Share this...



Two days ago I wrote here about how a scheduled presentation by Professor Dr Fritz Vahrenholt had been cancelled by the University of Osnabrück because of his controversial climate catastrophe skeptical book, Die kalte Sonne, which will be released next week by renowned publisher Hoffmann & Campe of Hamburg.The original public announcement of Vahrenholt’s presentation read: “In the series of presentations ‘University Speeches’ of the University of Osnabrück, Prof. Dr. Fritz Vahrenholt – RWE Innogy, Essen will hold a speech titled ‘The Climate Catastrophe is not Taking Place’.”

However, since the book and controversy have been making waves in Germany, the University of Osnabrück suddenly deemed such climate science skepticism as too “provocative”, and therefore refused to allow the presentation to be made unless a “counter-speaker” and a “competent moderator” were present. But because there was not enough time to organize it, the University cancelled Vahrenholt’s presentation at the last minute.

In the cancellation notification released by Professors Asholt and Altendorf, they claimed they had actually requested the topic of “Options for the Future Energy Supply of Germany”, and that Vahrenholt “surprised” them with the provocative title: “The Climate Catastrophe Is Not taking Place” just 3 weeks before the scheduled presentation.”

BS of course. The U of Osnabrück had known about the real topic long before, and not just 3 weeks ago. And so in an e-mail sent to NTZ, Prof Vahrenholt wishes to set the record straight. He wrote the following to Asholt and Altendorf:

Last year you happily accepted our topic of choice: ‘The Climate Catastrophe Is Not Taking Place’ and we agreed on a date for the presentation. You then informed my assistant just a few days ago, because of pressure from the University management, that I would only be allowed to speak under the condition that I accept a counter-position to be presented at the event, e.g. by Mr. Schellnhuber.”

Also in the cancellation Professors Asholt and Altendorf suggested Vahrenholt had agreed to a new date for the event. Vahrenholt writes that too is false:

We specifically informed you that I would not be available for such an event. And now that I was dis-invited by the University just 7 days before the event was scheduled to take place, I am no longer available for any other event. The entire matter is already bad enough. Hence I request that I no longer be misused as camouflage for the real motive behind my dis-invitation.”

Obviously The University of Osnabrück was less than truthful about the motives behind its dis-invitation. When University professors start distorting stories and camouflaging real motives, then indeed Prof Vahrenholt’s decision to no longer have anything more to do with them is more than warranted.

Makes you wonder if you can believe anything that comes from the two U of Osnabrück’s professors.