My German countrymen, men and women, are aware that we have faced many challenges throughout our history. Changes of Government have occurred frequently, but none have had the profound impact of the one eight years ago. When we took over leadership of the nation, the situation was dire. It seemed like all hope was lost, and only a miracle could save us. Our nation had been on a downward spiral for 15 years, suffering from the aftermath of World War I and our own internal collapse. On a day...