Angela Merkel reads from her book "Freedom"

For 16 years, Angela Merkel held the reins of government in Germany, steered the country through numerous crises, and shaped German and international politics through her actions and stance. In her memoirs, written in collaboration with her longtime political advisor Beate Baumann, she looks back on her life in two German states—35 years in the GDR and 35 years in reunified Germany. She recounts her childhood, youth, and university years in the GDR, as well as the dramatic year of 1989, when the Wall fell and her political career began. She shares with us her conversations with the world’s most powerful figures and, using significant political turning points as examples, vividly and precisely illuminates how decisions that shape our era were made. Her book offers a unique insight into the inner workings of power—and is a strong plea for freedom.

We thank the Evangelical Lutheran Friedenskirche Congregation in Schwerin for its support.