George Kennan was among the greatest American foreign policy minds of the 20th century

In 1961, Lee Edwards wrote from Germany, “If the United States and its allies do not stand firm, the concentration camp will soon add another two million inmates who presently live in West Berlin.”

In short, America—and good, decent people who live here—has allowed me to become who I am and gave me everything I have. I doubt my story would be possible in any other country, but even if it was, it happened here.

On September 24, Angela Merkel won a fourth term as chancellor of Germany. Here is what you should know about the most powerful woman in the world.