(de-news.net) – Acting Federal Chancellor Scholz, addressing the Evangelical Church Congress in Hanover, has called upon the citizens of Germany to embrace both solidarity and optimism. Scholz asserted that engaging actively with the community makes a discernible difference. Reflecting on his tenure as head of the German government, he characterized his period in office as one defined by formidable challenges. In his view, the recent years have been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the overt conflict in Ukraine as well as that in the Middle East. With regard to his political communication, he noted that he sought not to be among those who revise their opinions on a weekly basis but, instead, consistently aimed for compromise.

With the outgoing Chancellor honored on Monday with the “Großer Zapfenstreich,” the Bundeswehr’s Staff Music Corps is scheduled to inaugurate the ceremony with a performance of “In My Life” by The Beatles. For the second musical selection, Scholz has requested an excerpt from Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Second Brandenburg Concerto,” and for the third, the song “Respect” by soul singer Aretha Franklin.

The Großer Zapfenstreich is recognized as the highest military ceremony conferred by the Bundeswehr for politicians. It is a long-standing tradition that departing high-ranking political figures, as well as senior military officials, are afforded the privilege of requesting three musical pieces of their liking.