Christel Wegner (born November 16, 1947, in Hamburg) is a German Communist politician. In 2008, she was elected to the assembly of Lower Saxony for Die Linke, although she is a member of the German Communist Party (DKP), which until now has cooperated closely with that party. Shortly after her election, she gained widespread attention when it was claimed by a TV program that she had called for the return of the Stasi and justified the construction of the Berlin Wall, also voicing her support for Margot Honecker. The Left party distanced itself from her and on February 18, 2008, she was expelled from The Left Party parliamentary group.[1]
Wegner gained widespread attention after she made controversial statements during a television interview in February 2008 with the NDR. She said "I believe that, when one creates another kind of society, one will need such a structure again, because one has to protect oneself against other forces, reactionary forces who use the opportunity and weaken such a state from the inside."[2] The program suggested that "such a structure" referred to the GDR Secret Police organisation the Stasi.[3]
In reply, in a personal statement, Wegner declared: "What I really said was that every state has a secret service and that this is of course also the case for a socialist state" and that she did not in fact "want the Stasi back".[4]
The DKP politician also declared that a reason for the construction of the Berlin Wall was to keep West Germans out of the GDR, "both to prevent them from hurting the economy by buying goods cheaply and also to keep out forces one didn't want there."[2] Also, she stated her "unconditional support" for those who "spent their entire lives building up another kind of society" and that she supported Margot Honecker "idealistically and materially".[2]
In her statement she declared that "It really is clear that I'm not out to restart the Stasi, to rebuild the Berlin Wall or to take away the homes of the citizens of Lower Saxony." Claiming that there were many cuts in the report and that "The goal of the campaign clearly is to hit Die Linke, and of course also me as a Communist."[4]
The TV program upheld its earlier claims that she was indeed making references to the Stasi and that during the interview she made repetitive claims stating that the Stasi was "legitimate for the GDR".[5]
Expulsion from The Left parliamentary groupedit
On February 18, 2008, the Die Linke Lower Saxony parliamentary group issued a statement saying that she had been expelled from their parliamentary group and urged her to give up her seat in the assembly.[1]
Die Linke and the German Communist Partyedit
The controversy led to calls from central figures in Die Linke to end any cooperation with the German Communist Party. Both Die Linke and the DKP are under surveillance by the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz due to alleged leftwing extremist tendencies.[6][7]
^ abGraham, Dave (2008-02-18). "Party expels politician over Stasi comment". Reuters.
^ abc"Hier Auszüge von dem Interview mit Christel Wegner, Fraktionsmitglied der Partei "Die Linke" im niedersächsischen Landtag und DKP Mitglied" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2008-03-17.
^. Archived from the original on 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
^ ab (in German). Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
^. Archived from the original on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
^Politik News :: Niedersachsens Linke Weiter Unter Beobachtung Des Verfassungsschutzes March 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^"Verfassungsschutzbericht 2006" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2008-02-29.
^ (in German). Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christel Wegner.
December 15, 2023
christel, wegner, born, november, 1947, hamburg, german, communist, politician, 2008, elected, assembly, lower, saxony, linke, although, member, german, communist, party, which, until, cooperated, closely, with, that, party, shortly, after, election, gained, w. Christel Wegner born November 16 1947 in Hamburg is a German Communist politician In 2008 she was elected to the assembly of Lower Saxony for Die Linke although she is a member of the German Communist Party DKP which until now has cooperated closely with that party Shortly after her election she gained widespread attention when it was claimed by a TV program that she had called for the return of the Stasi and justified the construction of the Berlin Wall also voicing her support for Margot Honecker The Left party distanced itself from her and on February 18 2008 she was expelled from The Left Party parliamentary group 1 Christel Wegner Nov 2009 Contents 1 Controversial statements 2 Expulsion from The Left parliamentary group 3 Die Linke and the German Communist Party 4 Political affiliations 5 ReferencesControversial statements editWegner gained widespread attention after she made controversial statements during a television interview in February 2008 with the NDR She said I believe that when one creates another kind of society one will need such a structure again because one has to protect oneself against other forces reactionary forces who use the opportunity and weaken such a state from the inside 2 The program suggested that such a structure referred to the GDR Secret Police organisation the Stasi 3 In reply in a personal statement Wegner declared What I really said was that every state has a secret service and that this is of course also the case for a socialist state and that she did not in fact want the Stasi back 4 The DKP politician also declared that a reason for the construction of the Berlin Wall was to keep West Germans out of the GDR both to prevent them from hurting the economy by buying goods cheaply and also to keep out forces one didn t want there 2 Also she stated her unconditional support for those who spent their entire lives building up another kind of society and that she supported Margot Honecker idealistically and materially 2 In her statement she declared that It really is clear that I m not out to restart the Stasi to rebuild the Berlin Wall or to take away the homes of the citizens of Lower Saxony Claiming that there were many cuts in the report and that The goal of the campaign clearly is to hitDie Linke and of course also me as a Communist 4 The TV program upheld its earlier claims that she was indeed making references to the Stasi and that during the interview she made repetitive claims stating that the Stasi was legitimate for the GDR 5 Expulsion from The Left parliamentary group editOn February 18 2008 the Die Linke Lower Saxony parliamentary group issued a statement saying that she had been expelled from their parliamentary group and urged her to give up her seat in the assembly 1 Die Linke and the German Communist Party editThe controversy led to calls from central figures in Die Linke to end any cooperation with the German Communist Party Both Die Linke and the DKP are under surveillance by the Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz due to alleged leftwing extremist tendencies 6 7 Political affiliations editWegner is a member of the German Communist Party DKP the Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime VVN BdA the labor union Ver di 8 and a paying passive member of Greenpeace References edit a b Graham Dave 2008 02 18 Party expels politician over Stasi comment Reuters a b c Hier Auszuge von dem Interview mit Christel Wegner Fraktionsmitglied der Partei Die Linke im niedersachsischen Landtag und DKP Mitglied PDF in German Retrieved 2008 03 17 Das Erste Panorama Auferstanden aus Ruinen die Wiedergeburt der DKP Archived from the original on 2008 02 17 Retrieved 2008 02 18 a b Personliche Erklarung von Christel Wegner zur Panoramasendung vom 14 02 08 in German Archived from the original on 2012 02 07 Retrieved 2008 02 29 Das Erste Panorama Panorama zu Christel Wegners personlicher Erklarung Archived from the original on 2008 03 05 Retrieved 2008 02 28 Politik News Niedersachsens Linke Weiter Unter Beobachtung Des Verfassungsschutzes Archived March 6 2008 at the Wayback Machine Verfassungsschutzbericht 2006 PDF in German Retrieved 2008 02 29 Christel Wegner Biografie in German Archived from the original on 2011 07 19 Retrieved 2008 02 29 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christel Wegner Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christel Wegner amp oldid 1188596436, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
