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In his Christmas address, Federal President Steinmeier referred to difficult times in the crown pandemic. “The virus destroyed dreams,” he said. But there are also many reasons to be confident.
By Birgit Schmeitzner, ARD capital studio
The coronavirus has been in the headlines since spring and in everyday life. The number of deaths has now reached record levels and public life has had to be closed for the second time. Almost everyone is feeling the consequences of the pandemic, which is why Corona is also at the center of the federal president’s Christmas speech.
The virus has “thwarted plans and shattered dreams,” from attending concerts to soccer experiences in the stadium, vacation trips and wedding celebrations, according to Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The pandemic “has reminded us how vulnerable we humans are, how fragile what we call our ‘normal life’ is.”
“Many died lonely”
At Christmas, in particular, you long for closeness, affection, and conversation, and yet you must keep your distance. In any case, Steinmeier says, it’s difficult to celebrate the holidays without worry. The federal president refers to the growing number of infections. Think of the men and women who fight the virus in intensive care units and their families. Think of those who are struggling to recover from the effects of infection. And think of all those who lost the battle against the disease. “Many have died bitter and lonely, and all are absent.”
Steinmeier is grateful to all those who “are at the forefront of the fight against the virus, who work themselves to exhaustion and risk their own health.” That goes from the doctor to the nurse, from the educator to the scientist to the bus driver.
The year 2020 upset many, says Steinmeier, and here he gives examples too: schoolchildren who are upset about irregular lessons. Families that are exhausted after almost a year of working from home and homeschooling. Then there are the artists, innkeepers and hoteliers who fear for their existence, and the retailers who suffer from business closures.
“We have every reason to be confident”
However, Steinmeier believes that the year had both dark and bright sides. “Especially in these days that we are experiencing: the virus is not separating us. On the contrary, it is bringing us closer.” There are people who deny the danger of the corona virus and are often particularly loud. Steinmeier is convinced, however, that the sensible people are the vast majority, who act with consideration and solidarity. And not by order of the state, but by compassion and responsibility. That is the good news this year, and “therefore, this Christmas is also a celebration of hope.”
The Federal President asks everyone to be reasonable and patient. There is still a long and arduous road ahead, but there are reasons to be confident. The long-awaited “light at the end of the tunnel” is getting brighter, also thanks to the vaccines that are now starting. Hopefully next year we can celebrate Christmas as usual again.
You will see the Federal President’s Christmas address on December 25, 2020 directly after the 8 p.m. news
