The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel

The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel (2021) is a political biography of Angela Merkel by Kati Marton. The book was published following Angela Merkel’s retirement from politics after holding Germany’s chancellorship for 16 years, from 2005 until 2021. Angela Merkel is one of the most influential leaders of contemporary politics. She shaped national and international policy, governing Germany through many political crises, such as the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rise of far-right populism, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This biography takes a close look at her life and legacy.

This guide uses the 2021 William Collins e-book edition.

Summary

The Prologue reflects on Merkel’s childhood under the repressive Stasi regime in East Germany, which shaped her guarded demeanor and pragmatic political style. Despite her understated persona, Merkel transformed Germany into Europe’s economic and moral leader through coalition-building and a focus on results. Marton’s biography aims to explore how Merkel—an outsider in Western German politics due to her East German background, science education, and gender—rose to global prominence.

Chapter 1, “Against the Tide,” details Angela Merkel’s early life as Angela Kasner under the influence of her stern father, Horst Kasner, a former Nazi youth member who became an East German pastor.