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Angela MerkelLeader of the CDU-CSU party in Germany
Date of Birth: 17.07.1954
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- German Unity and the Rise of a Politician
- Embarking on a Political Journey
- A Private Behind the Public Image
- Aspirations and Passions
German Unity and the Rise of a Politician
Early Life and EducationAngela Merkel, a German stateswoman and politician, was born in Hamburg in 1954. Despite her birthplace, she is often considered an East German due to her family's move from West Germany to the German Democratic Republic (GDR) during her childhood. Interestingly, Merkel has recounted anecdotes of Soviet soldiers stealing her bicycle on multiple occasions during her youth, yet she holds no ill will towards them.
She studied physics in Leipzig, where she earned a doctorate in 1986. After graduating, she worked at the Central Institute of Physical Chemistry in Berlin.
Embarking on a Political Journey
Merkel's political career began after the fall of the Berlin Wall. She joined the Democratic Awakening organization in 1989 and became its press secretary a year later. In the first and last non-communist government of the GDR, she held the same position.
Soon after, Merkel joined the Christian Democrats (CDU) and became its representative in the first unified Bundestag in 1990. With the support of Helmut Kohl, she rose through the party ranks, becoming the leader of the CDU in September 2002 after actively participating in the ousting of her former patron.
A Private Behind the Public Image
Despite the public scrutiny that typically surrounds high-profile politicians, Merkel's personal life remains an enigma. Her husband, Joachim Sauer, has no interest in politics and maintains a distance from his wife's endeavors. Even the German tabloids have struggled to uncover any compelling gossip.
Sauer, born to a confectioner in 1949, is a respected chemist and has achieved considerable success in his own field. His choice to stay out of the spotlight is a testament to his personality. Despite the frequent references to him as "Mr. Merkel," he has embraced the surname in good humor.
Friends have remarked that Joachim holds the reins within the family and that he often provides Angela with political advice. They live in central Berlin but prefer the tranquility of nature on weekends. Merkel enjoys gardening and cooking, and she takes pride in never letting guests leave her home hungry. They occasionally attend the theater and concerts with friends, though they have no children together.
Aspirations and Passions
Merkel has always maintained a desire to experience the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Vladivostok. She possesses some proficiency in Russian and could potentially communicate with Vladimir Putin in his native language. However, she believes that Putin's fluency in German would make any non-translated conversations more practical.
Outside of politics, Merkel's passions include gardening, reading, and travel. She admires Marie Curie, Ludwig Erhard, and Aristotle. Her culinary preferences include green cabbage dishes, spaghetti bolognese, soups, and coffee. Notably, her favorite actor is Robert Redford.
Merkel credits her father for her meticulousness and her mother for her amiable nature. She defines happiness as sailing far out into the sea on a sunny day and considers a good night's sleep to be the ultimate luxury.
