The pastor and a pastor’s daughter FROM the Vosges mountains to the Flemish plain, Joachim Gauck, Germany’s president, visited the killing fields of the first world war this week for the centenary commemorations. As is his wont, he teared up easily and embraced heartily. This emotional style of accepting German responsibility for the past and turning it into reconciliation has become his trademark since he became Germany’s head of state in 2012. Whether in Israel, Poland or Greece he finds the right tone. Along with Germany’s head of government, Angela Merkel, he is one reason why Germany today appears, on balance, unthreatening and even likeable to its neighbours.Mrs Merkel and Mr Gauck began as an unlikely pairing. When he was first mentioned as a candidate for president in 2010, she opposed him, viewing him as a potential rabble-rouser. (Presidents are chosen by a federal convention consisting of parliament and delegates from the 16 states, but only after the main political parties agree on the candidates.) But in 2012 the then president, Christian Wulff, was forced to resign amid a corruption scandal (he has since been cleared...
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