Avanti! draws a 1000 students interested in studying and working in the U.S., Europe and Overseas
November 5, 2009. On November 5, EducationUSA Frankfurt participated in "AVANTI! Job, Praktikum und Studium in Europa und Übersee" in Darmstadt. The fair, organized for the ninth time by the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt, featured 32 organizations offering stays abroad. About 1000 high school and university students used the opportunity to pick up information on studying and working in foreign countries. At the EducationUSA information booth, more than 300 students asked mostly about studying at the undergraduate and graduate level and about internships. How to organize a high school year in the States was also popular. Presentations on “Going to the U.S. after school” and "Studying in the United States" filled the room to capacity with a total of 100 listeners.

"Die Brücke" celebrates German-American Ties
November 4, 2009. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins discussed the transatlantic relationship with members of "Die Brücke", the German-American Club Gießen-Wetzlar, on November 4. The club, led by its President Roger Schmidt, will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2010. Its membership includes retirees and exchange students, approximately 35 of whom attended the discussion about the transatlantic relationship.

Von Marschall portrays Michelle Obama in Darmstadt, Landau and Karlsruhe
November 2-3, 2009. Dr. Christoph von Marschall, the U.S. correspondent of the Berlin-based daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, presented lectures on “Michelle Obama – An American Dream” at the Darmstadtium in Darmstadt, co-sponsored by the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, on Nov. 2, and at the University of Landau and the Karlsruhe Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK), co-sponsored by the American-German Business Club (AGBC) in Karlsruhe on Nov. 3.  A total of over 200 guests from all walks of life learned about Michelle Obama’s astounding rise from a low-class neighborhood in the Chicago South Side to the White House and from a successful professional in her own right to First Lady of the United States.  Having accompanied the Obamas during much of Barack Obama’s campaign for the Democratic nomination and having regularly attended Michelle’s public appearances as First Lady, von Marschall had had the opportunity to personally meet and observe her from up close.  As a result, he was able to offer deep insights into her official as a well as private life and to explain why she was able to become the most popular First Lady of modern times for all Americans.

Non-Proliferation Expert at PRIF
October 30, 2009. On the invitation of the U.S. Consulate General, Dr. Leonard S. Spector, Deputy Director of the Monterey Institute of International Studies' James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and head of the Center's Washington D.C. Office, gave a presentation on "Western Nonproliferation Policy and Iran" at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. Senior fellows as well as Ph.D. students discussed the tactical movements on the part of Iran, the West, Russia and China regarding Iran's nuclear program and prospects for a compromise.

U.S. Consulate Celebrates Halloween
October 30, 2009. Halloween, the last day of October, has a special significance for children, who dress in costumes and knock on neighborhood doors shouting "Trick or Treat!" Pirates and princesses, ghosts and witches all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in. On October 30, a group of children haunted the Consulate and got lots of candies when they visited Consul General Ned Alford and other sections of the Consulate. While not an official holiday, most Americans consider Halloween a festive occasion, but its roots long predate the United States and its meaning has changed greatly over time. Even today, many other nations celebrate their own versions of this festival.

"History in Perspective - Modern Jazz" at Romanfabrik
October 29, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General supported a concert on October 29th at Frankfurt’s Romanfabrik  featuring American jazz pianist Lewis Porter, professor of jazz history at Rutgers University Newark, Gert Putscheff (violin), lecturer at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, as well as Willi Kappich (drums/percussion). The concert was organized in cooperation with the Jazzinitiative Frankfurt e.V. and Ute Mengel greeted the guests on behalf of the Jazzinitiative. Under the theme "History in Perspecive – Modern Jazz" Porter, Putscheff and Kappich presented jazz compositions drawing on a wide variety of jazz styles as well as ethnic music traditions.

Stuttgart Fall Concert Celebrates German-American Day featuring the “Best of Both Worlds”
October 28, 2009. On October 28th, Deputy Chief of Mission Greg Delawie and Consul General Edward M. Alford openend the Stuttgart Fall Concert,  jointly organized by the Federation of German-American Clubs and the James-F.-Byrnes-Institute/ Deutsch-Amerikanische Zentrum (DAZ) on the occasion of German-American Day at the Neues Schloss.  Other speakers included Ms. Susanne Laugwitz-Aulbach, the head of Stuttgart’s Culture Department as well as Major General Paul Schafer, Acting Chief of Staff of EUCOM.  The concert, called the “Best of Both Worlds,” featured works by Donizetti, von Weber and Mozart to represent the Old World while the songs of Gershwin, Loewe and Cole Porter represented the new. The musicians Mirella Hagen, Caio Monteiro and Robin Engelen received raving applause for their heartening performance.  The concert concluded in a reception, jointly hosted by the state ministry of Baden-Württemberg, the city of Stuttgart, the Federation of German-American Clubs and the Deutsch-Amerikanische Zentrum.

