From 5 to 9 March Hannover is again hosting CeBIT, the world's largest trade fair for information and communication technology. Poland is this year's partner country.
04.03.2013: The Chancellor and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (3rd from left) were at the opening ceremony.
Europe must become more dynamic in the IT sector. It is important to introduce a culture that actively encourages IT start-ups, said the Chancellor at the opening ceremony.
Angela Merkel and Donald Tusk opened CeBIT 2013 with a button mounted on the Mars robot "Bridget" which was built by the aerospace company EADS.
05.03.13: On the second day, the Chancellor and Prime Minister Donald Tusk began their tour of CeBIT at the Polish stand.
One of the highlights on display at the stand were the components for the Mars Rover "Curiosity".
At the stand of tisoware, a company that produces mobile security technology, the Chancellor used a scanner to open a door.
SAP uses a Lego model to present new database technology used in disaster risk management.
Microsoft presented a new language training app and some of their young developers...
... including 14-year-old Felix Guttbier.
IBM was showing new software that can be used to optimise wind turbines.
Samsung used a number of networked tablets to demonstrate what an electronic classroom, the smart school, could look like.
Vodafone presented a virtual corner shop that allows customers to shop using their smartphone.
The security company Secusmart and the mobile phone producer Blackberry presented their new secure smartphone - with the German eagle - to the Chancellor.
The interest on the part of trade visitors was as great as the range of appliances used to photograph items of interest.