History of the Present

History of the Present

The East German who led the West

Angela Merkel's triumph and tragedy

Timothy Garton Ash's avatar
Timothy Garton Ash
Dec 01, 2024
∙ Paid

History of the Present (three weeks ending 1 December 2024)

The reconstructed royal palace in Berlin stands where East Germany’s now demolished ‘Palace of the Republic’ had itself replaced the original royal palace demolished by the communist regime in 1950. Angela Merkel has an apartment just around the corner. (Author’s photo, November 2024)

Angela Mer…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to History of the Present to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Timothy Garton Ash · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture