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Chancellor Merkel at the big tattoo for ex-Federal President Christian Wulff in 2012
Photo: Hannibal Hanschke / dpa
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will make her departure from the political stage more modest than her predecessors.
The internal planning stipulates that Merkel will be honored on December 2 with a big tattoo by the Bundeswehr on the premises of the Ministry of Defense.
Initially, the Chancellor had voted for a ceremony in the courtyard of the Chancellery.
The area there is too small for torchbearers, the staff music corps of the Bundeswehr and the guests of honor to be expected.
Merkel's predecessors had celebrated their tattoos in a more pompous manner.
Former CDU Chancellor Helmut Kohl had the Bundeswehr deployed in front of the backdrop of the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer in 1998.
The Bundeswehr organized a ceremony for Gerhard Schröder (SPD) with around 800 invited guests, at which, at Schröder's request, Frank Sinatra intoned “My Way”.
Merkel's music requests are currently still treated as a secret.
After saying goodbye to the Chancellor, the Bundeswehr protocol is still busy: A week later, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is to be honored with a big tattoo.
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