Germany Premiere: Reif Larsen reads from "The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet"
October 27, 2009. American author and “Wunderkind” of the American literary scene Reif Larsen thrilled his audience at his first reading in Germany from his debut novel “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet”. Larsen, in Frankfurt at the invitation of his German publisher, the S. Fischer Verlag, did the first-ever reading of his debut novel for a German audience at the Union International Club e.V. on October 27, at the Villa Merton. The reading was also supported by the Consulate General Frankfurt. Consul General Ned Alford welcomed the packed audience of over 100 guests and introduced the acclaimed author. His debut novel, written while still a student, became an instant literary sensation and is now published in 30 countries. The reading was moderated by Felicitas von Lovenberg, literary editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and actor Christoph Maasch read from the German translation “Die Karte meiner Träume”.

“Beyond the Horizon” – Konstanz students check out Studying and Interning in the U.S. 
October 22, 2009. October 22, 2009. Information on exchange opportunities with the United States was in great demand at the “Beyond the Horizon” exchange fair in Konstanz on October 22, 2009. More than 600 university and high school students from the Konstanz region checked out ways to spend time in the U.S. and other countries at this day-long career fair organized for the fourth time by the University of Applied Sciences Konstanz. 33 exhibitors offered information on studying, volunteer work, internships, financial aid and visa. At the EducationUSA booth, more than 100 students asked about internships and graduate studies. They picked up information materials on EducationUSA and other services of the Information Resource Centers.

Competition and/or collaboration? Marketing graduate studies in the U.S. and Germany
October 20, 2009. At a one-day conference at the German-American Institut Heidelberg, 25 participants from various universities discussed the recruitment of graduate students. In her opening remarks, DPAO Doria Rosen emphasized the internationalization of graduate studies and the increased mobility of students. ETS representative Maria Victoria Calabrese explained the GRE and the new Personal Potential Index, which led to a spirited discussion of the use of standardized test. Megan Brenn-White from the Hessen University Consortium New York Office, and participants talked about factors influencing a student's decision for a program, the acceptance of the German Bachelor's degree in the U.S. and exchange programs. The event was organized by EducationUSA/U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts and the Hessen University Consortium New York Office. 

U.S. Correspondent von Marschall sheds light on Michelle Obama
October 19, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt joined forces with the Frankfurt City Library and the Evangelische Akademie Arnoldshain in organizing a lecture by Dr. Christoph von Marschall, U.S. correspondent of the Berlin-based daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, on his newly published German-language biography of Michelle Obama - "Michelle Obama - The American Dream" - at Frankfurt’s City Library on October 19. Von Marschall had accompanied the Obamas during parts of Barack Obama’s campaign for Democratic nominee. He is also the author of the first German biography of Barack Obama - "Barack Obama - The Black Kennedy" (2007). Over 100 interested guests listened to von Marschall’s analysis of Michelle Obama’s life and career, and her approach to the role as First Lady.

Expert Roundtable on Health Care Reform
October 19, 2009. At the invitation of the U.S. Consulate General, Harry Harris, founder and CEO of Central California’s largest health care insurance company, participated in an expert roundtable at the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Health in Mainz on October 19. Harris explained the patchwork character of the U.S. health care system and the major challenges facing the system, in particular the issues of universal coverage, inadequate coverage, cost reduction, and quality increase. Harris and the Ministry experts engaged in a comparison of the similarities and differences between the German and American health care systems, their problems and possible solutions.

School Newspaper Competition "USA"
October 17, 2009. For the second time after 2007, the U.S. Consulate General co-sponsored a special “Competition USA” for the best school newspaper articles on the topic "How Barack Obama Has Changed America ." This was part of the annual general competition for the best school newspapers and best individual newspaper articles in the state of Hesse sponsored annually by the Jugendpresse Hessen e.V. Deputy Consul General Doria Rosen handed over the consulate’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes to the winners at an award ceremony at the Frankfurt International Book Fair on October 17. Among the prizes were free tickets provided by the English Theatre in Frankfurt.

