- Title: Germany's Merkel urges to recollect Christian values
- Date: 22nd October 2016
- Summary: WITTENBURG, GERMANY (OCTOBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) SIGN READING 'CDU MECKLENBURG-WESTERN POMERANIA' CAMERAS GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL WALKING TO LECTERN MERKEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "I know that there are worries about Islam. But we are the party with the 'C' in the title. Do we still have any self-consciousness? One does not have to go somewhere like AfD (Alternative for Germany) or Pegida (anti-immigrant movement 'Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West') in order to sing Christian Christmas carols. But how many of us do so at their Christmas parties at their district associations? And often you only hear tam-tam-tam or 'Schneegloecken-Weissroeckchen' (snowdrops and snowflakes - Christmas song) or I don't know... [LAUGHTER] Well, that's the way it is... [APPLAUSE] However, I will probably get into trouble for dissing 'Schneegloecken-Weissroeckchen' - that is also a nice song. No, but what I mean is how many Christian Christmas carols do we still know? And how many do we teach our children or grandchildren? And maybe one just has to copy some song-sheets and hire someone who can still play the flute... Yes, I am very serious. Otherwise we are losing a piece of home." MERKEL SPEAKING AUDIENCE APPLAUDING MERKEL SITTING BACK DOWN
- Embargoed: 6th November 2016 12:15
- Keywords: Merkel Islam Christianity Chrismas Carols
- Location: WITTENBURG, GERMANY
- City: WITTENBURG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00155356PZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans on Saturday (October 22) to recollect Christian values, especially in the time before Christmas, and not be solely focussed on the worries over Islam.
"I know that there are worries about Islam. But we are the party with the 'C' in the title. Do we still have any self-consciousness?" Merkel said at a special party convention of the CDU (Christian Democratic Party) Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
She said that anti-immigration movements like the AfD (Alternative for Germany) or Pegida (anti-immigrant movement 'Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West') did not have the sole license from traditional carols. "(H)ow many Christian Christmas carols do we still know? And how many do we teach our children or grandchildren?"
"And maybe one just has to copy some song-sheets and hire someone who can still play the flute... Yes, I am very serious. Otherwise we are losing a piece of home." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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