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Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Sam.

And I'm Neil. In this program we're talking about a famous leader

and teaching you some useful vocabulary. Like Chancellor, the person in the highest position in

a government or university, and especially the title for the head of government in some European

countries. A country such as Germany. It's a position like the pro minister in the UK.

And one of Germany's longest serving chancellors was Angela Merkel, who led the country from 2005

until the recent elections in September 2021. Well, we're going to find out more about her soon,

but not before I've challenged you to answer this question, Neil. Who was Germany's first ever

Chancellor? Was it A, Otto von Bismarck? B, Helmut Schmidt? Or C, Franz von Pappen?

Well, my knowledge of German history isn't great, but I'll go for A Otto von Bismarck.

That sounds quite likely. Okay, I'll reveal the answer later on. But let's talk more about Angela

Merkel now. She was in office for 16 years. In office means in power or in charge until she

stepped down last month. Yes, that's a long time, which meant she had to make lots of decisions,

popular with some people and not with others. Over that time, she's gained a nickname,

Muti, German for mother. This could be seen as a compliment, but started life as more of an insult,

as BBC correspondent Benjamin McGuinness explained on the BBC radio program from our own correspondent.

The mummy Merkel image, in fact, started off as an insult from conservative rivals. It was made

up during her first term in office by hard-line conservatives in her predominantly male party,

a patronising putdown behind her back to put her in her place as a woman, possibly even meant to be

hurtful, given that in reality she has no children. Oh dear, so the nickname of mother was really

used as an insult to start with, probably invented by the men in her political party, described as

...