In view of the new reality of war, many old comrades-in-arms are turning away from the left-wing peace movement.
During the Easter marches, there are probably protests for peace, but less against the warmongers in the Kremlin.
A commentary by Georg Anastasiadis.
At Easter they will march again: peace demos have been announced in over 100 German cities over the holidays.
But even though Eastern Europe is raging with the most devastating war since Hitler's inferno, far fewer participants are expected this time than in previous years, not to mention the days of NATO rearmament or the Iraq war.
This is paradoxical at first glance – and yet quickly explained: This war is, at least from the point of view of the old left-wing peace movement, not a “real” war, i.e. not one for which the usual world villains USA or NATO could so easily be blamed.
Demonstrating only against the warmongers in the Kremlin would never occur to many.
Green Federal Minister Cem Özdemir prefers to take part in a military exercise
Important main actors of yesterday's peace movement have opted out this time, in recognition of the new reality: the Greens - their Federal Minister Cem Özdemir, respect, prefers to take part in a military exercise.
And the Evangelical Church - whose council chairwoman Annette Kurschus is instead promoting arms deliveries to the invaded Ukraine.
What remains is a handful of communists, pacifists and the Sahra Wagenknecht/Alice Schwarzer duo, for whom, if we ignore the jingle of words, the actual war scandal is less Putin's war of aggression than the Ukrainians' self-sacrificing struggle for freedom, complete with Western arms aid, because that prolongs the suffering .
Many right-wing extremists who adore Putin have recently joined.
The peace researcher Bruno Schoch reluctantly calls this a “quite a mixture”.
It no longer shimmers primarily in green or red, but in all possible colors and shades.
Whatever drives them onto the streets, whether it's hatred of the USA, a love of peace or simply fear of the war spreading - one thing unites them: a lack of empathy for the victims.
George Anastasiadis
