Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Faith and Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel grew up in Templin in the former GDR. Her father, Horst Kasner was a Lutheran priest, who moved from Hamburg to Templin in 1957. Templin is not too far away from Carwitz, where Hans Fallada, Rudolf Dietzen, spent many happy years.

Kasner was a Berliner who had been born into a Catholic family. Merkel's mother was born in Gdansk, which was then the German city of Danzig. She was a teacher of Latin and English.

While Merkel was in the FDJ, Free German Youth, it seems she may not have particiapted in 'Jugendweihe', which was a special 'passing-out ceremony for memebrs of the Free German Youth in the former GDR. There has been controversy over whether Merkel was or not a strong supporter of the FDJ.

She later studied in Leipzig and Berlin.

A quote from Merkel, which appeared in a Protestant Sunday newspaper.

"My Christianity gives me the courage and the strength to say what I think, not just in private circles but also in my work as a politician.

"Christianity is a compass for me." 

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