The wife of former German chancellor Hegard Schröder was dismissed on Tuesday after participating in a Victory Day celebration at the Russian embassy in Berlin on May 9, a spokeswoman for the economy minister said. “Ms. Schröder-Kim was terminated immediately and the service relationship was terminated without prior notice by NRW Global Business,” a spokeswoman for the economy minister said.
Trade promotion firm NRW Global Business has “repeatedly advised” Schröder-Kim to “avoid making public statements on political matters”, he added.
The employment contract was terminated after the former German chancellor’s wife took part in celebrations at the Russian embassy in Berlin on May 9, marking the Soviet Union’s Victory Day over Nazi Germany.
In addition to Schröder and his wife, Germany’s alternate leader Dino Kruppalla and far-right party honorary leader and founding member Alexander Gauland were also present.
According to the regional newspaper, “Köllner Stadtensieger”, the company signed a temporary contract with Schröder-Kim in June last year, until the end of 2023, at the request of the then Economy Minister Andreas Pinkwart.
Herhard Schröder’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised many questions, such that within the Social Democratic Party (SPD), several attempts to remove him from militant status have already emerged. Includes representation and office expenses.
The former chancellor, who was in power between 1998 and 2005, has always defended the relationship between Germany and Russia and continued his ties with Putin even after the invasion of Ukraine.