The Federal President spoke on Thursday in Frankfurt's Paulskirche to pay tribute to the National Assembly of 1848 as a milestone in the history of German democracy. But he wanted to broaden his view. Frank-Walter Steinmeier recalled that there were similar efforts throughout Europe at the time. He quoted the historian Christopher Clark, who spoke of the only "truly European revolution" that had ever taken place. It stretched from Switzerland to Portugal. The Austrian Chancellor had to flee and the Prussian army had to withdraw from Berlin.

Even if these were European upheavals, they had been "nationalized" in retrospect. Many individual national stories have emerged. This is still the case today, the Federal President explained. "It is time to tell the common European story together," Steinmeier demanded. "On the way to a European identity that no one can reinvent, we need this reminder of a common history of the struggle for freedom and democracy."

Steinmeier recalled the words of John F. Kennedy, who also stood at the lectern of St. Paul's Church 60 years ago. As long as freedom does not flourish in all countries, the American president said at the time, it cannot flourish in an individual. Steinmeier used the commemoration as an opportunity to reaffirm his solidarity with Ukraine. #

"Spirit of Freedom" awakened

"If freedom and self-determination are threatened or attacked somewhere, all free people and peoples are threatened," said the Federal President. "That's why we're helping the people who have been attacked in Ukraine, and we're supporting the brave few who are rebelling against the oppressors in Russia." The "Russian violence" is aimed at freedom, democracy and the right of self-determination of the Ukrainian people.

On May 18, 1848, an elected all-German parliament met for the first time in St. Paul's Church. In the building, the National Assembly, which met from May 1848 to May 1849, drafted a constitution with "fundamental rights of the German people". Both the Weimar Constitution of 1919 and the Basic Law of 1949 adopted ideas from 1848.

Steinmeier said that those born later knew that the National Assembly's efforts at democracy initially failed. At that time, however, the "spirit of freedom" was awakened, which could no longer be suppressed, at least in the long term. "Subjects have become citizens," said the Federal President.

"The March Revolution and St. Paul's Church are major and momentous events in the history of German freedom and democracy. We have every reason to celebrate this – also as a sign against the despisers of our parliamentary democracy," he said. Therefore, "black-red-gold" cannot be invoked by those who stir up new nationalism and propagate authoritarian thinking. "Anyone who despises our democracy has no right to black, red and gold," Steinmeier said to the applause of the guests invited to the ceremony.

He called the years 1848 and 1849 "difficult lessons of democracy": "Because at that time those opposing forces were also evoked that still present us with great challenges today." It is a "populism that despises the institutions and claims the supposedly true will of the people for itself alone." Another lesson from that time is: "Democracy and liberalism belong together. A democracy without liberalism would make the majority despotic and ultimately deprive the minority of its rights."

Steinmeier praised the fact that commemoration of the March Revolution had increased in recent years, for example in Berlin and Leipzig. On behalf of St. Paul's Church, he expressed the wish that it would become even more of a "living place of remembrance and learning of democracy" in the future. A house of democracy that is to be built must offer remembrance, education and democratic debate. A commission that was to work out future prospects for St. Paul's Church had made the proposal.

The aim is to better uncover the roots of Germany's democratic history and to make it tangible, especially for a young audience, said the Federal President. "St. Paul's Church is a treasure of national importance that we should make shine together. And I hope that this will also create a place for debate on questions of the present and future of democracy."

Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) thanked the federal and state governments for the comprehensive support associated with the project and the renovation of St. Paul's Church. Josef spoke proudly about Frankfurt. It is "the city of democracy in Germany," said the mayor, who was sworn in a few weeks ago. The fact that the National Assembly met here 175 years ago, not in Bavaria or Prussia, was due to the fact that there was no king in Frankfurt. Even then, it was a "civic city". Years after the National Assembly, Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, anything but a friend of democracy, described Frankfurt as a "democrat's nest".

"We see this as an honorary title in Frankfurt," Josef said.