensitivity.

I'm very sorry - especially towards Oliver Glasner and Sebastian Rode, who probably felt taken by surprise at the moment."

But Feldmann doesn't leave it at that.

»But it's also true that after a few seconds they had the trophy back in their hands.

They, and not I, carried the trophy when they entered the Kaisersaal.

Incidentally, four years ago Prime Minister Volker Bouffier carried the DFB Cup all the way to the Kaisersaal.«

Stolen?

Not me.

And Bouffier even went much further a few years ago with the Pokal.

In the next answer he apologizes for the sexist saying on the plane.

It was "not funny" but "inappropriate".

It was embarrassing for him.

After all.

message arrived.

The last question is aimed at the criticism that he continues to attend individual public events despite his announcement that he will hold back.

Because there was displeasure about that too, after a photo appointment at a fashion event.

Feldmann replies that he "doesn't want to miss the opportunity to take part in public events as a simple guest - especially if the organizers want it to happen."

That's it for the interview.

What else is missing?

The readership.

However, the Lord Mayor also thought about it and sent the "conversation" to all municipal employees by e-mail.

kha/mab/hat