This article originally appeared on VICE GermanyAngela Merkel is expected to win Germany's upcoming federal elections, on the 24th of September 2017, which would mean her fourth term as German chancellor. While it's fair to say she has the charisma of a rice cake, Merkel is a bit of a phenomenon to us Germans.When I asked the people at Google for a list of the most asked questions about Merkel in English, it turned out that non-Germans are quite fascinated with her, too. Thousands of people around the world looked up questions like, "Who is Angela Merkel?", "Is Angela Merkel Hitler's granddaughter?" and "How tall is Angela Merkel?"
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Hoping to be of some help, I've selected the questions from the list that I, a German person, know the answers to. Below, you'll find the answers to the most burning questions you all googled about her.Who is Angela Merkel?
That's an excellent question. Unfortunately, despite her having been in charge of Germany for the last 12 years, even Germans are still a bit vague on who she actually is. Almost every portrait of her in the papers mentions that she's very funny in private. In public, however, she keeps all the gags to herself.The most private details she shares about herself are her favourite recipes – exactly one for every federal election. This year, she gave us her go-to potato soup recipe. But when it comes to the more important stuff – which world leader she likes hanging out with the most, her vision for Germany – she keeps us guessing. We sometimes wonder if she actually knows herself.Is Angela Merkel Hitler's granddaughter?
No. Quite the opposite, actually – Merkel's grandfather on her father's side, Ludwik Kazmierczak, was Polish and is said to have fought in the First World War on the French side, against the Germans.Why didn't Trump shake Merkel's hand?
A question inspired by this particularly uncomfortable scene that happened in March 2017:
That's an excellent question. Unfortunately, despite her having been in charge of Germany for the last 12 years, even Germans are still a bit vague on who she actually is. Almost every portrait of her in the papers mentions that she's very funny in private. In public, however, she keeps all the gags to herself.The most private details she shares about herself are her favourite recipes – exactly one for every federal election. This year, she gave us her go-to potato soup recipe. But when it comes to the more important stuff – which world leader she likes hanging out with the most, her vision for Germany – she keeps us guessing. We sometimes wonder if she actually knows herself.Is Angela Merkel Hitler's granddaughter?
No. Quite the opposite, actually – Merkel's grandfather on her father's side, Ludwik Kazmierczak, was Polish and is said to have fought in the First World War on the French side, against the Germans.Why didn't Trump shake Merkel's hand?
A question inspired by this particularly uncomfortable scene that happened in March 2017:
Why did Trump ignore the German chancellor when she asked him for a handshake? Was he trying to get back at her for reminding him to respect the basics of democracy shortly after his election? Or was he being mean because she'd been to open to refugees? It's possible that Trump simply didn't hear her, as he later claimed. Or that he worried her hands might be bigger than his. You decide.
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What does Merkel think of Trump?
I obviously can't read her thoughts. But I have this scenario in my head, which I picture is similar to what she's going through. I imagine I own a thoroughly well-stocked organic shop down a little street in a quaint part of town. Every third Tuesday of the month, the shop stays open a little longer to host poetry readings, while on Thursdays a women's support group gathers there. And then one day, the property across the street is bought by a pompous businessman who seems perpetually drunk and confused, who has plans to turn the property into a casino, who scares away my customers and the women's support group, and who is generally an embarrassment to the entire street.As that shop owner, my only goal would be to make sure this businessman gets bored with the area as quickly as possible. I'd want to make him realise that running his casino on my street is going to be more work than he bargained for so that he moves on to other projects and the shops in my street can get back to business as usual.But maybe I'm overthinking this.How to pronounce Angela Merkel?
It's something like Un-Ghel-Ah Merk-El – or [aŋˈɡeːla] [ˈmɛʶkl̩] for fans of phonetics. Don't worry about it too much, because apparently we're doing it wrong here in Germany as well. Merkel once tried to tell us that it was "An g e la" rather than " An gela", but it never caught on.What languages does Angela Merkel speak?
Merkel speaks German, Russian and English. She speaks Russian so well that she won a competition when she was 14, growing up in East Germany, but the local division of the Communist ruling party at the time decided that she wasn't allowed to win because her father was a pastor, not a labourer.
