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As I experienced, Guido Westerwelle

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As I experienced, Guido Westerwelle

Marcel Fürstenau has accompanied the deceased FDP-Chef long journalistic. For the first time he met him 20 years ago in Gera, later mostly in Berlin. Memories of a DW-capital correspondents.

It was my first trip as a young DW correspondent in the so-called big politics. The chief of the Berlin radio Studios sent me in December 1994, at a special Congress of the Free Democrats, to Gera. This was quite remarkable, because of Federal policy, our Bonn-based capital Studio, of course, was responsible. Finally, the government and the Parliament had its headquarters on the Rhine, the move to the Spree did not take place until the turn of the Millennium. But our far-sighted Studio Director wanted to lead Junior employees like me to upcoming tasks.

In Gera I met the experienced colleagues from Bonn, who knew in and with the FDP. I like to put them in the bulk of the coverage of a party that ruled for well over a decade at the side of Helmut Kohl (CDU). So I had the opportunity to make me a picture of the liberals and their staff. FDP Chairman in 1994, Klaus Kinkel. The former foreign Minister suggested to a young man as Secretary-General Guido Westerwelle. The 33-Year-old was in the circle of the FDP-the giants, like Kinkel and Hans-Dietrich Genscher looks like a student between teachers. And the image also was something in that because of the age difference.

At the beginning of a fresh and provocative speech

In front of the appearance of the young man, Westerwelle remained to me. The crack were the FDP delegates with a brilliant speech from your Depression, you to a number of low-in the case of state elections. I was also impressed by the eloquence of this man. What a contrast to the sedate party Chairman Kinkel! Westerwelle is the guiding principle of the performance of readiness for anything was fundamentally New for the FDP. But the way he varied the theme, it had something Fresh and Provocative.

For me it was clear: this is the extraordinary political Talent of the Job of the Secretary-General would be only a way station on the way to the top. So it was then. However, I watched West Welles ascent according to my FDP-Premiere in Gera almost a decade, only at a distance. In may 2003, in Bremen, Germany, I visited again, a Federal party. The Chairman said, in the meantime, Westerwelle. With his 41 years, he worked on me, still youthful. It was the time in which the FDP on the Federal level, was not a long time in Power and her boss as a substance-less fun of politicians was decried.

Westerwelle (left) and Kinkel of the FDP special Congress of the party in 1994 in Gera

To me his Humor, and his love for the art, I liked

I took him, but his self-critical words. As one has learned from his mistakes, I was convinced. The feeling that Westerwelle could rein in his ambition difficult, however, remained. And that he would proceed with a certain degree of ruthlessness toward competitors, stand for me except question. Wolfgang Gerhardt – his predecessor as party chief can sing a song about it. However, the operation works everywhere – not only in politics.

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As Westerwelle took over in may 2006, the Chairman of the FDP Federal group, began my most intense journalistic time with this exceptionally talented, but also a controversial politician. The now regular meetings in the background circles and on other occasions sharpened my views of the people. Westerwelle was in handling a very polite, cultured man. Some found him rather stiff and stilted. To me his personal appearance pleased most of the time. I like funny and quick-witted people.

Europeans of passion, not calculation

I experienced but also often thoughtful Westerwelle. One of the days to party and in a personal conversation, for example, about his Teenage experiences in France, told. There, he experienced, Older feelings of resentment towards the German holiday makers. Resentment that had its origin in the Nazi past of his native country. For Westerwelle, had great understanding. He told this story often. Not from calculation but from passion. So I have perceived it, anyway.

West of Welles’s greatest Triumph I experienced in September 2009 as a Live Reporter in the General election. The FDP scored with him as the top candidate to 14.6 percent – the best result ever. Thus, it was clear that the liberals would return after eleven years of Opposition to the government Bank. On the Westerwelle as foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor took place. For me, the time in which I am to him as a Journalist is relatively Close ended up.

On the day after the 2009 Bundestag elections, Chancellor Angela Merkel (l) receives her future foreign Minister Westerwelle

Most of the time it was fun

As for foreign policy, other colleagues are responsible, I met Westerwelle rarely – on party days, or the three-king meeting in Stuttgart. The last professional encounters with him were at the same time, the end of its steep, but winding career. As the FDP flew in September 2013, for the first time from the Bundestag, I was back as a Reporter on their choice of party. It is the saddest night, it was in the political life of Guido Westerwelle.

I had to think on this historic day, my first encounter with him in 1994 in Gera. 51 a goes into political retirement? Somehow I found the damage. To have him over many years with the necessary professional distance accompanies it, has made me mostly fun. I can’t say about every politician.

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