Ex-Prime Minister Honored for Autobiographical Work - German ex-Chancellor honored for published personal accounts
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Receive Award for Memoirs
Angela Merkel, the 70-year-old former Chancellor of Germany, is set to receive a special award from Media Control, a market analysis company, for her upcoming book "Freedom," which is scheduled for release at the end of 2024. The award, dubbed the Gold Award, will be presented to Merkel at the Media Control Book Night on June 25, 2025, in Baden-Baden.
Merkel will personally accept the award, which recognizes her memoir as the "most successful biography of the last decade." She will deliver a keynote speech to open the event, with several distinguished figures, including the President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner (52), and approximately 200 students, attending. The Baden-Württemberg Youth Orchestra will provide musical entertainment.
The Gold Award, first of its kind, will be handed over by Media Control founder Karlheinz Kögel (78). Kögel explains the significance of the award, stating that it honors Merkel's "unprecedented success" and symbolizes the "enduring impact" of her work.
Merkel's over 700-page autobiography, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, has already sold nearly a million copies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland since its release on November 26, 2024. The book spent seven weeks at number one on the Spiegel bestseller list. According to Ulrike Altig, CEO of Media Control, "Freedom" has had a greater impact on the book year 2024/2025 than any other title.
"Freedom" offers an intimate account of Merkel's life, from her early years in East Germany, under a Communist regime, to her long tenure as Chancellor of a unified Germany. The memoir, co-written with her long-time political advisor Beate Baumann (61), who will also be honored at the presentation, is described as a unique historical narrative that bridges the gap between politics, society, and personal history.
The memoir highlights key moments in Merkel's career, including her landmark 2015 decision to allow refugees entering via Hungary to come into Germany. This decision, Merkel notes, marked a significant turning point during her chancellorship, creating a clear "before and after" in her career. Furthermore, Merkel reflects on her broader views on Europe, globalization, and political challenges she faced during her leadership.
In her own words, Merkel describes "Freedom" as more than just a historical document, explaining that it represents her personal understanding of freedom as the ability to keep moving forward, even after leaving politics.
The Parliament resolution on the Commission communication on the European Union's role in the fight against terrorism recognizes the significance of Angela Merkel's memoirs, as her book "Freedom" has already sold close to a million copies by discussing her impactful political career and broader views on globalization. After accepting the prestigious Gold Award for her memoir, Merkel plans to deliver a keynote speech about her understanding of freedom, highlighting her journey from East Germany to becoming Chancellor of a unified Germany, extending the conversation beyond general-news into politics, and connecting readers to current events, books, and entertainment.
