The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel Book Review
In a vivid portrayal of Merkel’s journey from East Germany to her the political arena, Kati Marton captures Merkel’s political endeavors and more arrestingly the events that shaped her early years. Her calm and analytical approach, absence of ego or theatrics, and humble understatement in communication style were shaped by years in East Germany and scientific training. Throughout the book, we also glimpse Merkel’s approach in crisis management that built a more stable and resilient Germany today, including events like the Euro crisis (2010), the war in Ukraine (2014), Europe’s refugee crisis (2016), and the Covid pandemic (2019).
Merkel’s early life before entrance to politics
Childhood in East Germany — Merkel’s family moved from East to West Germany in her early years. “As a pastor’s daughter, she believes in the quiet and persistent work of everyday salvation”, as values of sacrifice and discipline were instilled. As a pastor’s daughter, Christian faith plays an important aspect in Merkel’s personal life. Merkel said her goal was to merge Christianity and science (to become a PHD in physics). The four decades in East Germany left a mark to Merkel (as to many east Germans), with habits of obedience, distrust, austerity, and loss of personal initiative. Much of the population was marred by the societal ambiance, which left a permanent record in memory and stained its conscience. Merkel’s early career as a physicist did not satisfy her intellectual interest and inquiring mind — in the repetitive experiments in a lab, Merkel soon realized that she preferred abstract and theoretical thinking. In addition, after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 — the new ear of freedom further liberated Merkel out of her stable career as a scientist.
Entrance into politics — Merkel’s entrance into politics in 1989 was timely, as she took important qualities of her scientific training with her. The incumbent Chancellor Kohl back then wanted to integrate diverse backgrounds of leaderships into the party; and Merkel benefitted from being a women from Eastern Germany. As a scientist by training, she brought rational thinking into debate, and her speech was with scientific precision and easily understood sentences — without flourishes unlike other politicians. Being a good listener also helped in campaigns as she met with locals — she listened, sympathized, and expressed herself in a plain style; convincing locals that she was “one of them”.
Personal qualities (Curiosity, Compassion, Stamina) — (1) Personal interests are important influences towards Merkel’s curiosity in people and history, her near photographic memory of facts, and her interest in international politics. Merkel had a voracious interest in books before adolescence, as she devoured Russian classics, social science, nonfiction, and biographies of European leaders (Marie Curie as a role model; “Rien dans la vie n’est à craindre, tout doit être compris.”). Before state visits, she reads and researches extensively on the structures and leadership characters of the country — collaborative? Emotionally stable? Interests beyond politics (music, soccer, weekends with people outside politics) sustain the crushing pressures of political life. (2) Private faith also brought Merkel’s core values to office, as she brought her creed of duty and service, her belief of Germany’s debt to Jews, and ethical values to the office.
Leadership style (Humility, Purposeful ambition, Calmness) — (1) Merkel’s insatiable curiosity fuels her passion in understanding people, cultures, facts, and problems in international politics. In addition, her scientific training has staged a calm, analytical, and long term approach in leading the country. “A near photographic memory, scientific ability in breaking down problems, and her ravenous appetite for work” — some characteristics nurtured and some natural. Stamina helped her in tedious and high-pressure negotiations with political counterparts. (2) Merkel’s 45 years East Germany also shaped her personality. “Low key, absence of ego or theatrics, diligence, and her humility” was liked by Germans.” (3) Merkel’s mantra was engraved in a Plexiglas cube on her desk; “In der Ruhe liegt dir Kraft” — in peace (calm) there is strength.
The private Chancellor — Merkel minimizes use of email and texts, does not keep a journal, and avoids social media — alive to its power to spread misinformation. “I have made sure that there are boundaries, so certain areas of my life are not open to the public”. Germans and close friends respect Merkel for it; and after her retirement we seldom see reports of Merkel surfacing in public.
International politics
Merkel’s crisis management exposed her strengths as well as weaknesses as a leader; but most importantly, reflected her values in humanity, equality, and service. Throughout the Euro crisis (2010), the War in Ukraine (2014), EU’s refugee crisis (2016), and Covid pandemic (2019), the challenges spanned from finance, war, refugees, to medicine — and with a science background, Merkel was avid to learn about the different fields. Her attention to facts, stamina in long hour negotiations, and belief in her core values would sustain her through her 16 years in office.
Euro crisis — As the leading economic powerhouse in Europe, Germany was a nation that believes in the virtues of hard work, thrift, and living below one’s means. During the Euro crisis, it kept low unemployment below EU counterparts. Tellingly, the German word for debt is the same as guilt: Schuld. Thus, as Merkel instilled austerity models, cutbacks, and tax regimes on southern Europe countries, resentment followed, as enforced austerity drained life from the ancient capitals of Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Portugal, Dublin. To many of the middle class, Merkel seemed to be punishing the ordinary citizens; instead of aiming towards government leaders and the international financial system.
