Angela Merkel fractures pelvis in skiing accident

It was less than a happy new year for Chancellor Angela Merkel after she injured herself while skiing in Switzerland.

Her injuries - a fractured pelvis - are less serious than another famous German, Michael Schumacher. While he is still in an artificial coma in Grenoble, Dr Merkel is walking about on crutches and will hold her cabinet meeting as usual on Wednesday.

However her spokesman Steffen Seibert said this morning she is cancelling several appointments and foreign trips in the next three weeks, including a trip this week to Poland, to give her time to recuperate.

Mr Seibert said the accident happened in late December during Dr Merkel’s winter holiday in Engadin near St Moritz in Switzerland.

“She fell during cross-country skiing, at low speed,” said Mr Seibert.

Dr Merkel initially thought the fall had merely left her bruised but, several hours later sought out a doctor who diagnosed a so-called infraction fracture -- a partial fracture -- on the left, rear part of her pelvis.

Mr Seibert was unable to say if anyone else was involved in the accident. He said the German leader would work from home but had cancelled trips and most appointments for the rest of the month.