For those not familiar with “Zersetzung”, it is a word used in former East Germany to describe how the secret service would “corrode” political dissidents.
I am sad to say that the German tabloid Bild has just engaged in this practice by publicly denouncing a private citizen based upon his financial donation to a political cause with which they do not agree. To see the article is chilling.
The citizen in the article made a large donation to a group of climate activists who glue themselves to city streets in order to disrupt traffic and draw attention to the climate crisis. Whether or not this is a good idea is irrelevant. The Bild populist tabloid does not agree with these protests, and has publicly shamed its largest donor – possibly putting the man and his family in physical danger.
I am horrified by this new low.