Annette Schavan tells what was in the Zu Guttenberg SMS to Angela Merkel

podcast

“ÜberMerkel” – Episode 4
Zu Guttenberg’s resignation in 2011: Merkel’s friend Annette Schavan reveals what he wrote to the Chancellor via SMS

Crisis mood in Berlin. On March 1, 2011, then Federal Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) appeared before the press – and resigned from his post. He copied his doctoral thesis without identifying any quotations as such.

Annette Schavan talks about Angela Merkel

Shortly before that, an SMS from him arrives on Angela Merkel’s mobile phone. At this time she is with her Federal Education Minister and friend Annette Schavan (CDU) at the “Cebit” computer fair in Hanover. The chancellor hands Schavan her mobile phone. A quick look, an apparently knowing and satisfied smile from both of them. Since then, the public has been puzzling: Did Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg inform Merkel of his resignation in a short message?

“About Merkel – telling stories”

Angela Merkel was Chancellor for 16 years. The first. At the end of 2021 she resigned her post, now there is a man in office. What is left of her? What was she like, the chancellor? How is she as a boss, as a friend, as a feminist? For years, the story of Angela Merkel was mostly told by men. stern– Editor-in-chief Anna-Beeke Gretemeier meets for the podcast “ÜberMerkel – Vertraute recounting” with companions of the former Chancellor – yes, only with women. The conversations show new perspectives and thus draw a very personal audio portrait.

“ÜberMerkel – Familiar stories” appears weekly on Tuesdays at AudioNow, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and everywhere there are podcasts. You can also find all episodes here.

in the starpodcast “ÜberMerkel – Telling Trusted Ones” Annette Schavan reveals almost ten years later what was really in the Zu Guttenberg SMS. In the conversation with starEditor-in-chief Anna-Beeke Gretemeier is not just about government crises. Girlfriend Schavan, who later also stumbled across a plagiarism affair, also reports what makes a good evening for the ex-Chancellor, what Merkel cooks when she receives visitors, and how Merkel once insisted on buying tickets for a concert in Milan herself to pay.

And the now 66-year-old Merkel confidant tells of very personal moments with her friend: “In this friendship there are also moments of consolation.” You can hear that and much more in the fourth episode of “ÜberMerkel – Telling Trusted Ones”.

“ÜberMerkel – Familiar stories” appears weekly on Tuesdays at AudioNow, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and everywhere there are podcasts. You can also find all episodes here.