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Johannes Kahrs in a speech in the Bundestag in 2019: under pressure in the cum-ex scandal
Photo:
Kay Nietfeld / picture alliance / dpa
For years there was a truce between Olaf Scholz and Johannes Kahrs.
In Hamburg both were considered rivals, both led large SPD district associations, both rose to high political ranks in Berlin.
Scholz a little higher.
Today's chancellor has been under pressure for a long time because of the cum-ex scandal. As Hamburg's first mayor, he received the co-owners of the Warburg Bank, who wanted to prevent millions of euros in additional taxes.
Shortly thereafter, Hamburg initially waived the payment, which meant that the claim was initially considered statute-barred.
In connection with a court judgment, payment was finally made.
Kahrs is even being investigated because of this cum-ex scandal.
In Berlin he lost the battle for the post of Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces – and withdrew from politics.
It has now become known that 214,800 euros and 2,400 US dollars were found in a bank safe belonging to the ex-politician.
He himself is silent about it.
Gerhard Schick, head of the Finanzwende citizens' movement, is already talking about a locker that "can still be dangerous for the Chancellor".
"If the cash has to do with cum-ex, then Kahrs could be willing to cooperate with the public prosecutor's office and fill in Scholz's memory gaps," former Green Party politician Schick told SPIEGEL.
"The question marks regarding Cum-ex, the Hamburg SPD and ultimately the Chancellor are getting bigger and bigger." Scholz denies any interference and no longer wants to get details together.
According to a spokesman, the chancellor said he didn't know anything about the cash.
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Johannes Kahrs is waiting for guests for the annual asparagus drive of the SPD-Seeheimer across the Wannsee in 2011
Photo: Michael Kappeler / picture alliance / dpa
One thing is clear: the cum-ex scandal is not the first scandal within the Hamburg SPD surrounding Johannes Kahrs.
Years ago, the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” wrote about a “System Kahrs”, and “Die Zeit” about a “House of Kahrs”.
The most important stations and affairs of the ex-politician at a glance: