Government: "Predominantly disturbed, strained relationships" - How a researcher rates the German chancellors
Where do German heads of government get their ideas from? Scholar Peter-André Alt has searched for the intellectuals in the chancellors of the republic. And found a problem with the incumbent.
A new book by literature and history scholar Peter-André Alt, "Die Kanzler und die Intellektuellen", examines the relationships between German chancellors and the country's intellectual elite. Alt, a former president of the Freie Universität Berlin, describes these relationships as "overwhelmingly disrupted, at least strained". His research, which spanned five years, revealed surprises, including the case of Kurt-Georg Kiesinger, who had great rhetorical and philosophical abilities but struggled to adapt to the changing cultural landscape after 1966.
The book covers the relationships of Germany's nine chancellors, including Angela Merkel, who was the first female chancellor.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
