2024-12-17 13:05:00
“Would you like to dress up, please!” Thus the moderator of the Lit.Cologne literary festival, Bettina Böttinger, paraphrases the voices of the CDU at the moment of Angela Merkel’s first swearing-in. On Monday evening the former chancellor presented his autobiography “Freedom. Memories 1954-2021” at the Lit.Cologne literary festival, moderated by Böttinger.
Women, young people and people from the East – Merkel’s qualities at the beginning of her political career were discussed on the podium. Asked about previous comments about her clothing style at the time, the former chancellor spoke about her first swearing-in. Her former CDU colleague Günther Krause said: “Tell her again to buy something decent to wear.” At the time, when Krause was still transportation minister, she mostly wore long skirts and cardigans. “This was not immediately associated with the CDU, but rather with the Greens,” Merkel said.
“Contributed to the turning point”
In response to the request for a new style of clothing, she inquired about a “decent clothing store in Bonn-Bad Godesberg” and purchased a costume with gold buttons. “To be honest, I didn’t really feel comfortable.”
Wearing a pantsuit on the political stage was a political issue in the 1990s, at least in her party circles, Merkel said. But she quickly got over it. “I think I contributed to the turning point.” The trouser suit is now considered a typical Merkel item of clothing.
In fact, the Lit.Cologne literary festival only takes place in March. However, there was an early date for Merkel. Since the publication of her autobiography on November 26 by the Cologne publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch, the former chancellor has been guested in interviews about her memories and her view of the political events of her career.
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