Final Word from Thursday, June 1, 2023

Bavarian PM Markus Söder said in his greeting to the 73rd annual Sudeten German Day in Regensburg last weekend that Europe as a "community of destiny" is facing a test in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and that the experiences of the Sudeten Germans are of particular value in this situation: "Never again war, never again expulsion, were the lessons they drew from their fate," he said. This can of course be understood as a message to Russia, but as nationalism rises in countries of Europe, it can also be seen as a message to rebellious Czechs. Ex-PM Vladimír Špidla, an éminence grise of the Czech Left, told CNN Prima News yesterday that the Czech government needs to "go after those big corporations" and to reduce the size of the dividends that are leaving the country. Agriculture Min. Zdeněk Nekula of KDU-ČSL is talking about inciting a price war among grocery chains, most of which are German, as the recent probe by the ÚOHS antitrust office demonstrated. In this light, Söder's words about "no more wars, no more expulsions" could take on a different, more urgent meaning for some Germans. [ Czech Republic expel remove removal ]