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[QUICK THREAD: KASI]
1/8
On this day in 1954, a couple of Polish descent, the Kasners, had a baby girl in Hamburg. Friends would later address her as Kasi. Within 3 months of this, the family moved into East Germany settling in the countryside some 50 miles from East Berlin.
1/8
On this day in 1954, a couple of Polish descent, the Kasners, had a baby girl in Hamburg. Friends would later address her as Kasi. Within 3 months of this, the family moved into East Germany settling in the countryside some 50 miles from East Berlin.
2/8
This migration was because daddy Horst had just gotten hired to pastor a church there. Although the Wall was a good 7 years away, this migration was ironic given the Communist government's general aversion to organized religion. Kasi grew in Stalin's tyrannical shadows.
This migration was because daddy Horst had just gotten hired to pastor a church there. Although the Wall was a good 7 years away, this migration was ironic given the Communist government's general aversion to organized religion. Kasi grew in Stalin's tyrannical shadows.
3/8
As a teenager Kasi joined the Freie Deutsche Jugend group, the official youth wing of the ruling Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands or SED. This was of course, "voluntary," unless you didn't mind being passed over for college admissions.
As a teenager Kasi joined the Freie Deutsche Jugend group, the official youth wing of the ruling Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands or SED. This was of course, "voluntary," unless you didn't mind being passed over for college admissions.
4/8
She graduated school with the best possible grades and a proficiency in Russian and mathematics. This almost landed her a professorship which she has to decline as spying on her coworkers for the Stasi was a prerequisite for the job, something she wasn't keen on doing.
She graduated school with the best possible grades and a proficiency in Russian and mathematics. This almost landed her a professorship which she has to decline as spying on her coworkers for the Stasi was a prerequisite for the job, something she wasn't keen on doing.
5/8
3 years after she earned her doctorate in quantum mechanics, the Wall came down. With Unification came her interest in German politics. First she joined the new Demokratischer Aufbruch or Democratic Awakening and later rose up the ranks to finally run for office in 1990.
3 years after she earned her doctorate in quantum mechanics, the Wall came down. With Unification came her interest in German politics. First she joined the new Demokratischer Aufbruch or Democratic Awakening and later rose up the ranks to finally run for office in 1990.
6/8
1990 saw unified Germany's first general elections. This marked Kasi's entry into electoral politics, with her first win to the Bundestag. 4 years later she was Chancellor Kohl's blue-eyed girl, the youngest member of his cabinet. Kohl himself went out of power in 1998.
1990 saw unified Germany's first general elections. This marked Kasi's entry into electoral politics, with her first win to the Bundestag. 4 years later she was Chancellor Kohl's blue-eyed girl, the youngest member of his cabinet. Kohl himself went out of power in 1998.
7/8
But that did little to stop Kasi's ascent. First as leader of CDU, Kohl's party, and then as leader of the opposition itself, Kasi remained a prominent figure in the Bundestag. By 2005, her maneuvers had earned her the party nomination to that year's federal elections.
But that did little to stop Kasi's ascent. First as leader of CDU, Kohl's party, and then as leader of the opposition itself, Kasi remained a prominent figure in the Bundestag. By 2005, her maneuvers had earned her the party nomination to that year's federal elections.
8/8
Although the elections were tight and ended in a coalition, Kasi landed the Holy Grail of German politics as the nation's first woman leader.
Angela Dorothea Merkel took oath as the Bundeskanzlerin (Chancellor) on Nov 25, 2005.
Happy birthday, Chancellor.
Although the elections were tight and ended in a coalition, Kasi landed the Holy Grail of German politics as the nation's first woman leader.
Angela Dorothea Merkel took oath as the Bundeskanzlerin (Chancellor) on Nov 25, 2005.
Happy birthday, Chancellor.
