Say a crass word against the Slovak town of Skalica only at the peril of international conflict! That is, of course, a statement blown out of proportion; however, the fact remains that the German Bundestag member and Skalica native, Romana Alt, truly is a patriot. And an expert in international politics to boot.
You were a Czechoslovak diplomat at the beginning of your career, working at our consulate in Munich. What did the split of Czechoslovakia mean to you at the time, and how do you feel about it today, thirty years hence?
The split of Czechoslovakia was a very sad experience for me. We all got along very well at the consulate, and nobody understood why we had to split up. In and around my birthplace, Skalica, a lot of people were crestfallen as there were many mixed marriages in the area. We were strongly intertwined in our mutual relations, the regions of Záhorie and Moravia. The split of Czechoslovakia was not necessary at all. It was the goal of the nationalists at the time who paid no heed to the will of the people and held no referendum. Nowadays, both countries have excellent mutual relations, both are members of the EU, and we are fortunate to be able to say that the split happened peacefully, unlike in former Yugoslavia, for instance.
Following the formation of Czechoslovakia, Skalica was Slovakia's first capital. Are you a proud native?
We Skalicans are extremely proud of our beautiful historical town, our chimney cake, and our excellent red wine, the Skalica Ruby. Skalica was once a royal city as well. At weddings all over Slovakia, people like to sing a song that goes, "Skalica's a pretty town…" and it rings true. To this day, the region maintains its own kind of magic and many hard-working people live there still. Whenever I visit my family and friends in Skalica, I feel very fortunate to have been born here.
You only became a German citizen after eight years of living in the country, in 2000. Was it that difficult back then?
I had no idea that I could become a German citizen only a few years after getting married. I found out by pure happenstance that I was eligible for it. I put in a request right away; however, I have unfortunately had to give up my Slovak citizenship. There was no way I could keep dual citizenship in Germany. My parents were heartbroken for many years.
How hard is it for a German of Slovak or Czechoslovak descent to get into the Bundestag?
My work in politics has always brought me immense joy and still does. I love foreign policy! My fellow party members are aware of that and they have always encouraged me to get more involved in the field. My long-term work in politics (since 2009) was then rewarded at party conferences when I ran for the Bundestag. When I reached the 7th spot on the list in Baden-Württemberg, it was clear to me that if we as FDP were to get at least 5% of votes in the election, I would become an MP. And that is what happened in 2017 as well as in the latest election in 2021.
How are things with female politicians in Germany today? From the viewpoint of central Europe, it seems as though you're almost evenly matched…
More and more women are getting into politics in Germany, which is excellent. Women make up half of society, and so should be represented in politics as well. The ratio of women differs from party to party, however. Our FDP is only made up of 20% women. There is an influx of young men into the FDP, and the ratio is tipping in their favor. It might be the youth effect of our chairman Christian Lindner. Many young men in Germany see him as a role model. The situation is reversed when it comes to the Greens and the SPD. They are seeing an influx of women instead. Social policy and the environment are apparently topics that hold more allure for women.
You live in a small town in Baden-Württemberg. What are the benefits of living there compared to a big city?
I enjoy both. Big cities have more to offer in areas such as culture, job opportunities, and infrastructure. Life in a big city is more anonymous and turbulent. The place where I currently live, the picturesque town of Kirchheim, has the benefit of being calmer and more personal. Whenever I head into town to visit the market on Saturdays, I'll run into people I know who are excited to talk to me about politics. That doesn't happen in a big city.
You are a member of the Bundestag for the liberal party (FDP). How does a party that has been in the opposition for the last four years during the term of Angela Merkel view German policy towards Putin's Russia and Germany's dependence on Russian gas?
The former German government was very naive where relations with Russia are concerned, especially in terms of dependence on commodities such as oil and gas. I have always criticized this naivete and I'd even opposed Nord Stream 2. I hope that everybody has learned their lesson and won't repeat the same mistakes. I am displeased with the current significant extent of Germany's economic dependence on China. We need to reduce this dependence as quickly as possible and Germany needs to diversify its international economic cooperation. New mutual agreements with trustworthy democratic countries are also paramount.
You are the chair of the Bundestag Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid. Is Václav Havel still a name in this field?
Václav Havel is better known amongst the older colleagues in the Bundestag. That is why I try to take every opportunity that presents itself to mention him and his literary exploits as well as his fight for freedom in Czechoslovakia and Europe alike. Václav Havel was an excellent president and an incredible human being whom we also partly owe for the freedoms we enjoy today. He will forever remain etched in my memory. I feel blessed to have experienced firsthand all those years when Václav Havel worked as a playwright, as an opposition politician, and as a wise president at Prague Castle.
The author is a European editor of Deník
CV BOX
Renata Alt (born August 27, 1965, in Skalica, Slovakia) is a member of the German Bundestag for the FDP (Freie Demokratische Partei).
She graduated in Biotechnology and Food Processing from the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, with a master's in Chemistry.
Following her studies, she worked at the Technopol international trade company and later at the Czechoslovak Ministry of International Trade.
In 1993, she was appointed as a trade attaché in Munich, going on to marry a German citizen and eventually becoming one herself in 2000.
Alt joined the FDP in 2009, since 2014, she has been a member of its Esslingen Regional Committee, and has been on the FDP Executive Committee for Baden--Württemberg since 2015. She was elected into the German Bundestag in 2017, defending her seat last year.
She likes to ski, play golf, and go to gallery exhibitions. She enjoys literature and listening to jazz and classical music. She speaks Slovak, English, German, Russian, and a bit of French. She and her husband own a trading company called Consultex, they live in the city of Kirchheim unter Teck, roughly 25km away from Stuttgart.
With German President F.W. Steinmeier and his wife Elke during a state visit to Prague.
Renata Alt with her husband Thomas.
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