Farewell to the Federal President

Six years ago, there was a lavish celebration at the Brandenburg Gate. It was to mark the inauguration of the new Federal President, Horst Köhler. I was there. 500 tickets for the celebration were given away to members of the public in a prize draw. I won two of them and attended the inauguration ceremony with a friend.
Even the sun – after it had been raining all day – couldn’t resist joining in the festivities and bathed the façades around Pariser Platz in a warm evening glow.
Classical and modern music, short speeches, delicious food – a wonderful celebration. The little silver tin that stood in front of every seat, with small flowers in it as a table decoration, has now rusted. But the memory of that evening is still very much alive.
Towards the end of the evening, I went back up to the stage to get a closer look at the musicians – and happened to be standing right in the way as Mr Köhler and his wife were leaving. We exchanged a few words; he asked me who I was. I was so nervous that I could only stammer (I’ve no idea what he actually remembered of it), but I told him that many people were delighted that he had become Federal President and that many were praying for him.
Perhaps too few to make him feel the support he would have needed in the face of massive criticism and his need for recognition. I find it very sad that he is leaving. I would have liked to have had him as my leader for a little longer.