German Chancellor leaves with military honors

In these 16 years of Merkel’s government, many crises had passed, which is why she was also called the “chancellor of crises”. “It was 16 years full of events and challenges, which required a lot from me, but also fulfilled me,” Merkel said.

Angela Merkel, during the dismissal ceremony, on Thursday, December 2, 2021, in Berlin.

In her farewell speech she mentioned three main crises: that of the banking system in 2008, the migration crisis in 2016 and that of the corona virus pandemic. She recalled her governing principle of “equality of interests”, always listening to the other side as well. “I encourage you to see the world through the eyes of another and to take the perspective of the other, even if it is uncomfortable,” the Christian Democrat politician said. 

Among other things, she praised the culture of debate in Germany “which is envied in many parts of the world.” She also thanked the family and wished her successor Olaf Scholz: All the best and a good hand and lots of success!

Associates of the German Chancellor from four governments were invited to the ceremony held in the courtyard of the Ministry of Defense. Merkel ruled for 16 years and was the first German chancellor not to be removed from the post, but to leave voluntarily.

Her last message: 

“I am convinced that we can continue to shape our future, if we do not enter the work with negativity, envy, pessimism, but, as I said elsewhere three years ago, with gas in my heart. I have so “Always acted, in the GDR, but also, and especially, in conditions of freedom. It is this gas in my heart that I wish to everyone, and in a figurative sense, to our country as well.”  

A quote from which anyone can interpret even though Angela Merkel had selected those three songs in the repertoire of the ceremony. 

“Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen” (You forgot the color film) – by former East German singer Nina Hagen, also known as the grandmother of punk music in the former GDR, where Merkel was socialized;

“Für mich soll es rote Rosen regnen” (For me roses fall from the sky “by German singer Hildegard Knef, a reflection on the various stages of the life of a woman who still dreams, desires and believes in miracles;  

a church song “Großer Gott, wir loben dich” (Great God, we praise you) – which shows us the other side of the Protestant and the priest’s daughter, Angela Merkel. 

Angela Merkel, who came to power in 2005, was the only German chancellor who did not lose the election, but left on her own.  /DW