Departing Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Germans to stand up to hatred, at a military ceremony on Thursday marking her departure after 16 years in office.
Mrs Merkel was honoured with a traditional military musical performance and march in front of almost all of the country’s political elite, except for the far-right Alternative for Germany, which was not invited.
“Our democracy also lives from the fact that wherever hatred and violence are seen as a legitimate means of pursuing one’s interests, our tolerance as democrats has to find its limit,” she said before the ceremony.
The event, which was held at the Defence Ministry rather than in a more public setting because of pandemic constraints, involved a parade and a brass band playing three songs of Mrs Merkel’s choice.
The first piece was You Forgot the Colour Film, released in 1974 by East German-born punk singer Nina Hagen.
In it, the singer recounts a young woman’s lament that her boyfriend failed to take colour pictures of their beach holiday.
Hagen, like Mrs Merkel, grew up in East Germany, officially named the German Democratic Republic, but moved to the West in 1976 after clashing with the communist country’s authorities.
Mrs Merkel said the song was “a highlight of my youth, which is known to have taken place in the GDR".
“By chance, [the song] is also set in a region that was in my former constituency” on the Baltic Sea, she said. “As such, it all fits together.”
Her second choice was a popular chanson by German singer Hildegard Knef, called It Shall Rain Red Roses for me. She was presented with a bouquet of the flowers.
The final piece chosen by the daughter of a Protestant pastor was an 18th century Christian hymn, Holy God, we Praise thy Name.
Mrs Merkel remains caretaker chancellor until her successor, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, is sworn in next week.
She wished Mr Scholz and his centre-left government “all the best, good luck and much success".
Mrs Merkel also urged her audience to “always see the world through the eyes of others, too” and work “with joy in your hearts".
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
