Philip Rösler’s Story
If you have not yet heard about Germany’s Vice Chancellor, Phillip Rösler, here’s a nice little summary. Phillip Rösler currently serves as the Federal Republic of Germany’s Vice Chancellor, as well as the country’s Federal Minister of Economics and Technology. He was previously the German Minister of Health in 2009 before rising to greater heights in 2011 to current. Rösler is a German national, but his roots lay in Vietnam… Impressed yet?
Though the actual birth date of Phillip Rösler is unknown, the German government classifies it as February 24, 1973. He was born in the former Republic of Vietnam, but lost his parents during infancy. He was then adopted into a German family, who moved him out of war-torn South Vietnam all the way to the democratic West Germany. From then on, the child from Vietnam would live his life German, under the guidance of his father, a professional military man.
Rösler also served in the German military, acting as a medical soldier in the army’s Bundeswehr. At the same time, Rösler rose through the ranks of Germany’s Free Democratic Party, becoming the party’s secretary general in only 8 short years in 1992. He also studied medicine at Hanover Medical School in Germany and went on to become a haert surgeon. In a very short period of time, both Rösler’s medical and political careers reached astronomical heights.
In 2009, Philip Rösler was appointed as Germany’s Minister of Health. By 2011, Rösler became Germany’s Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Chairman of the FDP, and the Vice Chancellor of Germany. Today, Rösler is second only to the current German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. What makes Philip Rösler so remarkable is not just his accomplishments, but also where he achieved them.
Not only has Philip Rösler elevated to astronomical heights in both his political and medical careers, he achieved them in an extremely difficult environment. German society, though very tolerant and cosmopolitan, is still more favorable of Caucasians than Asians in terms of selectivity. For this reason, it is incredible that Rösler, a Vietnamese ethnic, was able to rise through the ranks to hold three big government positions and become the second most powerful individual in the FRG.
His accomplishments, in conjunction with his Vietnamese roots, just goes to show what Vietnam’s people are capable of great things if given the opportunity. Just imagine if Rösler remained in Vietnam all his life, would he have been able to use his talents the way he did in Germany? It’s pretty hard to imagine, right?
Instead of fostering the talent of the people, the VCP simply stifles them, casts them aside, and keeps them in submission. There are many Rösler’s in Vietnam, sadly, the Party is incapable of ever utilizing these talents. This is just another example of how the Communist Party of Vietnam has failed its people. The VCP punishes intelligence and rewards idiocy. By now however, given all of the stupidity the VCP has shown, I am incapable of feeling any surprise for them anymore.
September 21, 2012 at 4:33 pm
“is still more favorable of Caucasians than Asians in terms of selectivity”
What is this claim based on? He’s given several interviews where he said he never, ever, had any problems.
Besides, what is meant by “selectivity” here? Selectivity of what?
September 22, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I guess I should have been more clear (my mistake), but I’ll elaborate. What I am saying is that being an Asian man in Germany, Roesler faces more challenges than his domestic counterparts when pursuing similar endeavors.
I am not calling German society racist, absolutely not. Just from practical experience, when an ethnic minority and a non-minority are considered for similar positions for anything (a job, for example), the native of that country is usually more favored for that position than the ethnic minority.
The fact of the matter is that Philip Roesler is an ethnic Vietnamese minority in a country with an ethnic Caucasian German majority. Therefore, he faces the same challenges as Asian minorities in any non-Asian nation such as the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, etc.
It is true that he has the same opportunities as everyone else. However, it is also true that because of his ethnic background, he faces more hurdles than his non-minority counterparts. It’s not exactly racism, but it’s still a social reality all multi-ethnic societies, and this includes Germany.
I know Roesler says he doesn’t face much racial discrimination, but it’s pretty far fetched and even naive for you to believe that he has “never, ever, had any problems.” Even the best of us, being minorities in certain places, have at one point in our lives faced cases of racism and discrimination.
That’s the meaning of the statement I made, hopefully I’ve made it painfully clear by now. Still, I admit that the wording for that part is a little ambiguous. I’ll consider revising it for future readers to reduce the confusion. Happy reading!
October 13, 2012 at 2:14 am
As a EU resident ,I concour with you.Philip Roesler thanks to his step-parents has much more opportunities to go up the ladder. And when he adds talent to facts ,you have the result.
Roesler won’t be the only one, I forecast we’ll see more Viet- european politicians.
September 22, 2012 at 7:56 pm
Dr. Philip Rösler is an exceptional individual like President Obama of the US. In science and technology a person’s success is evaluated for his successful project or undertaking and judged primarily by a committee. But in politics, particularly for an elected member, a person is judged by population of that country. To get an approval from the majority of country is always a challenge even in an open-minded society. Also German are very smart people and competing and win among smart people is exceptionally challenging and Dr. Philip Rösler has done that.
October 28, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Well said Dong and Ian. Couldn’t agree more…