How Skeptical Is Germany’s Next President? Joachim Gauck Shows Some Encouraging Signs

Now that Christian Wulff has resigned in disgrace from the office of President of Germany in the wake of a scandal, a new nominee has been found: former pastor and anti-communist  Joachim Gauck. He is expected to be appointed easily.

If you’re like me, the question that comes to mind is: How skeptical is he when it comes to climate science? Surprisingly, there are signs for optimism.

First a bit of background from Wikipedia, my short version:

Endured brutal Soviet occupation
Joachim Gauck was born in Rostock in 1940, is a German politician, Protestant pastor, and former anti-communist human-rights activist in East Germany. His family was a victim of Soviet persecution. When Joachim Gauck was eleven years old, his father disappeared after being arrested by Soviet occupation forces. He was accused of espionage and deported to a Gulag in Siberia, where he was severely mistreated. For nearly three years, the family knew nothing about what had happened to him and whether he was still alive. Only in 1955, he was freed.

An “incorrigible anti-communist”
Gauck’s political activities were inspired by the ordeal of his father, and stated that he grew up with a well-founded anti-communism. In school in East Germany he made no secret of his anti-communist position, and he steadfastly refused to join the Free German Youth. He became a pastor in the Protestant church in Mecklenburg. His work as a pastor in East Germany was very difficult due to the hostility of the communist regime towards the church, and for many years, he was under constant observation and was harassed by the Stasi secret police.The Stasi described Gauck in their file on him as an “incorrigible anti-communist”.

“Tireless pro-democracy advocate”
During the Revolutions of 1989, he was a co-founder of the New Forum opposition movement in East Germany, which contributed to the downfall of the Soviet-backed dictatorship of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). Following the Reunification of Germany, he was elected by the Bundestag as the first Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives, serving from 1990 to 2000. As Federal Commissioner, he earned recognition as a “Stasi hunter” and “tireless pro-democracy advocate,” exposing the crimes of the former communist political police.

Gauck’s views today
Gauck today does not belong to any particular party. His views on an array issues are unknown. But perhaps some of his earlier comments can provide valuable clues.

According to the FAZ, Gauck is quoted as saying:

I’m unbelievably allergic to any politics that reacts to fear. This also applies to other issues, for example the use of nuclear power. We should refrain from forms of actions that are based on the fear of people and derive a dynamic from it.”

Surely he must be absolutely aware of the crude fear driving the global warming movement.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung here provides more interesting quotes and insights on controversial issues.

Occupy-Wall-Street movement
While the media found general praise for the protesters, Gauck had another opinion. He found it “inexpressibly absurd” that people were demonstrating against the unbridled power of the financial markets, and called the dream of a world that simply does away with markets a “romantic idea” and that it is mistake to think that it would be nice to conquer capital.

On the Stuttgart-21-mega rail station project
Here warned of a growing culture of protest. He characterized the German tendency to fall into hysteria and fear as “abhorrent”.

On Thilo Sarrazin
The politically incorrect Sarrazin dared to question multi-culturalism in Germany, Gauck said Sarrazin “showed courage” writing his controversial best-seller Deutschland schafft sich ab (Germany is going down the tubes). “He spoke about a problem that exists in our society more openly than the politicians.”

Climate change?
That’s the mystery – one that even has the warmists a bit worried and wondering. We do know he is no fan of fear and intimidation. A few hours with a good skeptic would probably suffice. The warmists such as Klimaretter have already researched Gauck and found little. That’s encouraging. If he felt half-strong about climate change, then he would have said something to support combating it. But if he disagrees with all the hysteria, and wished to avoid poking a hornets’ nest, then he would have remained silent. That is precisely what he has done on the issue.

Here’s what the warmist Klimaretter (Climate Rescuer) writes about Gauck:

The word “climate change” up to now has only appeared when he criticized the German’s so-called addiction to fear that he himself diagnosed and placed it, from his perspective, on a level with swine flu and e-coli.  Otherwise: a total blank. Gauck’s ecological plea: total silence.”

and,

Gauck, the President to be, is a contemplative man who is certainly ready to reconsider his own positions. Perhaps this will be true for his so far neglected “green” issues. One thing is clear: With this guy, the country will experience some surprises.”

Gauck appears to be a man of principle, integrity – someone who thinks policies have to be based on foundations of truth. The climate movement and its promises, like communism, are not; they are based on a plain lies and distortions. The movement is driven by fear and hysteria over scenarios 100 years in the future. This is not the sort of thing a man like Gauck readily embraces.