Positioning Information Professionals for the Future
October 15, 2009. Janice Lachance, CEO of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), gave the key note address at the opening of the annual conference of the German Society for Information Sciences (DGI) on October 15th . The conference was attended by some 250 professionals and students from all over Germany. In line with the conference theme “Generation International – the Future of Information, Science and the Profession”, Janice Lachance spoke about SLA’s initiative to position information professionals for the future. She underlined the importance of professional development and networking and emphasized that value was more important than the function. After her presentation, she engaged in a lively Q&A with conference participants. The SLA represents about 11,000 members in 75 countries. The previous day, Ms. Lachance and IRO Pam Dragovich had led a roundtable discussion with participants from the Frankfurt region, specifically addressing the current economic crisis and exchanging marketing ideas for information professionals.

Consul General Alford Enjoys Tour of the Book Fair
October 15, 2009. On October 15, Book Fair Director Jürgen Boos welcomed Consul General Ned Alford, Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen, Cultural Attaché Elizabeth Corwin, and Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins to the Book Fair. During their tour, the group was impressed by the Chinese presentation in the Forum featuring the history of Chinese printing and book-making and the book art in Hall 4.   Consul General Alford met with various German and American publishers, including German publisher KD Wolff of Stroemfeld publishing house and Markus Dohle, CEO of Random House.  Random House publishes the novels of the Consulate’s guest of honor, Chinese American Author Lisa See. 
On October 13, Consul General Ned Alford, IRO Pam Dragovich, PAO Jeanine Collins and the CEO of the Special Libraries Association Janice Lachance had attended the official opening ceremony of the 61st Frankfurt Book Fair that has China as its guest of honor.  Among the representatives delivering opening speeches were Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping President, Hessen Minister President Roland Koch and Frankfurt’s Lord Mayor Petra Roth. | Photo Gallery | More 

M.I.T. Professor Singer discusses regulation of financial markets
October 13, 2009. On the invitation of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, David Singer, Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, gave a presentation on "Regulating Capital: Setting New Standards for the International Financial System" at the American Chamber of Commerce of Germany (AmCham) to members of the Financial Services Committee.  Thereafter Prof. Singer joined Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at U.S. Embassy Berlin, Robert Pollard, in a discussion of the topic with professors and Ph.D. candidates at Frankfurt University’s House of Finance.   Singer shed light on the extremely complex and fragmented financial regulatory system in the U.S. and assessed the prospects for reform on a national and international level. 

German-American Friendship in Frankfurt
October 6, 2009. City Treasurer Uwe Becker and Consul General Ned Alford welcomed hundreds of German and American citizens on German-American Friendship Day, originally initiated by President Ronald Reagan on October 6. In the splendor of the Kaisersaal of Frankfurt’s city hall Römer, approximately 400 guests listened both Mr. Becker and CG Alford emphasize the historic and current ties between Frankfurt and the United States. Mr. Becker also introduced the 2009/10 “Understanding” competition, jointly sponsored by the city and the consulate, encouraging German and American youth to submit entries outlining what they thought was particularly German or American in the daily life of the city. Five student winners of a language course, who had participated in a contest at the September 26th "Hello World" Student Exchange Information Fair, were also awarded their prizes at the ceremony. After the welcome, guests relaxed to the sounds of U.S. Air Force Band “Touch ‘n Go.” | President Obama proclaims German-American Friendship Day 2009 

11th Darmstadt Jazzforum great success
September 25 – October 4, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General supported the participation on October 2 of two American speakers, William Bares (Harvard University, Cambridge) and Harald Kisiedu (Columbia University, New York), during this year’s Darmstadt Jazzforum. The 11th Darmstadt Jazzforum, organized biannually by the Jazz Institute Darmstadt this year focused mainly on Albert Mangelsdorff, his music, his influence on German jazz history and his role as an integrational figure for German and European jazz. The Jazzforum consisted of five program parts - an international three day conference, a concert series, an exhibition, an evening of rare film footage, and a book documentation of the Jazzforum to be published next year. The two U.S. speakers gave presentations at the three day conference, which was very successful and drew an average audience of 50-60 jazz enthusiasts per lecture.

