The queue stretched around the block. Some people had been waiting for two hours, huddled in the cold, under the light of the first Christmas decorations, to enter the large Dussmann bookstore on Friedrichstrasse, one of Berlin's main shopping streets. A man came out, disappointed, holding his blue copy: "She scribbled something quickly and didn't even look at me!" Inside, former Chancellor Angela Merkel was signing the first copies of her memoirs, which were published on November 26 in Germany and some 30 other countries, including France.

"Merkel is a part of my childhood," said Nicolas, a 23-year-old political science student who was waiting in line. "People of my generation don't like her, they say she's done nothing for the climate, nothing for infrastructure, no reforms, that she actually had no vision. And that's true. But there was a feeling of stability when she was running the country. Even if it was only a feeling, and not the truth." A few steps away, a tourist smiled as he was photographed, showing off his signed copy. "Merkel is much more than politics, she's a cultural phenomenon," said Marc, another student observing the scene, jokingly. "I'm very critical, nobody misses her, but I came here to observe the character," he explained. Many admirers in the queue were filled with a sense of nostalgia, associating the Merkel years with a period of prosperity – especially now that Germany is in trouble, and the rest of the world isn't doing much better either. "We really miss her leadership style," sighed one young woman. "If she were still here, she could have forged alliances to better manage the war," said a high-school student, who aspired to a political future and had come to the bookstore with his mother and brother. "Even if she misjudged Putin, she would have done better than Scholz."

The release of Merkel's memoirs has been organized like a rock star's tour, with a limited number of sold-out events: live-streamed public readings and book signings in Berlin, Cologne and Stralsund – her former constituency – in Germany, as well as in other European cities. She has also been slated for TV appearances, podcasts and even a conversation with Barack Obama in Washington, on December 2. The publisher has kept some secrets on the book, making no information on its print runs or royalties public.

The promotional campaign has had the desired effect. On Tuesday, November 26, over 600 people attended a public reading of Merkel's memoirs at Berlin's Deutsches Theater, outside of which a few anti-vaccine protesters, cameras and paparazzi had also gathered. The former Chancellor received lengthy applause, especially when she stated that she had made no mistakes during her 16 years in power, and had no regrets. Not one? "No, you have to tell it like it is," was Merkel's reply to the journalist interviewing her on stage. "Do you ever take the train?" asked the latter, referring to the chronic delays of German trains due to under-investment, a criticism that dates back to Merkel's time as Chancellor. "If it helps, you can say it's Merkel's fault, but I don't think it helps the country," Merkel replied, referring to herself in the third person. "Besides, Merkel's departure hasn't solved the issues."

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