(本文翻譯自 陳冲 梅克爾捎給台灣的訊息 2021-12-16)
During the 16 years of her tenure as German Chancellor, Merkel has always been a popular figure in the international political circles and remains media sensation even after retirement. People are curious of her life after she resigned in her prime time and many even want to compose biography or make record of her life. Interesting is that one author declared that he planned to write a detective novel about a retired prime minister solving many strange cases with the title of Miss Merkel. Upon hearing the news, Miss Marple, the brilliant amateur detective in Agatha Christie's crime novels, springs to readers’ mind.
Reviewing my column articles in the past ten years, I have twice cited Merkel as the title when analyzing political and economic issues. One is Without Schroder, but at Least Merkel written on Oct. 1st, 2013, in which I praised former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder who, for Germany’s competitiveness abandoned the base without hesitation and lost the election. Merkel also praised Schröder in her inaugural address and continued his Agenda 2010. Both showed open and generous mind, caring the state’s interests instead of their personal ones. The other article is If Merkel hadn’t won the election in 2005 written on Oct. 14th, 2021, in which I wrote that, after long-term observation of German politics, I saw continuity in Germany’s economic policy although there may be parties with different ideologies in power. If the winner were Schröder then, Germany would still be a leading country in Europe today because a true statement would hold the future of the state above self-interest of parties or individuals.
Merkel gave her final address on the 31st anniversary ceremony of the reunification of east and west on Oct. 3rd, 2021. The speech, titled “Diese Freiheit brach nicht einfach über uns herein”, touched people’s heart but sadly that few media reported it in Taiwan. In fact, Taiwan needs to more carefully mull over the implications of this speech than any other country.
The reunification of Germany thirty years ago was not an easy task. Merkel directly pointed out that “Freedom was hard-won” and “Democracy isn't simply there”, so that “We have to keep working for it together, every day.” Before, people of the two Germanys (especially the East Germany) paid price for their freedom, and together cherished the hard-won democracy and freedom for 31 years. The most important thing is mutual understanding and tolerance and the lesson of 31 years of German unity is that “We need to respect others’ life stories and experiences, but we also need respect for democracy as well.”
Merkel exclaimed before the speech ending that Germany needs constant renewal, which “will be a rich source of debate in future.” But the answer to that question “is in our own hands.” “By listening and talking to each other, we see opportunities not just to discover differences, but above all, what we have in common.” At last, Merkel called to “Be open to encounters, be curious about one another, tell each other your stories, and tolerate your differences.” Although it’s an appeal to the German political parties and people, it should teach us lessons as well. For Taiwan now, all don’t come easy but it seems no listening, conversation and tolerance anymore in our country. That a truly sincere government doesn’t shout loudly or even knock on the table when listening or talking with people is the message Merkel sent, to Taiwan and also both sides of the strait.
Whether Miss Merkel in the novel can track down criminals is not important to Taiwan, but Merkel’s interpretation of freedom and democracy deserves our attention. "Seit bereit zur Begegnung, seid neugierig aufeinander, erzählt einander eure Geschichten und haltet Unterschiede aus." What a great passage! Please, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translate the full text to President Tsai! Oh, no, maybe to all people living in the country!