U.S. Consulate General participates in Newcomer's Festival
October 4, 2009.  On October 4th, Consul General Ned Alford and City Treasurer Uwe Becker opened  the ninth annual "Newcomers" Festival at the Frankfurt Römer. U.S. Citizen Services and the Public Affairs Section teamed up to inform an international audience about their services. More than 4500 newcomers visited the event and several hundred stopped by the Consulate General’s booth to learn about upcoming events, sign up for mailing lists and pick up information on the United States. Consul General Ned Alford toured the event with City Treasurer Becker and stopped by the Consulate's booth to answer a few questions personally.

Point Alpha Reminds that Freedom is not Free
October 2, 2009. Consul General Ned Alford and PAO Jeanine Collins attended the celebration of the day of German Unity on October 2 at  Point Alpha.  The festivities, organized by the Point Alpha Foundation and its Director Ute Thofern, included remarks by Hessen’s  Minister of Justice Joerg –Uwe Hahn, and USAREUR’s General Bellini.   Christoph Matschie, head of the SPD Thuringen, delivered the keynote speech to great applause from his audience, reminding them that the need for  human dignity and willingness to serve the cause of freedom reunited  Germany.   Point Alpha, a former U.S. military base, is located near Fulda and Geisa, at what was thought likely to be the “hottest point of the cold war.” 

Baseball and Football for German Schools
October 1-2, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, the Atlantic Academy Rheinland-Pfalz, the Landessportbund and Landessportjugend Rheinland-Pfalz jointly organized a two-day seminar on "American Sports for German Schools: Baseball and Football" in Baumholder, Rhineland-Palatinate.  The goal was to provide the almost 40 physical education teachers from Northrhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hesse, Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate und Baden-Württemberg with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for introducing baseball and football into the teaching of sports at German schools. | More | Photogallery

U.S. Consul General Alford hosted by AGBC Frankfurt
September 29, 2009. The American-German Business Club Frankfurt invited U.S. Consul General Edward M. Alford to be the guest speaker at a luncheon at the Evonik company in Frankfurt. Introduced by AGBC president David Knower, the Consul General gave a speech on "The United States and Germany: Common Challenges 2009 and Beyond" and subsequently answered questions from a large audience of members and guests. In his remarks, he focused on the current financial and economic crisis emphasizing the importance of joint, coordinated action, of a reform of the international financial system and of an expansion of free trade.  This could result in the global economy emerging from the crisis stronger than before.

The Fall of the Wall from an American Perspective: DJ Darky Goes Berlin
September 28, 2009. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt featured a reading by American poet, performance artist, and novelist Paul Beatty at the Romanfabrik on September 28.  Paul Beatty’s latest book “Slumberland” describes the experiences of disk jockey DJ Darky from Los Angeles in cold war Berlin and gives fascinating insights into the heady times when the wall was falling.  German actor Christoph Maasch read from the German translation, published by Blumenbar.  Klaus Walter from ByteFM moderated the reading and subsequent Q&A session, during which Mr. Beatty shared his thoughts about German and American culture, music, race relations and love with the enthusiastic audience that stayed until long after the reading to chat with the writer. (More) | Photo Gallery

“Hello World!” High School Student Exchange Fair Attracts Crowd
September 26, 2009. The U.S., Canada or maybe China? Turkey or Argentinia? 1100 students and their parents enjoyed learning about various programs available to high school students interested in spending time in another country. For the seventh year, the City of Frankfurt and the U.S. Consulate organized the youth exchange fair "Hello World!" at the Wöhlerschule in Frankfurt, one of the largest fairs in Germany.  44 exchange organizations and educational advisers presented their programs and services. Visitors picked up information materials and chatted to former exchange students. Presentations on what to consider when deciding on an organization, financial aid and exchange opportunities other than high school exchanges were attended by up to 150 people. The U.S. Consulate provided guidance on visa procedures and the EducationUSA services. Nikolaus Münster from the City of Frankfurt, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins and City Official Haindl greeted exhibitors and talked to former exchange students. | Photogallery

German American Friendship Through Art
September 21, 2009. Together with Frankfurt City Treasurer Uwe Becker, PAO Jeanine Collins handed over a piece of art to Ziehen High School in Frankfurt. The artwork was created by Ziehen student Simone Glaser who participated in last years Understanding competition, which had the theme of the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The goal of Understanding, a joint program of the U.S. Consulate and the City of Frankfurt is to further mutual understanding by bringing together both Frankfurt and American youth living in the region. The painting which shows the Berlin Airlift Memorial in an artistic way was handed over to the school to close the first round of the Understanding competition and to start the second competition under the motto “Mainhatten” where young German and Americans should develop projects picturing commonalities and differences in German and American culture which can be found in Frankfurt’s daily life.  Both the Frankfurter Neue Presse and the Frankfurter Rundschau covered the event.

