Poolside Merkel Photos Anger Germany*

[Kellanved]

British tabloids have published paparazzi photos of German Chancellor Angela Merkel changing into her bathing suit by a pool on vacation in Italy. Germany's own sensationalist daily, Bild, sees the publication as a tasteless intrusion but one British journalist says the photos are a "perverted compliment."

Angela Merkel may not be amused by the publication of photos showing her in a state of undress, but she doesn't plan to sue the British tabloids that published them. A German government spokesman, asked to comment on the pictures of her changing during her Easter vacation on the Italian island of Ischia, said: "Legal steps aren't planned. The public verdict in Germany about the British publications is unmistakable."

Monday's edition of Britain's best-selling tabloid The Sun published a photo showing the partly exposed buttocks of the German leader under the headline "I'm Big in the Bumdestag", in a play on words referring to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Another photo published on the Sun's website showed Merkel from the front in a black bathing suit putting on a dressing gown.

The paper's German equivalent, Bild Zeitung, vented its outrage on Tuesday in an article headlined "Brits Lampoon Our Chancellor" and asked: "Where does this hatred come from? These are photos of private activities that no one would want to see of himself in the newspaper."
...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,411791,00.html


*Not me actually. They can use her as centerfold, as far as I am concerned. They should just stop with that sick Thatcher fetish and derived comparisons.

[LSK]

1. i thought the germans didnt care much about nudity???

:shrug:

[Kellanved]

2. true

This is
a) Springer vs Murdoch
and
b) Angela Merkel

[Fenris]

3. "I'm Big in the Bumdestag"

I rarely give props to a Murdoch paper (especially the Sun) but that's a great headline.

You never saw Adenauer in swim trunks...

[Fenris]

4. Okay, having seen the photographs now...

http://controversy.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/merkel_photo.jpe

Two observations:

A) the picture isn't that bad. Yeah, it's embarrassing, but she's not in terrible shape.

B) that being said, two-piece bathing suits are a no-no.

[Kellanved]

5. Yup, that's the one

As I've said: I don't have a problem with it and neither has anybody of the people I've talked to.

Springer and the group's code of honor not to ever show conservative politicans naked, is far more insulted than Merkel or anybody else.

[Fenris]

6. I love the Bild Zeitung response...

"Where does this hatred come from? These are photos of private activities that no one would want to see of himself in the newspaper."

Yep, it's hatred to show pictures of the Chancellor's backside in England. Utter hatred!

The Sun's "article" (all Sun pieces are ridiculously short) was actually quite funny.

"As she began her well-earned break figures revealed Germany's fortunes are no longer sagging - with a much improved bottom line," the paper wrote. "The Iron Frau has done more than cover up the cracks since taking over last year. Strikes are down and economic growth is rising."

Hey, at least they said "much improved bottom line."

[Kellanved]

7. indeed

The lack of understanding about German domestic politics is mindboggling, but the punchline rescues it.


As to "Where does this hatred come from" - well - let me think...

[XemaSab]

8. She has surpisingly smooth thighs

Most women don't look that good in the back.