[Regulator]

voluntarily moved to the GDR in the '50s

Jeez, I didn't know that...Mommy was a Commie?

Thought they just were stuck there when the wall went up.

[Moltke]

Yeah, once the wall was up they were 'stuck' there, I guess. Happy as pigs in the mud, no doubt - didn't try to escape as many others did, at least.

And subsequently, from Merkel's wiki page: Later, at the Academy of Sciences, she became a member of the FDJ district board and secretary for "Agitprop" (Agitation and Propaganda).

All just fun and games, of course... /s