(20 Nov 2005)
1. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder emerging from City Hall
2. Schroeder standing on podium
3. Various of troops getting into position
4. Top military official addressing Schroeder
5. Wide of Schroeder being presented with gift
6. Mid of Schroeder being presented with gift
7. Wide of media coming into photograph Schroeder
8. Close up of Schroeder photographed
9. Wide of military band playing, zoom in AUDIO: Band playing (over shots 9 - 17)
10. Close up of band playing 'My Way'
11. Close up of Schroeder almost crying
12. Pull out of band playing
13. Close up of Schroeder almost crying
14. Wide of ceremony
15. Pan of band playing German national anthem
16. Close up of Schroeder singing national anthem
17. Various of ceremony during national anthem
18. Top military official addressing Schroeder
19. Close up of soldiers at attention
20. Troops leaving ceremony
21. Close up Schroeder
22. Wide of ceremony
STORYLINE:
Outgoing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder got a torchlight send-off on Saturday night at a military ceremony in his hometown of Hanover,
marking his departure from office next week after seven years in power.
Soldiers paraded with torches in front of the city hall, and a military band played "My Way" for Schroeder, who received the parade with a nod of
his head as he stood in the chill evening next to Defence Minister Peter Struck.
Ahead of the evening ceremony, President Horst Koehler said Schroeder deserved Germany's thanks for his "lasting work for our country."
Under Schroeder, Germany had worked with NATO partners to restore peace in Kosovo, witnessed the introduction of the 12-nation euro currency and supported EU expansion, Koehler was quoted as saying in an interview with the Neue Presse newspaper.
Schroeder introduced economic reforms within Germany that needed "high political courage," Koehler said.
Schroeder's Social Democrats fared far better than expected in September elections, forcing Christian Democratic leader Angela Merkel to abandon plans to form a coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats.
Instead, Merkel's party had to form a so-called "grand coalition" with Schroeder's party.
Merkel will be officially elected chancellor by parliament on Tuesday, which will make her the country's eighth post-World War II chancellor and the
first woman to hold the office.
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