Frank Schwabe’s mask of hypocrisy The contradictions behind his political image 

An article published on May 26, 2013, in the renowned German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung by journalist Markus Wehner, titled "A Stain on the Résumé: Leading German Politicians Conceal That They Never Completed Higher Education," states that a number of influential German political and public figures failed to graduate from university and, fearing public condemnation, concealed this fact in their official biographies.

As reported by Fakt Yoxla (Fact Checking), the article also mentions Frank Schwabe, who has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005 but was not yet widely known at the time. Before turning to the admissions Schwabe made to Wehner during the interview, it is worth noting several facts about the journalist himself.

Markus Wehner, 63, is regarded as one of Germany's foremost experts on Russia. He studied Eastern European history, conducted research in Moscow, and earned a doctorate with a dissertation on the early history of the Soviet Union. He is the author and co-author of the books Putin's Cold War (2016) and The Moscow Connection: Schröder's Network and Germany's Road to Dependence (2023).

As for the interview Frank Schwabe gave regarding his higher education, it reveals that the information published on the official Bundestag website stating that he "first studied economics at the University of Osnabrück and later landscape management, history, political science, and sociology at the University of Essen" is not technically false, but it is clearly misleading.

Having failed to complete a four-year undergraduate degree program over the course of more than ten years, Schwabe was eventually expelled from the university. Responding to a question about this, the politician acknowledged that describing his academic record as "without a degree" would indeed have been more honest. However, he added that "everyone is free to decide what they wish to emphasise in their résumé." Such a statement points to a willingness to manipulate the presentation of facts.

According to Wehner, the repeated changes made to information about Schwabe's incomplete higher education on Wikipedia demonstrate how sensitive he is about the issue. Schwabe admitted that members of his office had repeatedly edited or removed this information. Nevertheless, the German-language version of the encyclopedia still states that he did not complete his higher education. Apparently, Schwabe and his team have grown tired of correcting these entries every time they reappear.

What else is hidden behind the information Schwabe presents as publicly available?

Ties to Russia

In an interview with the Bundestag's official media outlet published on November 14, 2011, Frank Schwabe was asked, "Where do your political roots come from?" He replied: "My grandfather was a member of the SPD."

First of all, it should be noted that the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), founded in 1875 through the merger of several small socialist parties and shaped by Marxist ideas, was effectively divided into two branches after the Second World War. While the West German SPD continued its activities, the party's members in East Germany were, under Soviet influence and pressure, merged with the Communist Party of Germany in 1946 to form the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), which remained the ruling party of East Germany until 1989.

Frank Schwabe, like his father and grandfather, remained committed to socialist ideals and joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1991. He has said that his nomination as the party's candidate in the parliamentary elections came as a surprise to him. Schwabe's remark, "Müntefering (the party chairman) and Schröder (the Federal Chancellor) did not consult me about their plans," sheds light on the way he secured his parliamentary mandate. Incidentally, The Moscow Connection, co-authored by Markus Wehner, is devoted to former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is frequently described as a "close friend of Putin."

It is not known exactly when Schwabe first established contacts with Russians. However, there was once an article published on his personal website, https://frank-schwabe.de/, which was later removed and is no longer available.

In the article, published on January 26, 2009, under the title "Russia and Climate Protection – Discussing Possible Initiatives in the German Bundestag," Schwabe wrote that he had already met with representatives of Russian non-governmental organisations during the Poznań Climate Change Conference held in Poland in December 2008. He also emphasised the need to strengthen dialogue with Russian politicians.

It cannot be stated with certainty whether those individuals genuinely represented non-governmental organisations or were affiliated with Russian intelligence services. However, according to the author, Schwabe's subsequent activities involving Russia have only served to deepen such suspicions.

Following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014, and amid a series of restrictive measures imposed by the West against Russia, Schwabe's interview with the Bundestag's official media outlet on April 2 of the same year, titled "Schwabe: Do Not Exclude Russia," sheds light on several noteworthy issues.

Responding to a question about the complete suspension of the Russian delegation's accreditation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Schwabe argued that such a move would be a mistake and stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue with Russian lawmakers. He also referred to the occupation of Crimea as "Moscow's activities in Crimea." In addition, he stated that NATO's eastward expansion had failed to produce results and argued that the solution lay in diplomatic negotiations and peaceful dialogue. Overall, Frank Schwabe's interview bears a closer resemblance to the talking points of Russian diplomats than to the statements of a Western politician.

It should be noted that after the Russian delegation's voting rights in PACE were suspended in 2014, they were restored in June 2019. Schwabe was among those who voted in favour of reinstating the Russian delegation in the Assembly. This fact was also mentioned in a news report covering his meeting three months later, on September 19, with Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

The investigation also found that Schwabe indirectly lobbied for Russian interests. In his opinion piece, "In Conflict with Moscow," published on May 15, 2019, in the German journal IPG (Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft), he argued that the ongoing dispute between Russia and the Council of Europe was approaching a critical stage and that expelling Russia from the organisation would benefit no one.

Schwabe, who presents himself as an advocate of climate action and human rights, never publicly objected to the fact that Russian energy giant Gazprom sponsored the football club Schalke 04 for 15 years (2007–2022), despite being both a fan and an official member of the club. At the same time, Frank Schwabe was among the most outspoken critics of Azerbaijan's hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), arguing that Azerbaijan is an oil- and gas-producing country.

According to the investigation, all publications linking Schwabe's name to Russia's Gazprom were either removed by him or with someone's assistance. The authors argue that this approach mirrors the handling of information about his incomplete higher education, which had also been repeatedly edited or removed from Wikipedia.

The investigation also found a stark contradiction between the image Schwabe projects to the public as a man of integrity—while currently serving as an active member of the Network of Chambers of the Protestant Church in Germany—and his actual conduct.

For example, after Schalke 04 terminated its sponsorship agreement with Gazprom following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Schwabe published a post on Instagram on February 28, 2022. In it, he expressed a clear position on two issues about which, according to the authors, he had remained conspicuously silent for years: "I feel enormous relief and am even a little proud that 'my' Schalke made such a swift and unequivocal decision, despite all the uncertainties. The fact that the former chancellor has not shown the same consistency fills me with great shame."

According to the authors, only after the West united in its opposition to Russia was Schwabe compelled to make public statements critical of the country. They conclude that, when comparing his actions with those of prominent figures in Christian tradition, the only parallel that comes to mind is Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus Christ.