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Anastasia Balezdrova

On Friday, the German Chancellor will visit Athens for one day. According to the official schedule, Angela Merkel will arrive in Athens at noon. After being met at Athens 'Eleftherios Venizelos' airport, she and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will participate in two forums, which will take place at a central hotel in Athens. One of the conferences will be organized to promote young entrepreneurs and the second will include representatives of small- and medium-sized enterprises and government representatives related to the sector.

At 5:30 pm, Angela Merkel will be in the Prime Minister's Maximou residence where there will be a formal meeting with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Subsequently they will both make statements and will participate in a press conference.

Photo from the previous visit of Angela Merkel to Athens on 9 October 2012, ft.com

At the same time, the main opposition SYRIZA party will hold a protest rally and it is urging all the citizens of Athens to participate in it. According to the leftists, "Angela Merkel's visit to Athens is in support of the government before the elections, of its destructive actions. She is coming to check whether the policy of austerity is continuing, if the banks have started serving the interests of the powerful ones and the state property has been sold for peanuts as well as if the salaries have fallen to Bulgarian levels." The protest will take place at 5:00 pm in Klafthmonos Square.

Two hours later, in front of Athens University, radio "Sto Kokkino" ("In the Red", the radio station of the left opposition SYRIZA party - author’s note) there will be a "dynamic bustle for the voice of the other Europe to be heard too" with the presentation within the context of the event, of journalist Stelios Kouloglou’s documentary about Angela Merkel called "The Godmother". Hours before the visit of the German Chancellor to Athens GRReporter spoke with the author of the film.

Mr. Kouloglou, tell us about the content of "The Godmother" film.

The film is an unofficial biography of Angela Merkel. It describes the destructive policy applied by her in the Euro zone and Greece and tries to explain the cause for it, seeking answers in the time when Merkel formed her personality and character, i.e. in the era of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). When the GDR disintegrated, Merkel was already 35 years old.

The title of the film is "The Godmother". Why is that? Is it associated with the book by Gertrud Höhler?

Yes, the title is inspired by Höhler’s book. She cooperated during the shooting and gave an interview for the film. You probably know that she is a Christian Democrat and a close collaborator of Helmut Kohl, who in turn was Merkel’s patron. Actually he was the man who opened the path to policy for her and whom she removed at the right moment for her.

The film presents famous and influential German sociologist Ulrich Beck, who is the author of another book, entitled "From Machiavelli to Merkeliavelli". In it, he states that the policy of Angela Merkel is devoid of moral values, power is everything for her and that the end justifies the means.

Why have you preferred this title?

This is because Merkel uses various methods that are typical of the mafia to enforce her policy, for example. She enforces a law of silence, her associates are "third-category" but stop at nothing, she commits treasons and political "murders" when necessary. Actually, these are the reasons why Höhler has preferred this title for her book too. I use it in the same way.

The most typical example of such a political "murder" is the removal of Helmut Kohl. When he found himself at a disadvantage Merkel betrayed him and urged him to withdraw from the leadership of the Christian Democrats. She did so many times inside the party as well. In practice, she has removed from it all those who disagree with her policy.

How does the fact that Angela Merkel formed her personality in one of the countries of real socialism affect the centre-right policy?

There are some general parameters. As I often say, the regime in the GDR was something between a prison and a kindergarten. On the one hand, it was a prison surrounded by the Berlin Wall and provided with all the restrictions existing in the former socialist countries. On the other hand, when the citizens of the GDR were peaceful and did not respond to the regime, they had no problems and their basic needs such as work, health, etc. were guaranteed. Only those who did not put up with the system had problems, the others lived relatively well.

At the same time, the residents of East Germany were much less informed. As demonstrated in the film, Merkel applies the same model in modern Germany. Local experts say that the Germans have no idea about the real causes of the crisis. They believe that the sacrifices made by them are intended to pay for the needs of the "lazy and corrupt" Greeks, Portuguese, Spanish, etc. In fact, all policies applied at present were created especially to rescue the German and French banks that were exposed to danger and secondly, to help the economic oligarchy in Germany. However, all this is obscure and very few people in Germany are aware of this fact.

So, the first component of this policy is the lack of information. The second is that Merkel’s life experience in East Germany has shown to her that when the system is not so severe and there is some tolerance towards those who are different, people easily adapt to this model of governance. Merkel has applied this model in Germany, treating its citizens like children.

The film presents her annual addresses, which almost all state heads in the world deliver. If you listen to what Merkel says in them you will simply not believe your ears. She talks about totally meaningless things before the German citizens. Usually, in their addresses, leaders talk about the achievements of their countries and their plans for the future. Angela Merkel says things like "this year I will rest close to nature" or "I like Christmas songs and believe in you". In another address in 2010 she said, "50 years ago the German football championship started, colour television was invented and a series began in Hamburg." She speaks to the people as if they are children, as did the government in East Germany.

On the other hand, when it comes to power the system is ruthless. We show what life was like in East Germany, how spouses were spying on each other, etc. and how Merkel today destroys all those who oppose her policy, whether it comes to inside opponents of the party or to Berlusconi.
 
Another detail of her policy relates to Europe. People in East Germany did not grow up with the idea that post-war Europe must unite and avoid the danger of another military conflict. The GDR was a satellite of the Soviet Union and did not share the same values ​​with Western Europe, namely for a united Europe, for a relative equality among European countries and mutual solidarity.

Sociologist Ulrich Beck even told me, "I discussed with Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck the things about which we are talking with you. The fact that both are from East Germany exerts a significant influence on how they perceive things." He explains this with the lack of the same vision of Europe with that in West Germany.

The film shows Merkel visiting a school where the pupils ask her to show Berlin on the map. She cannot find it and shows one place but it turns out that this is Moscow. This is indicative of how the travel ban and all prohibitions in the GDR have limited her notion of Europe compared with West Germans.

Where did you shoot the film?

We shot it in Germany, including in the village of Merkel, in Italy, Spain and Greece. We have a lot of frames of Italy, where we present an organization named "White Widows" that was created by the wives of all people who have commited suicide in recent years due to financial difficulties. We show how the crisis has affected Italy and we have an interview with leader of the "5 stars" movement Beppe Grillo, with author of the book "Shock Doctrine" Naomi Klein and others.

Where will the film be shown?

Cinemas in Athens have already shown it but it will be presented again in the summer. Meanwhile, citizen organizations in different parts of Greece are also organizing film shows in many cities.

Tell us more about the film show outside Athens University on the day of the visit of Angela Merkel to Athens.

This film show is organized by "Sto Kokkino" radio. It will be a peaceful symbolic protest against Angela Merkel’s policy in the Euro zone that has caused this crisis in Greece.