The German Football Association has announced a conversation after a disrespectful contribution by DFB Vice President Hermann Winkler about the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj. Winkler wrote on Sunday at Instagram: “Berlin this morning. Thanks to a general decree due to a visit from a former Ukrainian actor, the city is largely sealed off, and the Spree is partially closed to tourists.”
Zelenskyy was in Berlin early Sunday morning and arrived in Germany for the first time since Russia attacked Ukraine. In the afternoon he and his people were awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.
Winkler, who is also President of the Northeast German Football Association, also shared a B in his postpicture of himself at the Soviet War Memorial in the Treptow district of Berlin. “It’s still quiet in Treptower Park – the memorial commemorating all war victims is still there,” wrote the 60-year-old.
Winkler confirmed the authenticity of his post to the German Press Agency: “It’s my personal account and my description of the observation.”
In 2014, Winkler warned of tougher sanctions against Russia
The DFB, which according to the association has no influence on the contributions of the members of the presidency in the social media, said on Sunday afternoon that they wanted to have a conversation with Winkler about the post this Monday.
The national team denies on June 12th her 1000th international match in Bremen against the Ukraine. Numerous users on the Internet criticized Winkler’s contribution.
We must not make ourselves the accomplice of a US policy driven by economic interests, but must go our own way.
Herman Winkler in 2014
Winkler comes from Saxony and was Active in various positions for the CDU until 2019. He sat in the state parliament for almost two decades, from 2004 to 2007 he served as head of the state chancellery under Prime Minister Georg Milbradt. From 2009 to 2019 he was a member of the European Parliament, and in 2014 he was the top candidate of the Saxony-CDU for the European elections.
In the same year he warned against tightening economic sanctions against Russiaafter annexing Crimea. East German companies in particular would suffer from such sanctions.
“The conflict in Ukraine can only be resolved peacefully through dialogue and a reconciliation of interests, also and especially with Russia,” Winkler said at the time the portal “web.de”. “We must not make ourselves the vicarious agent of a US policy driven by economic interests, but must go our own way.” (tsp, dpa)
