Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on Thursday returned to the contentious topic of defining the country's "Leitkultur" — which could be translated as "guiding" or "leading" or "mainstream" or even "dominant" culture in English — by suggesting that the purchase of a Christmas tree was an integral part thereof.

Speaking with the Funke Media Group, the outspoken politician said, "When we talk about Leitkultur, about our way of life, then, for me, this includes buying a Christmas tree before Christmas."

"It is part of our Western Christian-influenced identity," he continued, adding that it has been so for generations and as such influences today's children, who will continue it into the future.

Merz said he was surprised that such statements would spark accusations of religious intolerance, saying, "I'm slightly astonished that it is apparently a problem for many when we say something like that."  

Leitkultur, an ill-defined and often divisive term

The concept of Leitkultur has been part of German politics since the late 1990s but is still not particularly well defined.

It can often be ambiguous, for instance, whether the term lists examples of established German culture that migrants ought to accept and respect, or actually adopt themselves.

More liberal politicians often take offense to the concept, preferring to suggest immigrants integrate as part of Germany's multicultural society. Some critics of the concept saw a direct parallel to the concept of "Germanization" propagated by the Nazis.

Merz was careful in his comments published on Thursday at no point to take that extra step and say everyone should have a tree themselves. 

However, Merz as CDU leader has more aggressively championed the idea of Leitkultur than his predecessor Angela Merkel, and particularly the notion that there should be an onus on new arrivals to at least adapt to such customs, and in some cases to adopt them. 

Less than two weeks ago, the CDU released a blueprint for its vision of Germany's future. Among the policy points the paper highlighted was one entitled, "The Courage to Embrace Leitkultur: Only those who acknowledge our dominant culture can integrate and become German citizens."

Reactions: Support, disagreement and some lampooning

Merz's comments drew mixed reactions online from politicians and observers alike but did thrust the term Leitkultur to the top of trending topics on social media websites like X, formerly Twitter, for most of Thursday.

One retired former German Cabinet minister, Ruprecht Polenz, interpreted Merz's comments as an implicit demand for people to buy Christmas trees. Given his background with the neoliberal FDP, which also lays importance on individual liberty and autonomy, he objected. 

"Respect and tolerance are crucial for the cultural climate in a pluralistic society. Indeed, both must be demanded. But that is something different to demanding certain practices from EVERYONE," he said. 

Green party politician Konstantin von Notz responded twice, first lamenting that the CDU's behavior under Merz "looks like political self-destruction." He added: "They're betting totally unreservedly on populism, divisiveness and demagoguery. That's the way for the [party] to demolish itself." 

But within nine minutes, following a series of critical replies and allusions to the Greens' struggles in opinion polls compared to the CDU, von Notz posted a picture of himself sat in front of his Christmas tree at home. 

"Leitkultur so close behind me that it prickles...," he wrote. "So, now, everybody, stop this nonsense and enjoy yourselves!"

Volker Beck, a former Green party Bundestag member, said he considered Christmas trees, an angel atop them, choirs, the Nativity scene, German festive snacks and goose all to be part of the season in Germany.

"It's customs and tradition. So what? Guiding culture? Or culture," he pondered. 

An environmental lobby group, BUND, meanwhile posted links to its past studies about pesticides on Christmas trees. 

And finally, the satirical website Der Postillon rushed to put together its definitive picture gallery of examples of German Leitkultur, including everything from putting towels on sun loungers to socks with sandals, driving at racing speeds on highways, beer, stockpiling toilet paper and "going to church once a year," presumably meaning around this time of year.

First firs as early as 16th century, household staple by 1870s

The first recorded Christmas tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strasbourg in the 16th century by German Lutherans, and the idea started to catch on in public places thereafter. But the idea of having a tree at home started to gain popularity in 18th and 19th century among Germany's bourgeoisie. The practice was firmly embedded all social classes by the late 19th century.

Merz hails from Germany's Christmas tree capital, the western Sauerland region of Westphalia, which supplies many of the estimated 30 million trees put up in households and businesses across the country each December.

js/msh (AFP, dpa, KNA)