How does Angela Merkel live after the end of her chancellorship? What does she do in her free time and how does it feel to be watched at every step as a “political pensioner”? On Tuesday evening, the former chancellor gave intimate insights into her new life.
It was the first time that Angela Merkel (67) had publicly answered questions from journalists since the end of her chancellorship. On Tuesday evening she spoke to “Spiegel” man Alexander Osang about her time as chancellor, the Ukraine war, but also about her new private life.
“Phoenix” broadcast live, the media attention was enormous. No wonder, after all, people are still very interested in Merkel. But how does the “citizen Angela Merkel” live after her time in the Chancellery? What worries her, what worries her Joy And why is the Baltic Sea so important to her?
Before going into all these points, the 67-year-old answered the most general of all questions. “Today I’m doing very well personally,” she said. And further: “I voluntarily resigned as Chancellor, that’s a nice feeling.” Even if the Ukraine war, which she repeatedly condemned, depresses her very much.
After her time in the Federal Chancellery, Merkel spent five weeks on the Baltic Sea. As she said on Tuesday evening, she took on different things. “On the one hand, more exercise, and the Baltic Sea is wonderful for that. Secondly, reading things I didn’t get around to.” Among other things: thick books.
But the 67-year-old also dared to try new things. “I’ve worked my way into the field of audio books a bit,” she said. Osang asked, “I was told you’ve heard Shakespeare? In winter at the Baltic Sea? Macbeth? Relatively challenging.” The ex-Chancellor had to laugh and admitted: “Yeah. Then Don Carlos, full length.”
She went to the Baltic Sea all alone. But she didn’t get bored in the five weeks. “I got through the time well. I didn’t even know what it was like anymore. I’ve been involved in politics for 30 years and I’ve always had appointments, appointments, appointments.” She justified the fact that Merkel initially withdrew to the Baltic Sea by saying “that I know my way around there well”.
For the former chancellor, the sea has something calming about it. In addition, there is not so much going on on the coast in winter. “Hood up, not so many hikers,” said Merkel. “Because people know me on the Baltic Sea, they are also very silent.”
This is hardly surprising, given that her constituency at that time, Vorpommern-Rügen – Vorpommern-Greifswald I (constituency 15) is located there. Merkel has won it every year since 1990. In 2020 she announced that she would no longer compete. The constituency was her “political life insurance,” she said on Tuesday.
Merkel also explained how exhausting life as a former chancellor can be. During a holiday in Italy with close confidants, she had to realize how much she is still in the public interest – and cannot take a step unobserved. After all, the Ukraine war was already raging. Merkel said that she was aware that her leave would therefore cause discussions.
But: “I thought, you do that,” said the CDU politician. “Knowing that there might be arguments and trouble. […] But also in an attempt to make it clear that I am no longer the Chancellor.”
The trip was really important to her. Not just to make a statement for your new life. Also, to delve deeper into European history. She is very interested in the Renaissance, Merkel said.
In the conversation with Osang, however, it was also about a special statement by the Chancellor. Because Merkel once boasted that she had “camel capacities” – that is, being able to save sleep. “I once said that, but I read that from the point of view of doctors it’s nonsense,” admitted the 67-year-old.
It got very personal when Osang Merkel addressed her seizures. In the final phase of her term of office, these had caused great concern – for example, when the then Chancellor in June 2019 walked the honorary formation of the Bundeswehr with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
But how did this happen? “That has to do with two things,” Merkel said. On the one hand, she was very exhausted by the death of her mother. Herlinde Kasner, Merkel’s mother, died on April 6, 2019 in Berlin at the age of 91. On the other hand, “it was then also related to little drinking”.
Last but not least, in these situations, she was afraid that the tremors would recur. But Merkel “could handle it very, very well when I then put a chair on the pedestal and accepted the national anthems while sitting”.
And what does the 67-year-old have in mind now? She would like to write a book about her life with her longtime office manager Beate Baumann, “Draw long lines”. The former chancellor says: “I’m really looking forward to that.”
With material from dpa
