Overview

• Minister-President Manuela Schwesig presented the award in Stralsund following a Festakt marking the completion of the Meeresmuseum renovation.
• Schwesig praised Merkel as a "Glücksfall" for the state, citing her support for projects such as the A20 motorway and the Ozeaneum.
• Merkel called the distinction a great honor and framed it as appreciation for a generation that shouldered post-reunification challenges.
• She urged protecting the inclusive meaning of "Wir sind das Volk," rejecting any division between "elites" and "the people."
• Merkel represented the region’s Bundestag constituency from 1990 to 2021 and served 16 years as chancellor, helping elevate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s profile with high‑profile visits and events including George W. Bush’s 2006 trip and the 2007 G8 in Heiligendamm.