The Germans entrusted him with the leadership of the country four times, and there are many signs that they now regret it. But Angela Merkel has no intention of apologizing. He has just published a memoir. He named the book “Freedom”. Detractors claim that three years after the end of his political career is too short a break to assess his achievements. But the time has come to protect it if we have to.
This is about Trump, Putin, Tusk, Lech Kaczynski and about Poland in general. “Freedom”, Angela Merkel's book, is taking over Germany's bookstores and its author has appeared in public for the first time in a long time.
– When I left office, it was liberating. Writing this book has been liberating. And now a new stage is ahead. When you hold this book, this gem, for the first time, you look at yourself in a little wonder and say: Oh, said Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021.
The former Chancellor of Germany wrote his memoirs with the help of Beat Baumann, his long-time adviser and close colleague.
In the book, Merkel talks about her childhood and youth in the GDR and the beginning of her political career, but the participants of the meeting with the author say that the most interesting thing is behind the scenes of her 16 years of life at the top of power.
Biased remarks by Lech Kaczynski, the “straight” Tusk
– It is amazing how many serious and progressive decisions were made during his reign, – explains one of the participants of the meeting with Angela Merkel. – It is exciting to understand what he has to say now. The way we justify our decisions gives us an insight into the backstage of politics, – another participant voices from him.
So far, short excerpts of the book have been published in the German media. Now the first reviews appear.
– I was wondering if this book is some kind of book written for self-defense or if it reveals about Merkel and her cooperation with other politicians? It's exactly what I expected. This is partly a book that explains Merkel's actions, especially in major crises. Merkel writes at the beginning of the book that this was her motivation. During the refugee crisis, he felt he couldn't put what he had done up to others, explained Andreas Rinke, a Reuters correspondent in London.
READ ALSO: Merkel defends the decision to block Ukraine's entry into NATO. “We saw the conflict even earlier.”
Angela Merkel rarely writes about her Polish origins. However, he gives a lot of space to Polish politicians. He writes of the bold gestures of Lech Kaczynski and Donald Tusk as “simple and libertarian”. In many passages, admiration for Poland's struggle for freedom is expressed.
“There were many problems and crises in my time”
Germans are more interested in the background of the refugee crisis in 2015 and the relationship with Trump and Putin, whom the former president calls “political gangsters”.
– What I found most interesting and surprising was the connection he believed there was between the pandemic and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Merkel wrote that direct contact with Putin is impossible due to the coronavirus, Putin was allowed to leave, that he did not meet with any Western politician because he was very afraid that he might get infected, Andreas Rinke pointed out.
Angela Merkel has to face accusations that she is revealing too many details too soon since she left politics just three years ago.
See also: Merkel recalled cooperation with Trump. “Yes, yes, yes”
– This book is not intended to create the impression that after leaving politics I left Germany in perfect condition. Angela Merkel admitted that there were many problems and crises during my time.
The publisher of the book admits that it was deliberately put on sale in bookstores before Christmas, so that as many readers as possible would buy it. The premiere of “Freedom” will be held simultaneously in 30 countries.
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Main photo source: Reuters
