It was the British military government that united the northern Rhineland and Westphalia to form the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on 23 August 1946, in what was known as “Operation Marriage”. 75 years later, “we can look back and say that it was a far-sighted decision by the British military government, given that this marriage has become a genuine success story,” said Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in her ceremonial address to mark the anniversary of NRW’s founding. North Rhine-Westphalia was richly diverse, she said, being both an agricultural region and an industrial heartland. “Economically this is one of the strongest regions in Europe,” stressed Merkel.

Reconstruction after the floods “a monumental task”

Merkel also recalled the flood disaster that hit NRW just a few weeks ago, saying it remained “indescribable”. For many, she said, the world had changed from one moment to the next. Reconstruction would require an enormous effort, Merkel stressed. But the Federal and Länder Governments would not leave people to tackle “this monumental task” on their own, she added. On Wednesday, the Federal Cabinet approved the national solidarity fund Aufbauhilfe 2021 that previously was agreed on by the Federal and Länder Governments.

In their hour of need, the people of NRW had demonstrated enormous solidarity, said Merkel. “Volunteers from different parts of the state rallied round,” she noted, saying that in spite of all the terrible suffering, this had been “a wonderful show of team spirit”.

Outstanding academic sector

Scientists had made it very clear that extreme weather events would increase, said the Federal Chancellor. This was a reminder that the ambitious climate targets really did have to be met, she added. “We know full well that climate neutrality requires profound structural change”, she said, adding that this was by no means an abstract concept. “For large numbers of people, structural change means having to change careers, retrain or look for a new job,” said the Federal Chancellor.

That was why the Federal Government was supporting the regions affected, she added. The aim was to give people a genuine opportunity “to be better off after the coal phase-out than before”, said Merkel. NRW also benefited from its outstanding academic sector, including the highest density of universities in Europe.

Germany’s most populous federal state had played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s history, said Merkel, as the home of the Bonn Republic, an economic powerhouse, a source of inspiration in Berlin, and now with an international UN base in Bonn, too. “This is something the citizens of NRW can be proud of,” said the Federal Chancellor.

Merkel gave her ceremonial address at the invitation of NRW state premier Armin Laschet. Other guests of honour included the British Minister of State for Trade Policy, Greg Hands, and the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo. North Rhine-Westphalia has maintained a close partnership with Ghana for more than 20 years, which was put on an official footing in the form of a partnership agreement signed in 2007.