After shitstorm

Thomas Gottschalk regrets slapping his son in the face

Thomas Gottschalk commented on the shitstorm he received.

(Bild: picturedesk.com/wcrART, wcrART / Action Press )

Following harsh criticism, entertainer Thomas Gottschalk (74) regrets the slap he once gave his son. "I'm still sorry today that I slapped my son," said Gottschalk at the start of his reading tour for his new book "Ungefiltert" (Unfiltered) in Hamburg this evening. "I never raised my son with slaps. I am against any form of violence," emphasized the former "Wetten, dass...?" presenter.

Gottschalk also told the audience how the slap came about: "We walked into a store, a record was playing, Paul McCartney was singing and he thought you had to scratch it. I just reacted. It was a reflex. A slap in the face that I still regret today," said the show host.

Since 2001, the German Civil Code has enshrined the right of children to a non-violent upbringing, which includes corporal punishment as well as psychological injuries and other degrading measures.

Book already published in 2015
In his book "Herbstblond" (Autumn Blonde), which was published in 2015, Gottschalk wrote about two slaps in the face as educational measures for his two sons. Weather expert Jörg Kachelmann denounced this on X. "Thomas Gottschalk is a child abuser. If he had been reported back then, he would be a convicted felon today."

As a result, the former "Wetten, dass...?" presenter was heavily criticized online, but there were also understanding and supportive reactions. For example, Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) jumped to Gottschalk's aid: "Dear Mr. Kachelmann, please fire up your wood stove, make yourself a nice potato soup and don't be so nasty to Mr. Gottschalk. Bet you'll feel better then!" he wrote on X.