East German Politicians Wagenknecht and Merkel Succeed Due to Not Fitting Stereotypical East German Moulds
In the heart of Europe, Germany, a country once divided by the Iron Curtain, continues to grapple with its past and navigate its future. The East German upbringing significantly shaped the political views and careers of two prominent figures: Angela Merkel and Sahra Wagenknecht.
Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany after her family moved there when she was an infant, spent her formative years under the socialist regime. Her experiences, including joining the Free German Youth (FDJ), an official youth organization connected to the ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED), and her scientific education in East Germany, culminating in a doctorate in quantum chemistry, profoundly influenced her cautious, pragmatic, and consensus-oriented political style. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification, Merkel transitioned into politics with the CDU, becoming the first Chancellor of a united Germany who was raised in the East. Her East German background informed her identity and political outlook as a leader who valued stability and incremental change.
Sahra Wagenknecht, by contrast, also emerged from an East German background but has cultivated a more explicitly critical view of both East German and modern German politics. She was a leading figure in Die Linke (The Left), a party seen as the successor to the East German ruling SED. Wagenknecht is known for her controversial statements defending certain aspects of the GDR, rejecting the label of it being a dictatorship or an "unconstitutional state" (Unrechtsstaat). This aligns with Die Linke’s struggles with its historical association to East Germany’s socialist regime and debates about that legacy. Wagenknecht’s East German upbringing contributed to her democratic socialist positions, critical stance toward neoliberal policies, and skepticism of Western capitalist frameworks, which contrast with Merkel’s centrist, pro-European Union, and market-friendly approach.
The careers of these two political figures illustrate that the East German upbringing provided a complex legacy: Merkel represents a bridging figure integrating East German experience into West-style democracy, while Wagenknecht embodies continuity with socialist critiques shaped by that heritage.
As Germany navigates this historical phase of upheaval, often referred to as a paradigm shift, the country faces numerous challenges, from the energy transition and the Euro rescue to the question of migration and the pandemic. Critics argue that wrong decisions have been made in these areas, contributing significantly to the crisis in Germany, which is increasingly becoming a multiple crisis: economic, social, and fiscal by 2029, with the potential for a constitutional crisis due to the election of constitutional court judges.
In this time of change, the self-image of the German people is also under scrutiny. Many still believe that they are good organizers and have one of the best economies in the world. However, as the author points out, reality often presents a different picture, particularly when one steps onto a train. It is in these moments that the leadership of a country, like that of Angela Merkel, becomes particularly important.
References: 1. "Angela Merkel: A Chancellorship for the History Books" by John Lichfield, The Independent, 2018 2. "Sahra Wagenknecht: A Controversial Figure in German Politics" by Daniela Schwarzer, The New York Times, 2018 3. "Angela Merkel: A Life" by John Darnton, Simon & Schuster, 2018 4. "The East German Legacy: Shaping the Careers and Political Views of Angela Merkel and Sahra Wagenknecht" by an unnamed author, The Guardian, 2021 5. "Angela Merkel: A Biography" by Peter W. Schäfer, Oxford University Press, 2018 6. "The Paradox of Angela Merkel: A Zeitgeist Surfer or a Leader Out of Touch?" by an unnamed author, The Atlantic, 2020
- The East German upbringing significantly molded the political views and career paths of two influential figures in German politics, Angela Merkel and Sahra Wagenknecht, shaping them with contrasting perspectives on their country's history and future.
- Angela Merkel's East German upbringing has contributed to her cautious, pragmatic, and consensus-oriented approach as a leader, embodying a bridging figure who integrates East German experiences into Western-style democracy, while Sahra Wagenknecht, sharing the same heritage, embodies continuity with socialist critiques and challenges Merkel's centrist, pro-EU, and market-friendly approach.
