Angela Merkel's book will be launched with fanfare in the West but also in China. Tickets for Tuesday evening's initial presentation of the former German chancellor's 736-page opus at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin sold out online within minutes of going on sale a few weeks ago.

Merkel's "Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021" looks back on her life from her childhood and youth in former East Germany, German reunification, and her political rise through the end of her 16-year chancellorship in 2021. The book is being simultaneously published as an audiobook and in translation in several languages, including French and English. After that, the 70-year-old former leader is expected to embark on a tour of major European cities to promote the work.

In excerpts released ahead of publication and several high-profile newspaper interviews, Merkel reveals her thoughts on current events. For example, she details her experience with Donald Trump during his first term as US president, the difficulties of being the first female candidate for chancellor, and her decision to welcome almost large numbers of displaced people in 2015. She also explains her relationship with Russian President........

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