27.6.02023

Post photo: Hertensteiner Kreuz | © European Federalists

Table of Contents

Freie Wähler

The readers of my weblog already know that in addition to the Freie Wahler (Free Voters), an association of local voters' associations who run for the municipal council in their respective municipality as politically independent and free citizens, there is also a party of Freie Wahler, which is currently very active in Bavaria prominent and with even more dubious professional politicians causes a sensation. But this party of free voters has also existed in Baden-Württemberg for a good eight years now, although it only runs for elections from the state level upwards and collects the corresponding tax money for every vote it is given. Moreover, in our country, they make headlines only when they fight each other.

We local free voters are not a party, but a registered association and therefore live exclusively on our own membership fees and donations, on which we are more than dependent, especially before municipal elections. And so we are now trying to motivate the first citizens to donate to our association, because the upcoming municipal council elections are already scheduled for June 9, 2024. All of these donations will be used exclusively for the upcoming election campaign.

Irrespective of this, we are in the process of putting together our 40 candidates and another five substitute candidates for the upcoming Heilbronn municipal council. This is not difficult for us, since we now have over 60 club members, but we would like to enter the race with the best possible and preferably balanced list of candidates. That is why we offer other interested people from Heilbronn the opportunity to apply for a place on our list. This is still possible until the end of July 2023. After that, we plan to finalize and decide on the list of candidates in a general meeting.

I am very happy when Heilbronner joins Herbert Burkhardt or let me know about it. I would be even happier if you donate to our association. Donations to our association are tax deductible.

And as already written here in the blog in 2019, I have the election campaign at that time on his own behalf really fun. That's why I will stand for election again next year and offer an election campaign that is as attractive as possible with other very nice and committed people from Heilbronn. The nice thing about it for me is that I'm doing this purely on a voluntary basis and I'm not fighting for a supply post.

If the people of Heilbronn elect me to the municipal council, I'll try to get involved productively there for the benefit of our city. And if I'm not elected, then I'll have another experience richer, ultimately have less to do, but allow me to continue to comment on Heilbronn affairs here in the weblog from the side.

federalists

Not a day goes by without me receiving at least one e-mail from our association, which is not only interesting to read, but also deserves an answer. For me, it's the Europe-wide distributors who now produce e-mails so frequently that I can hardly keep up and can no longer work through all the topics, let alone answer them in a well-founded manner.

Especially in today's time with the challenges we are all familiar with, the European federalists have further intensified their enthusiasm for discussion, which has always existed. And with all the possibilities of the Internet, this stream of information can no longer be managed — at least that's how I feel. To make matters worse, our association is very diverse and, on the one hand, has very well-founded ideologues (in the better sense of the word!) who are now increasingly exchanging ideas, and on the other hand, a larger base of members who want to approach all challenges more pragmatically. And anyone who is now a member of the board or an activist - maybe also at different levels - is really starting to sweat. If you only wanted to and could, then you wouldn't have to do anything else throughout the day.

I am now trying to concentrate, bundle and harmonize the whole thing this year during the 7th Hertenstein Talks in Heilbronn, whereby this one day is easy with the necessary arrival and departure of external guests and participants will be a whole weekend again. Anyone interested in Europe will get their money's worth on September 23, 2023!

Today, our federal association made me very happy twice, because its current circular (Europe active 2/2023: 3) advertises the Hertenstein Talks very prominently. And he also has the Hertenstein Talks on his own website (European Union Germany) placed. If you're a bit more curious now, I'd be happy to refer you to them Website of the Hertenstein Talks, which is now part of this weblog.

I am very happy when not only the readers of this weblog take the opportunity and come to the talks, but especially the European federalists from near and far. Of course, I would be even happier if other fellow citizens who are interested in Europe seize the opportunity and talk to us about a possible future for Europe.

Those readers who only know me from this blog can experience me live, although I have to admit that far more interesting and also more profound Federalists will take part in the talks and cast a spell on you.

conversations

The last two days were enriched with very good discussions. With Herbert Burkhardt was I able to Doris Carle resume walking together in a very pleasant atmosphere. From time to time, such conversations are not only necessary, but also very useful.

In today's conversation with Detlef Stern it was primarily about a kind of coming to terms with the past and about the fact that everyone carries trauma around with them. I'm convinced that it's not about how to avoid trauma, but how to deal with it and maybe ultimately overcome it. A topic that could definitely be discussed further.

Purely coincidentally, tomorrow there is another opportunity to get in touch with me Detlef Stern to entertain. Since the environment will be different, I assume that the topics will also be different - I'm just going to be surprised.

In the meantime, I'm waiting for feedback on a conversation with Thomas Michl and I have to see for myself how I can accommodate a conversation scheduled for tomorrow on a completely different matter; you can also have good conversations between door and hinge, but this should remain an exception.