Merkel explains her tremors for the first time during Selenskyj's visit: "It bothered me a lot"

Created: 06/08/2022Updated: 06/08/2022 21:58

By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel answered questions on television for the first time after her term in office.

She also gave the reason for her public tremors.

Berlin — In the midst of the Ukraine conflict, former Chancellor Angela Merkel has finally broken her silence.

For the first time since leaving office on December 8, Merkel appeared on television to answer questions about the ongoing war in Ukraine.

After all, it was eagerly awaited what position the former chancellor would take on Vladimir Putin's war of aggression.

Merkel on TV: The chancellor's tremors caused concern in 2019 - now she's giving reason

But before delving into the explosive topic of war, there was a small window of opportunity for more personal questions.

In her conversation with journalist and author Alexander Osang under the motto "So what is my country" Merkel provided answers to a question that remained unanswered for a long time.

But now she's clear.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj visited Germany for the first time on June 18, 2019.

The important guest in Berlin was received by Angela Merkel, who was shaking all over her body during the entire ceremony.

The tremors made headlines in the international media, as well as concerns about the chancellor's health.

In a subsequent press conference, the then chancellor emphasized that she had been drinking very little and was now making up for it: “I have now drunk at least three glasses of water.

And in that respect I'm fine.” The trembling attack during Zelenskyj's visit was followed by others.

There were three such attacks within three weeks, such as at the reception of Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne.

Under the motto "So what is my country?" Angela Merkel answered questions from the journalist and author Alexander Osang.

© Fabian Sommer/dpa

Merkel in a TV interview: the mother's death probably caused tremors in 2019 - it "took her away"

Apparently, however, dehydration was not the only reason for the former chancellor's tremors, as she revealed in the TV interview.

"The death of my mother affected me greatly.

On top of that, I didn't drink much," she admitted.

Merkel's mother Herlind Kasner died on April 6, 2019 at the age of 90, although the former Chancellor had a very close relationship with her mother.

She was very exhausted at the time and death took her away more than she initially thought, Merkel said in a television interview.

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In a conversation with Osang, she then explained why she then sat on a chair at other ceremonies.

After her seizures, she was afraid, with military honors, that the tremors would come back.

That's why she had a chair put on the pedestal to take the national anthems while sitting.

"I believe that one day it will go the way it came.

But it's not that far yet," said Merkel at the time after her trembling attack while receiving Rinne.

That's how it actually happened.

At some point the seizures stopped and the Chancellor was able to receive her guests standing up in peace again.

In the interview, Merkel also addressed a brazen attempt at intimidation by Putin.