Schröder to Oversee Anti-Racism Group

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Former Chancellor to Oversee Anti-Racism Group

Deutsche Welles
July 17, 2006

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made a rare public appearance this week to announce that he's taking over the reins of an anti-racism group that fights xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

For the first time since he left office 10 months ago, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made a public appearance this week in Berlin. He spoke this time in a new capacity as head of a national iniative called "Gesicht Zeigen!" (Show Your Face!), which acts against racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

A response to xenophobic crime

In response to a series of violent crimes by right-wing extremists in the early 1990s, Schröder's former spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye founded "Gesicht Zeigen!" in 2000. He was aided in the endeavor by Paul Spiegel, former president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, who passed away in April 2006.

Heye said Schröder had always made sure that programs to battle right-wing extremism were always well-funded by the government.

"I think that demonstrates that the society, and its political representatives, have a clear picture of where tolerance for intolerance should end," said Heye.


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