For three days, the German Parliament
became a national forum once again.
During the first reading of the German Eastern treaties,
the federal government and opposition
stated their opposing viewpoints.
Renunciation of force and the principles of peaceful coexistence
have become a topic in European and international politics.
Ladies and Gentlemen, do not misunderstand me.
Today we can still become
one of the pacesetters of a new kind of politics.
Tomorrow we will, at most,
count as one of the latecomers.
We, Ladies and Gentlemen,
demand enduring peace,
effective détente,
and freedom for all people.
We want the free Europe to unite,
and to collaborate with the other European states.
The right to self-determination and freedom of movement
are aspects we believe
will lead to a permanent peace framework
that will be supported by the nations,
because it is of tangible benefit to the people.
That is why our response to these treaties is:
This is not the answer.
The treaties have already
passed their first test successfully.
Without them, there would be no Berlin Agreement.
They...
will however also make clear
that we have the possibility
as well as the responsibility
to take the lessons of history to heart,
departing from the notion
of a liberal German state.
If we are able to do this,
my generation will have succeeded in achieving the best it can
in view of its many casualties
and sacrifices
in the last war:
Peace, for our own generation's benefit,
as well as our children's.
Copyright © 2012 TITELBILD, Berlin Subtitles: L. Corper et al.