On Sunday morning at ten o'clock, the SPD members of the Bundestag met for a virtual meeting.

Only briefly, because the politicians had to leave their offices and go to the Reichstag building.

There Chancellor Olaf Scholz would make a government statement.

It was already clear: It would be a historic day.

Russia was at war with Ukraine.

And Germany would react.

Livia Gerster

Editor in the politics of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

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The Chancellor intervened.

This was his faction, after all, and he knew they were worried.

About Ukraine, about the international peace order, but also about what position the SPD should now take.

Their party program states that there can only be peace in Europe with Russia and that peace and dialogue are part of the basic understanding of political action "more than in any other party".

MEPs, like most people in the country, were still stunned.

Scholz gave a short speech.

He condemned Putin's actions and reiterated solidarity with Ukraine.

He then announced that Russian banks would be excluded from SWIFT and that Germany would supply arms to Ukraine.

The comrades listened.

Some were surprised: That had already become known yesterday, on Saturday.

Some hammer will definitely come.

There were hardly any questions, no objections.

Shortly after half past ten it was over, everyone made their way to the plenary hall.

In the ranks of the SPD, some exchanged horrified looks

Eleven o'clock in the Bundestag, the chancellor went to the microphone.

He spoke earnestly to the nation, knowing full well that the world was listening.

A turning point and a five-point plan to face it.

Many in the SPD parliamentary group were impressed by the determination that Scholz conveyed.

Some felt relief: the chancellor knew what had to be done.

He had been speaking for a good seventeen minutes when the hammer came that some had expected: a special fund for the Bundeswehr would be set up, amounting to a hundred billion euros.

Applause and a "Bravo" from the CDU.

But Scholz wasn't finished yet: From now on, more than two percent of gross domestic product will be invested in defense every year.

Then there was movement in the ranks of the deputies: CDU people from the back rows rose to applaud standing, then also deputies from the FDP.

The front ranks of the Greens looked back, but remained seated.

And the SPD?

Some of the backbenchers stood up and clapped.

One would later report that he had observed that many from the CSU in particular were standing and then stood up out of defiance himself so that the impression would not arise that the Union could celebrate militarization against the will of the SPD parliamentary group.

But no one rose in the front rows.

Some exchanged horrified looks.

The parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich did not even applaud politely, but not at all.