Sabine Bergmann-Pohl reports on Angela Merkel’s start in politics

podcast

“ÜberMerkel” – Episode 5
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl was there when Angela Merkel entered politics – and gave her styling tips

The beginning of the end of the GDR in autumn 1989 also marks a turning point in Angela Merkel’s life: she enters politics and thus lays the foundation for her later career: entry into the democratic awakening, deputy spokeswoman for the last government of the dying state and then, from 1991, Federal Minister for Women and Youth.

Sabine Bergmann-Pohl talks about Angela Merkel

Sabine Bergmann-Pohl At that time she was the last and only democratically elected president of the GDR People’s Chamber and thus a contemporary witness of Merkel’s entry into politics. In the fifth episode of starpodcast “ÜberMerkel – Familiar Stories” the last head of state of the GDR remembers an Angela Merkel, who faced up to her new tasks in the period around reunification – and often had to contend with resistance: “We had a difficult time with the men because we were very self-confident,” says Bergmann-Pohl in retrospect.

“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.

And the now 75-year-old reports how she gave the later chancellor tips on how to deal with this resistance and make her voice heard: “People don’t just listen to what you say, they also look at what you look like,” she says said to Merkel, she tells me in conversation star– Editor-in-Chief Anna-Beeke Gretemeier. “Just dress up a bit. And you’ll see, it’s all much easier. Yes, and at some point she took that into account.”

Historical quotes show how Angela Merkel appeared in politics in her early years: carefree when dealing with journalists, argumentative on TV talk shows, curious about her new office and unconventional in dealing with problems.

You can hear that and more in the fifth 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.