"Without a mask, you didn't recognize yourself at all"

Sabine Menkens: Friederike, you were rarely afraid as a child. Do you remember when you first got really scared?

Friederike Menkens: At the very beginning of the Corona period. My classmates put fake videos in the class chat about how bad Corona is. That you get a black dot on your forehead that keeps getting bigger and bigger until you drop dead. I also found the hamster purchases shocking. When the supermarkets are already empty, nothing is normal anymore. And then the schools closed.

The teachers said: "Take all your things with you, we don't know when you can come back." That made me very anxious. I was afraid of the virus. But above all, before my life changes.

Sabine Menkens: In the lockdown we hung pretty close together...

Friederike Menkens: We were in the house and in the park the whole time. I had little contact with other people. Nevertheless, the first lockdown wasn't that bad. Maybe because it was such a new experience. It was like being off. I was still in elementary school at the time and didn't have that many chores.

Nevertheless, the lockdown completely changed my childhood. And something has been lost in education. During the time of alternating lessons we had just three hours of lessons. I noticed that when I went to high school.

Sabine Menkens: You started high school in the summer of 2020.

Friederike Menkens: That wasn't easy. The introductory trip was canceled due to Corona. And at school you only saw each other with a mask. You didn't even recognize each other without it. Basically, I didn't really get to know my class until the end of the seventh grade.

Sabine Menkens: The second, long lockdown came in winter 2020/2021.

Friederike Menkens: That was much worse than the first. I had video conferences all day, I had a lot of tasks, you could rarely meet people. For me it was a really bad experience. I felt such an emptiness inside me. I felt like I was stuck.

You feel that life goes by without you experiencing anything. Nevertheless, you cannot simply skip time, you have to endure it. And because of this emptiness in me, there was also a great sadness.

Sabine Menkens: Stuck is a good picture. I had the feeling that you were somehow preserved as a child. Did you feel that too?

Friederike Menkens: Yes, yes. And this preserved stage of childhood was not nice. I felt that I wanted to be different. So already me, but new. I wanted to experience more again, to be among people, to have new experiences. But it did not work.

Sabine Menkens: How did you manage to liberate yourself?

Friederike Menkens: I suddenly had a very strong motivation to get out of there. As if I have to pull myself out of the swamp. But that was difficult. You have to overcome yourself first. Open up more and let people get to you with all your might. I've been fine ever since.

Sabine Menkens: When the lockdown ended, you went from being a child to a young person practically overnight. Did you notice that?

Friederike Menkens: Like the film children in a Netflix series between seasons one and two, yes. (laughs) In hindsight, I see that too.

Sabine Menkens: One day after your 13th birthday, war broke out in the Ukraine.

Friederike Menkens: That was a real shock for me. There were already tensions. But I never expected a war. We talked about it a lot at school and we were also at a peace demonstration. But the war doesn't affect my everyday life. That's why there are days when I hardly think about it anymore - although you should always think about it.

Sabine Menkens: Gas, electricity and groceries have become much more expensive. Do you actually realize that?

Friederike Menkens: Of course I realize that. We talk about it a lot at home too. I still don't think it's comparable to Corona. But I suspect that this could develop into a major crisis. Not for us, but for many people who have little money. I worry that many people fall into poverty. I find that threatening.

Sabine Menkens: Are you willing to sacrifice something, for example for the climate?

Friederike Menkens: I'm a vegetarian, don't use plastic, sometimes buy clothes at the flea market and don't let myself be chauffeured around, but ride my bike or use public transport. And we don't fly that often either.

Unlike all other problems, the climate crisis is here forever. If we do nothing, the world will look very different for us and for generations to come.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on partner states to join forces and step up efforts to combat man-made global warming. "The climate crisis does not stop at any border," she said before the start of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue.

Source: WORLD

Sabine Menkens: Does that scare you?

Friederike Menkens: Yes, but there's no point trying to get into it. I build up a protective shield and try not to let it get too close to me. You mustn't break inside. Anyway, I try to have a positive attitude towards life.

"Kick-off Politics" is WELT's daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or directly via RSS feed.