Angela Merkel
ZDF broadcasts Zapfenstreich
It will rain red roses for Angela Merkel.
© imago images / Bildgehege
On December 2nd, Angela Merkel will be bid farewell with the traditional big tattoo. ZDF will broadcast the celebration live on TV.
An era is coming to an end – Angela Merkel (67) is stepping down after 16 years. On December 2, 2021, the Bundeswehr will bid farewell to the outgoing Chancellor with the traditional Great Zapfenstreich, the armed forces’ greatest honor for civilians. ZDF will broadcast the ceremony live.
As the broadcaster announced on Monday, the broadcast will begin on Thursday at 7:20 p.m. Moderator Bettina Schausten (56) reports from the premises of the Ministry of Defense in Berlin.
It starts with a speech by Angela Merkel in front of the invited guests, including the federal ministers and the federal presidents who were in office during the Merkel era. Then Schausten analyzes the legacy of the Chancellor with political scientist Karl-Rudolf Korte (63). Lieutenant Colonel Sven Homann then explains the big tattoo, which then concludes the one-hour broadcast.
Farewell to Nina Hagen and Hildegard Knef
The politicians who are honored with the great tattoo are allowed to choose three songs, which the military musicians then play. Angela Merkel asked for the GDR hit song “You forgot the color film” by Nina Hagen (66), “For me it should rain red roses” by Hildegard Knef (1925-2002) and the hymn “Great God, we praise you” .
Incidentally, Angela Merkel is only the third person to be bid farewell from the Chancellery with a big tattoo. It has long been common practice for federal presidents, but it was not until 1998 that the ceremony was introduced to mark the farewell to Helmut Kohl, also for the chancellor.