Was ich noch sagen wollte

Seven years after leaving office, Helmut Schmidt published a new book of his own. His starting question is: Do we still need role models today, and if so, what goals should they guide us towards? Schmidt recounts the people who shaped him and whom he looked up to as examples. "Politics is pragmatic action for moral purposes," Helmut Schmidt once said. Because he always acted pragmatically, he was early on labeled as a "doer." However, few realized that a strict moral coordinate system underpinned his politics. The reference points in Schmidt's ethical orientation have remained steadfast. His early reading of Marcus Aurelius and Cicero, his engagement with Kant and Weber, and his deep dive into the philosophy of Karl Popper are crucial milestones in the development of a politician who never pandered to the electorate.