dr. angela merkel. dr. irst east german to serve as chancellor of the united federal republic of germany and made history when she became germany's first female chancellor. a dedicated public servant, chancellor merkel has promoted liberty and freedom in her own country and throughout the world. >> you can all applaud. [applause] i've got to do the toast. i want to conclude by inviting all of you to stand and join me in a toast. and i want to do so with the words that angela spoke two years ago when she became the first german leader to address our congress since chancellor adenaeur all those years ago. her words spoke not only to the dreams of the young girl in the east, but for the dreams of all those who yearn for rights and dignity today, to freedom, which must be struggled for and defended anew every day of our lives. cheers. [applause] >> mr. president, dear barack, dear michelle, ladies and gentlemen. the first political event during my childhood that i distinctly remember is the building of the berli

dr. angela merkel. >> suarez: a child of the cold war who grew up in east germany, angela merkel joined a select few foreign dignitaries who have received that award at the state dinner in the rose garden. >> tonight, we honor angela merkel not for being denied her freedom or even for attaining her freedom, but for what she achieved when she gained her freedom. determined to finally have her say, she entered politics, rising to become the first east german to lead a united germany, the first woman chancellor in german history, and an eloquent voice for human rights and dignity around the world. >> suarez: president obama said he hopes to make a return trip to berlin. at the end of this visit, though, both leaders said their meetings helped strengthen the german-american relationship at a very challenging time. >> ifill: we'll be back shortly with an update on the huge fires in arizona. but first, this is pledge week on pbs. this break allows your public television station to ask for your support, and that support helps keep programs like ours on the air. >> woodruff: for those stations no