Award Given to Ex-Chancellor for his Memoirs Publication - German Ex-Chancellor Honored for Acclaimed Autobiography
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Receive Special Award for Memoirs
Angela Merkel, the 70-year-old former German chancellor, is set to receive a prestigious award by market analysis firm Media Control for her upcoming book "Freedom," due for publication at the end of 2024. The esteemed Gold Award, presented for the first time, will be given during the fourth Media Control Book Night on June 25, 2025, in the town of Baden-Baden.
Merkel will accept the award for the "most successful biography of the past decade" and deliver a keynote speech to open the event. Besides her, several distinguished guests, 200 students, and the Baden-Württemberg Youth Orchestra will be present. Julia Klöckner, President of the German Bundestag, will pay tribute to Merkel by presenting the award, which will be handed over by Media Control founder Karlheinz Kögel.
Kögel explains the significance of the award: "We aim to honor the unprecedented success with an award never presented before. Custom-made and embellished with real gold, the award symbolizes the enduring impact of this work."
Merkel's 700-page autobiography, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, has already sold close to a million copies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland since its release on November 26, 2024, and held the top spot on the Spiegel bestseller list for seven weeks. According to Ulrike Altig, CEO of Media Control, Merkel's book has left an indelible mark on the book year 2024/2025.
Merkel co-authored "Freedom" with her long-time political advisor Beate Baumann, who will also be honored at the ceremony. The book aims to present political history in a way that is accessible to regular readers, providing insight around historical facts. This memoir offers a personal account of Merkel's life, from her childhood and youth in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), her studies, and the dramatic year 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell, marking the beginning of her political career.
In her own words about the book, Merkel said, "Freedom means not stopping learning, not having to stand still, but being allowed to keep going, even after leaving politics."
Locations: Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg
People: Angela Merkel, Julia Klöckner
Organizations: Media Control, German Bundestag
Books: "Freedom" by Angela Merkel and Beate Baumann
Awards: Gold Award
- The Gold Award, a new accolade presented by Media Control, will be given to Angela Merkel for her book "Freedom" during the fourth Media Control Book Night in Baden-Baden.
- Julia Klöckner, President of the German Bundestag, will pay tribute to Angela Merkel by presenting the Gold Award to her, an honor coinciding with the release of Merkel's memoir.
- Angela Merkel's book "Freedom," co-authored by Beate Baumann, has been an extraordinary success, selling close to a million copies and earning top spots on bestseller lists, making a significant impact on the book year 2024/2025.