I obviously can't read her thoughts. But I have this scenario in my head, which I picture is similar to what she's going through. I imagine I own a thoroughly well-stocked organic shop down a little street in a quaint part of town. Every third Tuesday of the month, the shop stays open a little longer to host poetry readings, while on Thursdays a women's support group gathers there. And then one day, the property across the street is bought by a pompous businessman who seems perpetually drunk and confused, who has plans to turn the property into a casino, who scares away my customers and the women's support group, and who is generally an embarrassment to the entire street.As that shop owner, my only goal would be to make sure this businessman gets bored with the area as quickly as possible. I'd want to make him realise that running his casino on my street is going to be more work than he bargained for so that he moves on to other projects and the shops in my street can get back to business as usual.But maybe I'm overthinking this.How to pronounce Angela Merkel?
It's something like Un-Ghel-Ah Merk-El – or [aŋˈɡeːla] [ˈmɛʶkl̩] for fans of phonetics. Don't worry about it too much, because apparently we're doing it wrong here in Germany as well. Merkel once tried to tell us that it was "An g e la" rather than " An gela", but it never caught on.What languages does Angela Merkel speak?
Merkel speaks German, Russian and English. She speaks Russian so well that she won a competition when she was 14, growing up in East Germany, but the local division of the Communist ruling party at the time decided that she wasn't allowed to win because her father was a pastor, not a labourer.
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You can judge her English in this clip from when Queen Elizabeth came to tea in 2015:Why is Angela Merkel so important?
In the past, she was just important because she was the chancellor of Germany – the most populous country in the EU and the biggest capital exporter in the world. But today, she's often called the "Leader of the Free World", because – well, because the United States took itself out of that contest by electing Donald Trump as president, and the United Kingdom voted to just keep to itself on its own little island.How does Angela Merkel dress?
We can all agree that, like a fine wine, she's got better over time.
In the past, she was just important because she was the chancellor of Germany – the most populous country in the EU and the biggest capital exporter in the world. But today, she's often called the "Leader of the Free World", because – well, because the United States took itself out of that contest by electing Donald Trump as president, and the United Kingdom voted to just keep to itself on its own little island.How does Angela Merkel dress?
We can all agree that, like a fine wine, she's got better over time.
Angela Merkel in the year of our Lord 1994. Photo: Sueddeutsche Zeitung Photo / Alamy Stock Photo
How tall is Angela Merkel?
About 1 metre 65, or 5 foot 4.Who is running against Merkel?
Nobody, really. In the interests of democracy, Martin Schulz of the Social Democratic Party is running, but he doesn't even seem convinced he could be chancellor. He might find some solace in the fact Merkel appears to have taken over so many of his talking points that it's become very hard to distinguish between his SPD and Merkel's CDU party. In fact, he spent a big part of their TV debate praising her politics – making his candidacy seem even less urgent.Will Angela Merkel lose in 2017?
See above. It's unlikely that anyone could overturn the 38 percent that she currently holds in the polls, so the question is more with whom she'll form a coalition.How to contact Angela Merkel?
That's easy – you can fill in this form or write a letter to:
About 1 metre 65, or 5 foot 4.Who is running against Merkel?
Nobody, really. In the interests of democracy, Martin Schulz of the Social Democratic Party is running, but he doesn't even seem convinced he could be chancellor. He might find some solace in the fact Merkel appears to have taken over so many of his talking points that it's become very hard to distinguish between his SPD and Merkel's CDU party. In fact, he spent a big part of their TV debate praising her politics – making his candidacy seem even less urgent.Will Angela Merkel lose in 2017?
See above. It's unlikely that anyone could overturn the 38 percent that she currently holds in the polls, so the question is more with whom she'll form a coalition.How to contact Angela Merkel?
That's easy – you can fill in this form or write a letter to:
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Bundeskanzleramt
Bundeskanzlerin
Angela Merkel
Willy-Brandt-Straße 1
10557 BerlinWhether your message will actually reach the chancellor of Germany is a different story. Your chances of getting in touch with her are probably best if you work in politics, business or Berlin-based journalism.Why Merkel wants refugees? (sic)
We can't say for sure she really wants them. Actually, a lot of countries aren't keen on the idea of taking in a lot of refugees and then treating them well, which is why the UN adopted the 1951 Refugee Convention, committing nations to respect refugees' rights. Merkel is just one of the few world leaders who thinks that international commitments to helping refugees are worth keeping, regardless of how you feel on the matter.Why is Merkel so popular?
