For those of you that are dreading the day Angela Merkel steps down from politics, fear not. You can now keep Merkel with you in your home with your very own Merkel Räucherfigur.
Germany is in the midst of one of its most high-profile elections in history. On the 26th of September a new government will be elected and long-time reigning Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will be step down from office. Albeit sometimes controversial, Merkel is a generally well-liked figure in Germany and it’s understandable that a lot of people are sorry to see her go.
So what better way to remind yourself of all the fond memories you have of the iconic politician than to get your very own Merkel Räucherfigur? Räuchermannchen are small figurines that are used to burn incense cones. They were invented by toymakers in the mid-1800s in the Ore Mountains and traditionally represent craftsmen, usually those from the local area like miners, or soldiers or hunters. They are now widely available in all shapes and sizes and have long been a common Christmas decoration, especially in the Ore Mountains.
The figures are being sold by Seiffener Volkunst; a toymaker based in the town of Seiffen in Saxony. You can be the proud owner of a Merkel Räucherfigur for just 69 euros and the toymaker has announced that ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to help victims of the floods that devastated western Germany. "We offer the outgoing Chancellor with the typical Merkel diamond pose in a blazer in pink, turquoise or purple," said Andreas Bilz, the managing director of Seiffener Volkskunst.
The toymaker has made 300 of the Merkel figurines, half of which have already been sold. There has been no word of whether there will be another run of the Merkel figurines, however, Bilz did suggest that there were plans to make more Räuchermannchen in the style of celebrities. "We won't reveal more, but there will be well-known personalities from the fields of sport, culture and the film business," he said.
Thumbnail: © Sven Körner