Ein genialer Redner: Zu Winston Churchills 50.Todestag am 24. Jänner
Ein Kunde hat mir vor einigen Tagen geschrieben: „Meine Frau hat mir übrigens zu Weihnachten das Buch ‚Der zweite Weltkrieg’ von Winston Churchill geschenkt. Ein Schmöker von fast 1200 Seiten. Ich habe es bereits ausgelesen und bin fasziniert von seinem Scharfsinn und Weitblick. Insbesondere die vielen Auszüge aus seinen Reden sind enorm inspirierend…“
Fürwahr: Für seine starken, sendungsbewußten, schlicht-schönen Reden war Churchill bekannt, geschätzt und gefürchtet.
Zu seinem 50. Todestag zeige ich Ihnen heute eine seiner berühmtesten Reden.
Struktur und Stilmittel sind nicht patentiert, daher: Machen Sie es wie Churchill, wenn Sie eine besondere Führungsrede halten! Oder fragen Sie Ihren Redenschreiber (= mich natürlich)!
Wenn Sie beim Lesen Churchill hören wollen, klicken Sie hier:
May 13, 1940. First Speech as Prime Minister to House of Commons
Vorbemerkung: On May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister. When he met his Cabinet on May 13 he told them that „I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.“ He repeated that phrase later in the day when he asked the House of Commons for a vote of confidence in his new all-party government.
The response of Labour was heart-warming; the Conservative reaction was luke-warm. They still really wanted Neville Chamberlain. For the first time, the people had hope but Churchill commented to General Ismay: „Poor people, poor people. They trust me, and I can give them nothing but disaster for quite a long time.“
Nun zur Rede.
I. Churchill leitet die Rede ein, indem er das Leitmotiv für die Regierungsbildung formuliert.
“I beg to move, that this House welcomes the formation of a Government representing the united and inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious conclusion.”
II. Churchill informiert über und erklärt die bisherigen Entscheidungen und die nächsten Schritte.
“On Friday evening last I received His Majesty’s commission to form a new Administration. It as the evident wish and will of Parliament and the nation that this should be conceived on the broadest possible basis and that it should include all parties, both those who supported the late Government and also the parties of the Opposition. I have completed the most important part of this task.
A War Cabinet has been formed of five Members, representing, with the Liberals Opposition, the unity of the nation. The three party Leaders have agreed to serve, either in the War Cabinet or in high executive office. The three Fighting Services have been filled.
It was necessary that this should be done in one single day, on account of the extreme urgency and rigour of events. A number of other key positions, were filled yesterday, and I am submitting a further list to His Majesty tonight. I hope to complete the appointment of the principal Ministers during tomorrow.
The appointment of the other Ministers usually takes a little longer, but I trust that, when Parliament meets again, this part of my task will be completed, and that the administration will be complete in all respects.
I considered it in the public interest to suggest that the House should be summoned to meet today. Mr. Speaker agreed, and took the necessary steps, in accordance with the powers conferred upon him by the Resolution of the House.
At the end of the proceedings today, the Adjournment of the House will be proposed until Tuesday, the 21st of May, with, of course, provision for earlier meeting, if need be.
The business to be considered during that week will be notified to Members at the earliest opportunity. I now invite the House, by the Resolution which stands in my name, to record its approval of the steps taken and to declare its confidence in the new Government.”
III. Churchill begründet seine Vorgangsweise.
“To form an Administration of this scale and complexity is a serious undertaking in itself, but it must be remembered that we are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history, that we are in action at many other points in Norway and in Holland, that we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean, that the air battle is continuous and that many preparations, such as have been indicated by my hon. Friend below the Gangway, have to be made here at home.”
Churchill wendet sich an die Parlamentarier und sein Volk, regierend im tiefen Sinne des Wortes.
Die rhetorischen Stilmittel habe ich hervorgehoben. Churchill hat nicht geblubbert, er hat brilliert, inhaltlich, im Redeaufbau und im ästhetisch anspruchsvollen und zugleich schlichten Redestil.
“In this crisis I hope I may be pardoned if I do not address the House at any length today. I hope that any of my friends and colleagues, or former colleagues, who are affected by the political reconstruction, will make allowance, all allowance, for any lack of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act. I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government:
‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.’
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I can say:
It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word:
victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal.”
IV. Churchill verpflichtet sich und appelliert von Herzen.
“But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, ‘come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.’“
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