Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Coronavirus: Angela Merkel urges unity in Germany’s ‘biggest challenge since World War II’

Coronavirus: Angela Merkel urges unity in Germany’s ‘biggest challenge since World War II’

As cases in Europe outstrip those in China, chancellor makes rare television speech to urge citizens to abide by restrictions to contain pandemic’s spread. Germany could have up to 10 million infections in two to three months if residents don’t follow recommendations, health officials say

Chancellor Angela Merkel used a rare television address to urge Germans to abide by restrictions bringing social life to a standstill, calling the coronavirus pandemic the country’s greatest challenge since World War II.

“This is serious – and you need to take it seriously,” Merkel said the speech delivered to the nation on Wednesday evening. “There has been no such challenge to our country since German reunification – no, since World War II – that relies so much on our joint action in solidarity.”

As the number of confirmed infections in Europe surpass those in China, Merkel addressed the public directly to warn them that they’ll have to make sacrifices to slow the spread of the sickness.

Dispensing with statistics and jargon, Merkel kept her plea to the basics: stay home, wash hands, keep at a distance – and refrain from contacting vulnerable groups such as the elderly.



The guiding principle for all action was to slow rather than stop the infectious pathogen, winning time so as to prevent hospitals and intensive care units from being overwhelmed by those needing help.

Europe’s largest economy has already felt the impact with closed cafes and restaurants as well as idled plants. The looming impacts have prompted Merkel’s government to prepare to abandon its long-held principle of maintaining balanced budgets.
“The next few weeks will become more difficult,” Merkel said, reiterating her pledge to do everything in the government’s power to stem the impact from the pandemic.

As part of the efforts to handle the crisis, Germany is working to double hospital intensive-care capacity, according to plans circulated on Wednesday.

Less severely-ill patients might be treated in hotels or other large facilities, the plan suggested. It called on clinics to search their “cellars” for old equipment – including beds and ventilators – that could be repurposed in a pinch.

Germany could have up to 10 million coronavirus infections in two to three months if residents do not follow the social distancing recommendations in place now, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the country’s public health authority.

“We have exponential growth,” President Lothar Wieler said at a press conference on Wednesday, adding the effectiveness of the current restrictions will only become clear in two weeks. “We are at the beginning of an epidemic that will be on the move in our country for many weeks and months.”

Germany’s leader, who initially faced criticism for not weighing in publicly in the first weeks of the epidemic, has been a daily presence since last week. She reprimanded those hoarding supplies in supermarkets, saying that food supplies in Germany will be secure.

Even as Merkel prepares to step down after elections next year and faces challenges to her authority, she remains Germany’s most popular politician, thanks to a sober demeanour and a steady hand in crisis.

With an emotional touch, she offered advice for those sitting at home seeking social contact, suggesting they Skype, create a podcast for loved ones, or even write a letter, vowing that postal delivery and other basic services will continue.

The federal government, in negotiation with the country’s 16 states, has ordered the closure of schools, bars, clubs and gyms, while stopping short of the full lockdown now adopted in Italy and France.

But Merkel signalled that her administration would remain open to further measures, as many people still flock to parks and cafes to enjoy the early spring weather.

In justifying travel restrictions, Merkel invoked her personal history growing up in the former communist east, saying limiting the freedom of movement wasn’t something she takes lightly.

“This is a historic task and can only be accomplished together,” Merkel said. “This situation is serious, and the outcome is open.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×