Merkel's guiding principle and her Political Demise

In August 2015, the refugee flow significantly increased and continued until the end of 2016, picking up speed again in 2022. This wave of migration, which would later be known as the European refugee crisis, triggered chaos across Europe and reshaped the political landscape of Germany.

At the heart of this crisis was the phrase "Wir schaffen das," or "We can do it," which became a command penetrating the smallest cells of the German state. The phrase was first used by Angela Merkel's Vice Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), as a collective goal for handling the 2015 refugee wave on August 22, 2015. However, it was Merkel herself who would later be credited with popularising the phrase, saying it on August 31, 2015.

Merkel's words were stronger than the Basic Law, overriding previous German asylum law. Everyone was encouraged and forced to welcome the stream of refugees without questioning or criticizing. This open-door policy led to millions of people coming to Germany within a few months, causing chaos not only in Germany but also across Europe for the past ten years.

Merkel's refugee policy was praised by the media for its humanity and solidarity. Criticizing the predominantly male, bearded refugees was seen as violating peace, humanity, solidarity, and justice. The German Chancellor was even praised as a modern saint in a pantsuit after the refugee crisis.

However, Merkel's refugee policy has also been criticized for irreparably destroying Germany's essence as a historically grown nation within ten years, altering the identity of this country, distorting it, even inviting an infiltration of society. Critics argue that the policy came at the expense of the security of the German people.

The collapse of Merkel's CDU in the state election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the election for the House of Representatives in Berlin was partly due to the controversy surrounding her refugee policy. Despite this, Merkel's "Wir schaffen das" became a symbol of her leadership during the refugee crisis, a signal to refugees that there is an Angela Merkel-led Germany that will heal all the world's wounds.

A tragic incident in the Burgenland town of Parndorf, where 71 people from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq were found dead in a refrigerated truck, further focused the societal debate on migration. The chaos at Budapest station filled the newspapers, and the Federal Police Headquarters was verbally instructed in September 2015 not to carry out any rejections at the German borders, contrary to the existing legal provisions.

The phrase "Wir schaffen das" was also praised by an Austrian Holocaust survivor in 2016, who saw it as a beacon of hope and a testament to Merkel's commitment to humanity.

In conclusion, Angela Merkel's "Wir schaffen das" became a defining moment in German and European history. While it was praised for its humanity and solidarity, it also sparked controversy and debate about the impact on Germany's identity and security. The phrase remains a symbol of Merkel's leadership during the refugee crisis, a time when she was seen as the German saint, the savior of refugees, and the bringer of salvation to the world.