After a week of high drama, authorities on the Baltic coast of northern Germany say they have established a restricted zone around a whale that has been stranded in the area to allow the creature to "die in peace." "We did everything we could to give it a chance. This is a unique tragedy. But it chose this path for himself," said Till Backhaus, environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the whale is now stranded after initially beaching itself at the resort town of Timmendorf Beach on March 23 . Whale 'no longer has strength' During an emotional Wednesday press conference, Backhaus said, "we have explored all ideas," before announcing that no further effort would be made to free the animal. Officials said the whale is lying in shallow waters off the island of Poel near Wismar, adding that it has shown very weak and irregular breathing and is barely moving.…