Last night, Heidi Reichinnek, chairwoman of the German Left Party (Die Linke), was a guest on a political talk show. Die Linke is extremely on the rise (especially among the youth) since Reichinnek showed up. In surveys she is the most popular politican among the age group 18-29 mostly due her being present a lot on tik-tok. Tells you a lot about this country.
Host: In the US this week, the ultra-right activist and Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was shot dead. Afterward, your personal aide posted a so-called meme, a photo that said "Oh no!" and "Anyway...". He then deleted the post, explaining that right-wing radicals had placed it in a context that never existed. Did he tell you in what context he posted it?
Reichinnek: Yes, because there was also a school massacre on the same day. That was a very cynical way, but unfortunately also a very fitting way to say that with this school massacre, people just move on... I have to say I thought it was very good that you also labeled him as ultra-right, because this so-called right-conservative narrative about him is simply not true. He was a white supremacist, he was against the right to self-determination, he said he would force his 10-year-old daughter to give birth to a child after a rape, he is a racist. It's really outrageous, the statements he made. And I think you never rejoice over anyone's death, but at that point, you don't have to feel pity or respect for this person either, because he framed it with regard to these school massacres, which are a huge problem in the US, since Kirk who was shot said "some victims are just what we have to endure for our freedom to bear arms" and he (the personal aide) satirically drew attention to the fact that with other issues, there was no such focus at all. Not even with the murdered Democrats, for example. And that it could be misinterpreted, we discussed that, which is why he deleted it. But now, legal action is being taken against precisely those right-wing media outlets that picked it up. And on that, I say very clearly, that's absolutely right. And I'm repeatedly very surprised that this ultra-right nationalist is now being mourned in so many places. I'm rather irritated that, for example, a young Union member sends such a condolence post, when you consider what kind of person he was. They didn't do it for the (murdered) Democrats back then. It's also a question one has to ask oneself.
Host: He was murdered, after all...
Reichinnek Yes. By another Republican.
Host: And you're surprised that people can mourn when someone is murdered?
Reichinnek: I don't know if that's the person where you say "He was such a good guy. And he was such a right-conservative." No. He was very problematic. But as I said, you have to know who you're giving a platform to.