In recent polls, Merkel had a 58 percent approval rating. She was previously polling at 69 percent, so it has actually dropped somewhat. Let's be honest – it isn't because of her charisma. It's probably because most Germans think that an increasing number of other countries with some influence on the world are led by rabid erratics. Merkel stands for orderly, well-maintained boredom and, naturally, many Germans feel the world could use more of that right now.Is Angela Merkel alive?
We've established that she's not the most exciting politician in the world, but I'm fairly certain she is alive. In an interview with tabloid Bunte, which accompanied the potato soup recipe mentioned earlier, she gave quotes like: "I always pound the potatoes myself with a potato masher, not with a blender. That way, you get some chunky pieces left in the mash." It's not much, but I'd say it is proof of life.
Bundeskanzlerin
Angela Merkel
Willy-Brandt-Straße 1
10557 BerlinWhether your message will actually reach the chancellor of Germany is a different story. Your chances of getting in touch with her are probably best if you work in politics, business or Berlin-based journalism.Why Merkel wants refugees? (sic)
We can't say for sure she really wants them. Actually, a lot of countries aren't keen on the idea of taking in a lot of refugees and then treating them well, which is why the UN adopted the 1951 Refugee Convention, committing nations to respect refugees' rights. Merkel is just one of the few world leaders who thinks that international commitments to helping refugees are worth keeping, regardless of how you feel on the matter.Why is Merkel so popular?
In recent polls, Merkel had a 58 percent approval rating. She was previously polling at 69 percent, so it has actually dropped somewhat. Let's be honest – it isn't because of her charisma. It's probably because most Germans think that an increasing number of other countries with some influence on the world are led by rabid erratics. Merkel stands for orderly, well-maintained boredom and, naturally, many Germans feel the world could use more of that right now.Is Angela Merkel alive?
We've established that she's not the most exciting politician in the world, but I'm fairly certain she is alive. In an interview with tabloid Bunte, which accompanied the potato soup recipe mentioned earlier, she gave quotes like: "I always pound the potatoes myself with a potato masher, not with a blender. That way, you get some chunky pieces left in the mash." It's not much, but I'd say it is proof of life.
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Is German Merkel a communist?
No, she's not. As I've said before, she's taken a fair few ideas from the SPD socialist party because she doesn't seem to care too much about the exact ideological direction of her government, as long as she's leading it. But she's far from a communist. Unless you're the kind of person who thinks public healthcare is communist. Then, maybe?Is Merkel the new emperor of Europe?
I'm not sure where or when you're from, but there aren't currently any emperors in Europe. If you're asking if she's the most powerful politician in Europe, then yeah, possibly. But the European Union is made up of 27 countries that have to work together. And unlike Britain, France, China and Russia, Germany has no nuclear weapons – not a great starting point if you're thirsty for absolute power.Is Angela Merkel bad?
For now, her record isn't bad. The economy is booming, she took a lot more action than other European leaders when the refugee crisis struck and she's so far managed not to start a nuclear war with North Korea.On the other hand, her style of governing has led to large numbers of Germans leaving her centre right-wing party and turning to the extreme-right Alternative für Deutschland. And who knows where that could lead to. So I'd say that she's alright for now, but that's no guarantee that everything won't go to shit in the end.Okay – hope that helps!
No, she's not. As I've said before, she's taken a fair few ideas from the SPD socialist party because she doesn't seem to care too much about the exact ideological direction of her government, as long as she's leading it. But she's far from a communist. Unless you're the kind of person who thinks public healthcare is communist. Then, maybe?Is Merkel the new emperor of Europe?
I'm not sure where or when you're from, but there aren't currently any emperors in Europe. If you're asking if she's the most powerful politician in Europe, then yeah, possibly. But the European Union is made up of 27 countries that have to work together. And unlike Britain, France, China and Russia, Germany has no nuclear weapons – not a great starting point if you're thirsty for absolute power.Is Angela Merkel bad?
For now, her record isn't bad. The economy is booming, she took a lot more action than other European leaders when the refugee crisis struck and she's so far managed not to start a nuclear war with North Korea.On the other hand, her style of governing has led to large numbers of Germans leaving her centre right-wing party and turning to the extreme-right Alternative für Deutschland. And who knows where that could lead to. So I'd say that she's alright for now, but that's no guarantee that everything won't go to shit in the end.Okay – hope that helps!