- Title: The German chancellor's soft side: Angela Merkel teddies
- Date: 29th September 2021
- Summary: MERKEL BEAR WATCHING A SELECTION OF MERKEL OUTFITS AND GIVING A BEAR GRUNT OF APPROVAL
- Embargoed: 13th October 2021 14:06
- Keywords: Angela Merkel teddy German chancellor good-bye Merkel
- Location: COBURG, GERMANY
- City: COBURG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003EWRTPAF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: While German Chancellor Angela Merkel often prefers not to take a compliment, this time she may have to grin and bear it.
Sold out already after a few days, a first edition series of 500 Merkel bears is nearing completion with the bears then ready to go to their happy customers.
"The customers love it, this edition is already sold out. We have a very long waiting list as we sold the first batch of 500 in just a few days. The battle for the bear is on!" says managing director of Hermann-Toys, Martin Hermann.
The family business has been going since 1920 and, says Hermann, has been producing bear personalities of every variety including Barack Obama and the British Queen ever since.
"We have produced politicians of all rank and file. In 2005 we made a bear for when Merkel took office, the Angie bear. And then we of course had the idea after 16 years to honour Merkel's achievements," Hermann tells Reuters TV.
With a 180-euro price tag, the 'mutti' bears are not cheap, but says Hermann reflect the hours of work that goes into each of the hand-made teddies.
"The bear is entirely made here and takes about four hours per bear. So a great deal of handiwork is put into them. And we want to make a beautiful product so our makers really take the time to make sure that each individual bear looks really lovely," he says.
Merkel, who has led four governments in Germany, will step down as soon as a new government is formed after 16 years at the helm.
While Germany will likely have to wait months for the parties to agree on a coalition government, for Merkel fans the cuddly teddies might help to bear the wait.
(production: Timm Reichert, Frank Simon, Tanya Wood) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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