Dear people of Aachen,
We are sticking together to overcome the crisis and clearly confront the forces that are trying to divide us. What we need in these times is solidarity, education and patience. What we will not tolerate are populist, extremist and anti-Semitic forces that use the uncertainty to target the foundations of our democracy.
The coronavirus pandemic has had the world firmly in its grip for over two years. In Germany alone, over one hundred thousand people have died from or with the virus. The incidence of new infections remains high. Unfortunately, the end of the pandemic is not yet in sight.
The people in our city have shown enormous commitment since the start of the pandemic. Each and every one of us has had to restrict, change and adapt. A lot has been demanded of us with one goal: to fight and defeat the pandemic. A great deal of work has been done on the ground - in the everyday lives of our fellow citizens, in the health and care sector, in education, in offices and businesses, in retail and administration, in cultural life and in many other places.
Hardly any other area is as central to the fight against the pandemic as the healthcare system. Even if the currently dominant virus variant is only showing mild symptoms in many areas, the large number of illnesses is placing a sustained high burden on the healthcare system. In many places, healthcare workers are on the brink of being unable to cope. Vital treatments and operations sometimes have to be postponed and medical and nursing staff are exhausted. Triage, which is still possible, must be avoided at all costs. Those working in the healthcare system deserve our utmost respect, our unreserved solidarity and the greatest possible support in implementing the measures and efforts to hopefully finally control and defeat the pandemic this year.
In this context, we are very concerned about so-called walks and demonstrations where this solidarity is repeatedly called into question. The right to freedom of expression is important to us. We are aware that not all participants are so-called lateral thinkers. However, there are also regular gatherings of people who do not criticize the measures to combat the pandemic with factual arguments, but instead spread conspiracy narratives and historical distortions. The trivialization of the Holocaust by those who present themselves as supposed victims of the corona policy and flaunt this with #aachenhältzusammen a yellow star or other references to the Nazi regime is unbearable. The accusations of a "vaccination dictatorship", "pharmaceutical fascism", a "corona dictatorship", "eugenics" or similar absurd terms that are often formulated at these demonstrations are also completely irrational and without any factual basis. The conspiracy narratives about alleged secret machinations of the "elites" are also propagated by the Aachen anti-vaccination activists and must not go unchallenged.
We are also concerned about which currents are directing and influencing these protest actions across the country. The right-wing extremist milieu in particular is significantly involved in the organization of demonstrations and "walks" via Telegram groups and influences the activities. Right-wing groups are also actively involved in the demonstrations in Aachen - without the organizers clearly distancing themselves from the slogans against the democratic state. All those who are now seriously talking about a "corona dictatorship" or a new "fascism" in the Federal Republic are not only despising our state institutions. They are leaving the ground of enlightenment, which is the basis for a democratic dialog. And they insult all those who have shown the highest level of commitment in many areas of public life.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier put it in a nutshell: "Because we are all this democracy! We are all struggling every day to do the right thing in this grueling pandemic".
Dear people of Aachen,
We too are tired of the pandemic. We are also weary and sometimes annoyed by the necessary impact on all our lives. We too often have questions or doubts and are not convinced by every measure to combat the pandemic. But we see no alternative to fighting the pandemic with the courses of action recommended by the vast majority of scientists. This includes both restricting contact and consistently vaccinating the population. And it also includes solidarity with all the people who are currently responsible for preparing, deciding on and implementing these measures. We trust that constructive cooperation and solidarity between all stakeholders will lead us out of this pandemic.
We are therefore addressing this appeal to all our fellow citizens and ask you to get vaccinated and thereby make your solidarity contribution to the fight against this pandemic. Do not fall for those individuals who are trying to question this spirit of solidarity with conspiracy myths and abstruse accusations. Remain critical! But do not stand alongside people who divide us and shake the pillars of our democracy.
We unequivocally declare that we reject the anti-scientific and anti-democratic activities of the so-called anti-vaccination activists. At the same time, we will engage in a dialog with all those who want to talk or argue with us in a democratic discourse about how to successfully combat the pandemic.