War in Ukraine — In Feb 2014, Ukraine was on the brink of signing a wide-ranging political and economic agreement with the EU and pull Ukraine closer westward politically and economically. Putin was determined to block the deal, and pull the then president Victor Yaunkkovych to join Russia’s Eurasia Economic Union instead. Yet, demonstrators protested in Ukraine’s Kiev Maidan square, and the clampdown resulted in deaths and a violent uprising. With Yaunkkovych’s power vacuum, Putin moved into the country. Merkel advocated diplomacy as the way out. She spoke with Putin 38 times. “They were in daily contact, Merkel in patient talk confronting Putin’s aggressive, bombastic behavior.”
EU’s refugee crisis — Germany, more of a conservative society was unaccustomed to rapid change with the influx of refugees. While Merkel made her clear position in accepting new arrivals, not all Germans agreed with her generous and open stance. She highlighted that Germany’s aging workforce needed young labor; yet “Wining over hearts and minds by making a stronger case for her policy” was nothing Merkel mastered. In 2019, 3 years into Germany’s new refugee policy, half of 800K new arrivals were either employed or in job training programs. All were required to learn German and could not choose the place to settle in Germany — as Merkel wanted to avoid the dense refugee concentration in cities as in France and UK.
Covid response (2019): Merkel led Germany through the initial months of uncertainty in the Covid crisis. Her calm tone, compassion, and authority made Germany’s Covid response a model for EU countries in the early months of Covid. Merkel was pleasantly surprised to learn that BioNTech, a small German firm that now ships vaccines globally — is founded by Turkish immigrants.
Personal Reflections
This vivid portrayal of Merkel was published in 2021, just as Merkel steps down from her political career. The book came at a pivotal time with multiple contemporary issues still on the table, including the global pandemic response, refugee policies, war in Ukraine etc.
From Merkel’s political endeavors, we learn that history repeats itself in different forms. Back in 2014, the Ukraine war broke out just as it was signing the wide-ranging economic agreement with the EU — and now in 2022, Putin acted again as Ukraine was moving westward with NATO. In this “Post-Merkel” era, global leaders would have to act together to confront Russia’s aggressive behavior. “Negotiation is an arduous, patience trying process — unsuitable for those seeking immediate attention and credit.” In addition to Merkel’s calm and patient communication style, she was able to emphasize with a cultural aspect when confronting Russia. Putin and Merkel emerged from similar backgrounds (after the fall of the Berlin wall; as Putin was former KGB agent in Dresden) — Merkel and Putin mastered each other’s language; yet with radically different worldviews and lifestyles. Merkel’s simple and austere lifestyle and disdain for elaborate trappings of power contrasts with Putin’s liking in imperial grandeur, power, and wealth.
Merkel followed her values throughout the tides of unchartered waters in global crises — her belief in common humanity, equality, and service through persistent work. As she spoke to Harvard graduates, “Stand firmly by your values, not your impulses. Stop for a moment, keep quiet, think.”
Throughout Merkel’s 16 years in office, she achieved many milestones from an unconventional background — as a physicist, as a women, and from East Germany. “To achieve this — she has to be fierce and determined — without those qualities being apparent.” On sensitive and controversial issues, Merkel succeeded by working sideways, by observing polls, and leading by example — without calling attention.
Merkel is an inspiration for girls in fields predominately held by men — be it politics, sciences, business, or technology. She demonstrated that a women could lead without the usual theatrics of the powerful, and that persistence in hard work and humble grounds could achieve results. Rarely accredited with an advocate of women’s rights, she works for change quietly and obliquely — for instance; (1) naming Ursula von der Leyen as Defense minister (in a role traditionally held by men); and (2) in a conference where men were the majority; commenting “Pretty manly”. One of the quotes that I love is “You are able to love if you love yourself, if you know yourself. Only then can you approach the other.” — citing self-knowledge and self-confidence as essential elements in letting love in and giving it out.
“Today I recognize how important time is, more important than possessions.” As the well-grounded Merkel steps into retirement, she would have many creative pursuits to enjoy; “cooking a simple meal, listening to opera, or watching soccer matches”. After 16 years in office, politics did not become her personal identity as a variety of interests sustained her emotionally. She will not linger in the political arena jostling power. Meanwhile, she will remain a curious and keen observer of global geopolitics, with the new world order as events unravel.
