The Kieler Woche 2006 already experiences its high point at the start on June 17th: With Federal Chancellor AngelMerkel, a German head of government is opening the largest sailing event in the world and the largest summer festival in Northern Europe for the first time.
“This is a huge thing for Kiel Week, the city and the whole country. The visit of the Chancellor enhances our festival week incredibly”, said Mayor Rainer Tschorn and Lord Mayor AngelikVolquartz on Monday, January 9th, after the acceptance had arrived by letter from Berlin.
The Kieler Woche office is already in practice when it comes to receiving high-ranking guests at the opening; after all, Federal President Horst Köhler came to the first Kiel Week weekend last year.
Kiel's Lord Mayor AngelikVolquartz played a major role in the surprise coup with the Chancellor. From her time as a member of the Bundestag and as a current member of the CDU federal executive committee, the head of administration maintains a good relationship with Germany's most powerful woman.
The two Christian Democrats are still in regular telephone contact. And so AngelikVolquartz sent a first SMS immediately after AngelMerkel's election as Federal Chancellor with the request to open the Kiel Week 2006 from June 17th to 25th. And later the official invitation followed together with Mayor Tschorn.