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The Chancellery in
Berlin’s government district:

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together with two other buildings,
the Federal Chancellery forms

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the “Band of the Federation”,
connecting what used to be

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East and West Berlin
via the River Spree.

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Completed in 2001
the seat of government in Berlin

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now also stands for
a reunited Germany.

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The Chancellery was designed

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by the architects
Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank.

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The large glass façades
provide natural light

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while at the same time
consistently providing a view

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from the outside to the inside.

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It is a modern building

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that is powered by
renewable energy

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from a photovoltaic system

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on the roofs
of the administrative wings.

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Olaf Scholz has been
Germany’s Federal Chancellor

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since 8 December 2021.

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I refer to
agenda item 1:

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delivery of a
government declaration

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by the Federal Chancellor.

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A modern Germany

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that is at the cutting edge
of the challenges

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of our century at all times
 – that is the goal.

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The Federal Government

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that now begins its work
under my leadership

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will be a
government of progress.

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The Federal Chancellor’s office

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is on the 7th floor
of the Chancellery.

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It is a study,
a retreat

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 – and sometimes
 his conference room.

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Of course I have
different places

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where I sometimes sit with guests,

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such as at the table
or on the sofa.

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Whenever I can I like to sit
on the bench by the window

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when I want to do some reading.

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At lot of decisions
are prepared at the Chancellery,

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and there are a lot of women
and men who work here.

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Of course the special thing
about this building is

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that it’s possible to talk to
a lot of people very confidentially

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and do what is
necessary in a democracy.

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The Chancellor
doesn’t work alone.

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Working in seven departments
and several units,

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the staff of the Chancellery
work day by day

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to gather information
from the ministries,

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prepare state visits,
trips and speeches,

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and organise press conferences
and interviews.

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When the situation is urgent
and things need to be done quickly,

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they even work
into the night.

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Some thirty years
after the building was designed,

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work at
the Chancellery has changed:

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e-mails, digital files
and video calls

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are now an integral part of
day-to-day routine.

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By contrast,
the pneumatic post system

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seems almost like a curious relic
left over from the old days.

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It was included
in the original design

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of the building
as a practical,

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fast and virtually indispensable
means of communication

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for original documents.

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It is rarely
used nowadays,

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but it is useful
from time to time:

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for secret documents,
for example,

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or when an original
has to be signed.

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The Federal Government
meets here: in the Cabinet Room.

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The ministers and the Federal
Chancellor meet every Wednesday

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to initiate legislation.

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Planning acceleration,
minimum wage increases,

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housing subsidy reforms
 – all of these projects

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were put on the table
here and were the subject

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of a group
decision-making process.

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The person who
manages these processes

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is Wolfgang Schmidt.

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He is the Head of
the Federal Chancellery:

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he organises inter-ministerial
cooperation and cabinet meetings,

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prepares talks between the
Federal Government and the Länder

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and is also responsible for preparing
long-term government projects.

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This always happens
in close consultation

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with the Federal Chancellor
and the ministers of state

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Sarah Ryglewski is the Federal
Chancellor’s Commissioner for Cooperation

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between the Federal Government
and the Länder.

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Carsten Schneider
is the Commissioner

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for Eastern Germany.

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Reem Alabali-Radovan
is responsible for migration,

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refugees,
integration and anti-racism.

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Claudia Roth is
the Federal Government Commissioner

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for Culture and the Media.

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With the Federal Chancellor
presiding over the meeting,

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all the ministers, the ministers
of state and the spokesperson

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sit around an oval table and
proceed to work through the agenda.

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This means that they go through
the individual agenda items,

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then the laws
are voted on and approved.

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Arguments are rare,
but there is some intense debate

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 – of course!

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That’s all part
and parcel of politics,

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since differing interests
are involved.

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And because we have a government of
three different partners,

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it is also natural
for the representatives

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of the three parties in the cabinet
to express their different views.

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Never make decisions
on an empty stomach!

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Albert Einstein’s insight

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is implemented to perfection
in the Chancellery kitchen.

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This is where the chefs cook

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for the Federal Chancellor and
his guests on special occasions.

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For everyone else, i.e. the
staff of the Federal Chancellery,

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there is a canteen.

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Small change:

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the Chancellor will be not
taking lunch until 1 pm today.

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Instead of 12.30, that’s right.

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Okay, I’ll change that right away.

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Great, thanks.

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As time goes on, they find out
who likes what.

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The food is healthy
and varied.

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Military honours are given
to foreign state guests

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on their first visit
after taking office.

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This is regulated by
diplomatic protocol.

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The visits are
 tightly scheduled.

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These meetings
are important.

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There is no substitute for
talking to someone face to face.

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Many visits conclude
with a press conference.

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The frequency of meetings
demonstrates close alliance,

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strategic partnership
and friendship.

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Answering questions
– that’s something

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a Federal Chancellor
has to do as well:

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at press conferences,

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through the video format
Kanzler kompakt,

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and in interviews with newspapers,
online media,

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radio and television.

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The age of the questioners
is irrelevant.

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See you next time!

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For decades, it was customary
for state guests

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to present the Federal Chancellor
with a gift.

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Today, this is much rarer – not least
in the interest of sustainability.

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If a guest
does hand over a gift,

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it does not simply belong
to the Federal Chancellor.

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Gifts stay in the Chancellery,
are sorted and stored

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 – and some are exhibited.

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A small selection
from the various decades

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is presented
on the ground floor.

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When they visit
the Federal Chancellery,

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some people are
reminded of a gallery

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 – and this is intentional.

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Germany
is a country of culture,

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as reflected
in the sculptures and paintings

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by Gerhard Richter,
Pablo Picasso, Udo Lindenberg,

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Katharina Grosse, Corinne Wasmuht
and many others.

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The cultural evenings
held at the Chancellery

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pick up on this idea, too,

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underlining the character
of the Federal Chancellery

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as a building
of living democracy

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 – the workplace
of the Federal Chancellor.

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What I like about the Chancellery
is that it’s a bright building

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that provides lots of insights
and views,

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enabling you to take in
very varied perspectives.

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This sends out
a good signal

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for an open society
of course

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– and an open
society is precisely

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what is represented here
at the Federal Chancellery,

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the home of the
Federal Government.

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Bye!