No one has ever voluntarily left the highest post in German politics - except Angela Merkel. At the same time, at the end of her last term of office, she once again managed to prove herself an excellent crisis politician and get high marks according to public opinion polls. The Germans themselves believe that Angela Merkel is as pragmatic as Helmut Schmidt would like to be. She has little interest in ideologies, beliefs, principles. She coolly ended several Christian Democrat shrines at once, such as military duty and atomic energy. Critics accused her of being Merkel's only agenda was to remain chancellor. Nevertheless, she, not adhering to any clear ideology, not building illusions, became the founder of an entire era in the history of German politics. The period from 2005 to 2021 is definitely worthy of being called the "Merkel era." Now that this era is coming to an end, it's time to take a closer look at the chancellor: what does she leave as a legacy? Was it limited to "only" indifferent management or was it able to set trends, the development of which is designed for many years? Yes, it is, says Ursula Weidenfeld, and in the coming years they will determine the life of the state. This book is not just a summing up. It is intended to fairly appreciate the Merkel phenomenon and paint a portrait of a woman who changed Germany.