Consul General Alford (right) presents Dr. Bachteler with the Ambassador's Certificate of Appreciation

Farewell to an Icon of German American Friendship
September 8, 2009. On September 8th, Consul General Ned Alford bid farewell to Dr. Ulrich Bachteler, who served as Director of the Deutsch-Amerikanische Zentrum (DAZ)/ James-F.-Byrnes-Institut in Stuttgart for fourteen years.  Prior to his appointment, he was Program Director of the Amerika Haus from 1988 through 1995.  Mr. Alford presented Dr. Bachteler with the “Ambassador’s Certificate of Appreciation” and extended the sincere gratitude and appreciation of the Department of State and its Mission to Germany for Dr. Bachteler’s unwavering commitment to the German-American partnership throughout the challenges of the past twenty-one years: “During his term of office Dr. Bachteler has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication, beyond the call of duty, to the manifold responsibilities of his office. Under his leadership the DAZ has become the institutional hub of German-American relations and a major cultural center in the city and the region. He has left a rich legacy in his contribution to the historical cooperation between Germany and the United States.”

On behalf of Minister President Oettinger, Baden Württemberg’s Cabinet Member Prof. Dr. Claudia Hübner awarded Dr. Bachteler with the prestigious Staufer Medal, the highest order of merit of the state of Baden-Württemberg.  The farewell celebration also served as a welcome to the DAZ’s new Director Michael Weißenborn.  Africom Commander General William E. Ward and Vice Admiral Richard K. Gallagher welcomed the over  two hundred German and American friends of the DAZ  to the reception at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart  and expressed their appreciation for Dr. Bachteler’s service and commitment to the German American relationship.