The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel was the chancellor of Germany from 2005 until 2021. Merkel was born in 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany. However, she grew up in East Germany, where her parents moved due to her father’s decision to be a pastor in that region. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Leipzig University in physics, followed by a master’s degree and a PhD in quantum chemistry from the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof in 1986. She then worked briefly as a scientist.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Merkel joined the Democratic Beginning party in 1990, which merged with the greater and more successful Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She gradually became more influential until becoming chancellor in 2005. Merkel’s tenure is marked by her commitment to European unity, fiscal conservatism, and a pragmatic approach to foreign policy. Merkel’s science background and her experience in communist East Germany, where she learned Russian and observed the functioning of an occupational regime, have informed her work in politics and her leadership style.

In The Chancellor, Kati Marten portrays Angela Merkel as a calculated, potent leader, who constantly tries to balance her human rights concerns with the need to compromise and see the greater picture. The book explores different moments during Merkel’s 16 years in office, such as international crises, her negotiations with Vladimir Putin, her friendship with American leaders such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and her tensions with Donald Trump. Merkel emerges as a central political figure who has shaped the modern EU and has left behind an important political legacy.

Vladimir Putin is a KGB-trained officer who rose to power in the 1990s, becoming the president of Russia in 2000. He has served as the president from then until the present, with a brief pause from 2008 until 2012, when he served as prime minister.

Putin was born in 1952 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). He graduated from Leningrad State University with a Bachelor’s degree in law in 1975. Right after finishing his studies, he joined the KGB (the Russian Secret Service). He was transferred to Dresden, East Germany, where he worked undercover assisting the local Stasi intelligence. Putin is fluent in German. Putin’s political strategy is shaped by his experience as a lieutenant for the KGB, using military force, authoritarian influence, and coercion in national as well as international affairs. His leadership is characterized by patriotism, elimination of opposition, control of media, disinformation campaigns, and a long-term campaign to challenge Western countries.

Putin’s military campaign in Ukraine started in 2014, when Russian forces occupied Crimea and started waging war in the Eastern regions of Ukraine. In 2022, Putin led Russia into a full-blown war with Ukraine.

In The Chancellor, Vladimir Putin is Angela Merkel’s antagonist. Although the two share a knowledge of communism and East Germany, their political strategies are opposed to one another. Kati Marton describes the interactions between the two leaders as requiring Merkel’s full focus and cautiousness to keep a conflict between Russia and the Western world at bay.

Helmut Kohl was the chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998. He was born in 1930 in Ludwigshafen, Kohl. He was a key figure in the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and played a pivotal role in the reunification of Germany. Kohl is known for his leadership during the Cold War and his central role in the reunification of East and West Germany, the formation of the EU, and the expansion of NATO. Kohl’s exit from politics was marked by a corruption scandal regarding illegal funds that were funneled into the CDU party during his presidency.

In The Chancellor, Kohl is portrayed as the mentor of Angela Merkel. In fact, Merkel was called “Kohl’s Mädchen” (Kohl’s girl) at the beginning of her career due to the closeness she maintained with her mentor. Nevertheless, as Kohl was affected by a corruption scandal, Merkel did not get involved, instead taking over the presidency of the party. Kohl’s strategy influenced Merkel, while his policies and achievements, particularly in terms of European integration and reunification, provided a foundation upon which Merkel built her legacy.

Joachim Sauer is the husband of former German chancellor Angela Merkel. He is a quantum chemist and professor of chemistry at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He was born in 1949 in Hosena, East Germany. Sauer obtained a PhD in chemistry from Humboldt University in 1974. He has held various academic positions, including researcher at the Max Planck Society and a professorship at Humboldt University.

Despite his professional achievements, Sauer has largely remained out of the political spotlight, maintaining a low public profile throughout Merkel’s tenure as chancellor. In The Chancellor, Joachim Sauer is portrayed as a grounding influence for Angela Merkel, who supports the chancellor while also maintaining his personal life and career. His help in domestic matters and his counsel, when Merkel needs it in political decisions, is pivotal for her equilibrium. Their relationship offers readers an understanding of the personal dimensions of Merkel’s public persona and political resilience.

Donald Trump served as the president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Prior to this, he was a businessman and a TV personality in the reality show The Apprentice. Trump was born in 1946 in New York City. His presidential campaign as a Republican candidate and his subsequent administration were marked by controversy, both domestically and internationally. Part of his strategy has been to implement an isolationist doctrine, which led to a trade war with China, the US’s pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, and overall strained international relations with European allies.

Trump’s diplomatic engagement with Angela Merkel is central to The Chancellor’s portrayal of Merkel as a methodical, consensus-driven leader, who contrasts Trump’s brash approach. The dynamic between the two leaders is critical in showcasing how Merkel’s skills were tested throughout her chancellorship.

Emmanuel Macron (born in 1977) has served as the president of France since 2017. He is currently serving his second mandate as president. Macron obtained his Bachelor’s in philosophy from Paris Nanterre University and has a master’s degree in public affairs from the Paris Institute of Political Studies. He also trained at the École nationale d’administration (ENA), a school specializing in civil service.

Macron’s political career before becoming president includes roles such as Inspector of Finances and Minister of Economy, Industry, and Digital Affairs during the presidency of François Hollande. He rose through the political ranks after the establishment of the successful centrist political movement, La République en marche! (the Republic in motion!), which has changed the traditional French political landscape. The movement’s political party is named Renaissance (Rebirth).

In The Chancellor, Emmanuel Macron is portrayed as a crucial partner and counterpart to Angela Merkel, particularly in the context of EU affairs. The book discusses the sometimes-challenging dynamic between Merkel and Macron, whose governance principles are similar but whose style of implementation and communication are very different from Merkel’s. Nevertheless, the collaboration between Merkel and Macron has been central to addressing significant challenges facing the EU, such as economic reform, migration, and defense. Overall, their relationship is depicted as one of mutual respect and shared vision, despite differences in approach.

Lothar de Maizière (born 1940) was a member of Angela Merkel’s party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of East Germany, and played a crucial role in the peaceful revolution that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification of Germany. He was the prime minister of East Germany briefly from April to October 1990, when East Germany ceased to exist as a separate state and was integrated into the Federal Republic of Germany. He was closely involved in the preparation and negotiation of the Unification Treaty between East and West Germany. He was also one of Angela Merkel’s mentors at the beginning of her political career. However, de Maizière was forced to leave politics when he was falsely accused of being a Stasi informant.

De Maizière’s influence is discussed in The Chancellor in relation to Merkel’s decision to turn a cold shoulder when her mentor’s alleged collaboration with the Stasi became public. Even though de Maizière entrusted her with the function of deputy spokesperson for the party, Merkel did not come to his rescue. This showed, as Kati Marton discusses, Merkel’s calculating and opportunist side, which helped her rise through the political ranks.