Sprecher(in) und Anschrift
Johannes Spatz,
( (030)
7475-5922, Fax: -5925
c/o BA Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Plan- u. Leitstelle Gesundheit
Müllenhoffstr. 17
10967 Berlin
Giselly Leinenbach, (
(030) 897 49007
Dr. Jörn Reimann, (
(030) 72 119 08
Wolfgang Nitze,
(
(030) 747 55974
Press Release
Berlin, 14.12.06
Forum Rauchfrei is calling upon Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin, to distance himself from his patronage for the "Berlin Tulip" project. The 10,000 Euro prize, which was awarded in the presence of Klaus Wowereit, was sponsored by the Körber Foundation. Johannes Spatz, spokesperson for Forum Rauchfrei, criticizes the conduct of the mayor: "The Senate loses its credibility if on the one hand it implements the 'Berlin qualmfrei' (Berlin free of blue smoke) campaign and on the other hand offers a patronage to the world's largest manufacturer of cigarette-making machines. Spatz hopes that Wowereit's closeness to the tobacco industry will not negatively impact the position of the Senate toward a strict ban on smoking in restaurants.
The Körber Foundation is sole owner of Körber AG, valued in billions. Some 44% of the Körber AG business derives from its tobacco branch. This arises from the Hauni works which currently show an annual turnover of 600 million Euros. The Hauni works produce just about everything used for tobacco treatment, production of filters and cigarettes, and packaging of cigarettes. According to Tabakzeitung, with a world market share of about 70%, the company is the world's largest manufacturer of cigarette-making machines. Thus, Hauni refers to itself as "the No. 1 partner of the tobacco industry." So, as has been shown worldwide, the profits which permit the generosity have been made on the basis of the tobacco addiction of millions of people including children and youths. It is not surprising to find that the Berlin office of the Körber Foundation is located under the same roof with the Association of the Cigarette Industry at Neustädtische Kirchstrasse 8 in the Berlin Mitte district.
During the past year Forum Rauchfrei had already criticized the president of the German Cancer Society, Dagmar Schipanski, because she was simultaneously a member of the council of the Körber Foundation. After further reproaches from Forum Rauchfrei, Schipanski resigned her position on the foundation council.
For further information call Johannes Spatz: Tel.: 74755922, 0176 244 199 64