Seminar on “Winds of Change” in U.S. politics
September 18-19, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General, the Fridtjof-Nansen Academy, the Atlantic Academy, the Hesse Center for Political Education and Frankfurt University’s Center for North American Studies joined forces in organizing their annual seminar on American politics at the Fridtjof-Nansen Academy in Ingelheim.  This year’s seminar dealt with the topic “Winds of Change – The Key Issues of American Politics under President Barack Obama” and attracted over 30 participants from a wide spectrum of professional fields.  Prof. Paul Rundquist (University of Halle-Wittenberg), Dr.  Stormy-Annika Mildner (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin), Prof. Dr. Sebastian Harnisch (University of Heidelberg), and Dr. Christian Lammert (University of Frankfurt) analyzed the general power balance between the White House and Congress, Obama’s foreign, economic and environmental policies as well as the health care reform debate.

Charles Kupchan discusses transatlantic relations
September 17, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General and the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) invited the internationally renowned political scientist Charles Kupchan from Georgetown University to discuss transatlantic relations at PRIF.  In his lecture and discussion with over 40 political experts, Kupchan focused on the changes of U.S. foreign policy under the Obama administration and how these changes affected transatlantic relations.  Although in principle optimistic about the future of the relationship, he was worried about a lack of bipartisan congressional support for Obama’s policies and about a renationalization of EU politics.

Ambassador Murphy Visits IAA
September 17, 2009. Together with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Minister President of Hessen Roland Koch, Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt Petra Roth, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry Matthias Wissmann, and 300 other invited guests, Ambassador Philip D. Murphy attended the official opening ceremony of the International Automobile Show (IAA) on September 17. After the ceremony Ambassador Murphy started his walk-through of the IAA and met representatives of several U.S. companies. His walk-through concluded with a test drive of the Tesla Roadster together with Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development for Tesla. | Photo gallery

Frankfurt Kick-Off for Ambassador Murphy
September 16, 2009. On his first official visit to Frankfurt, Ambassador Philip D. Murphy took the opportunity to attend the season opening press conference of 1. FFC Frankfurt, one of Germany’s leading women’s soccer clubs.  Ambassador Murphy, a passionate soccer fan and co-owner of the Sky Blue soccer team, this year’s U.S. national champion, met with the three U.S. players of 1. FFC Frankfurt: Ally Krieger, Gina Lewandowski, and Emily Means. The Ambassador attended the friendly between 1. FFC Frankfurt and French national champion Olympique Lyon that afternoon at the Stadion am Brenatonabad, together with the leadership of 1. FFC Frankfurt, Frankfurt City Treasurer Uwe Becker as well as French Consul General Dr. Henry Reynaud and U.S. Consul General Ned Alford. | Photo gallery

Ambassador meets Frankfurt consulate staff
September 16, 2009. Ambassador Murphy greeted staff of the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt in a Town Hall meeting on his first official trip to Frankfurt, the city he lived in while working for Goldman Sachs the 1990s. He emphasized how delighted he was to be back in Germany and particularly in his former hometown. Frankfurt hosts the largest U.S. Consulate in the world and over 30 government agencies are represented with offices. Ambassador Murphy laid out his major goals for continuing and strengthening the German-American relations focusing especially on the young German generation born after the fall of the Wall and taking advantage of the popularity of President Obama in Germany.

Annual American Citizen Information Night Draws a Crowd
September 15, 2009.  Several hundred American citizens came to the Consulate to learn about the wide range of consular and other services provided to the local American community by the State Department and other agencies such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.  Consul General Ned Alford and Consular Section Chief Lawrence Mire welcomed the attendees. The event also featured a Community Groups Fair in which over 35 local organizations, including churches, schools and social clubs, participated.  In addition, guests were treated to a live square dance performance by the Beaux and Belles Square Dance Club of Frankfurt.  The event provided a great opportunity to exchange information, ideas and helpful tips for Americans living in the Frankfurt area.  (More)

Iftar inspires love and laughter
September 14, 2009. To celebrate Ramadan, Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen hosted an Iftar for 40 women of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The evening’s entertainment was opened with a poetry recitation presented by Shogufa Malekyar, both of her own work and that of Persian poet Rumi. Stand-up comedian Senay Duscu brought tears of laughter to the eyes of the women with her stellar performance poking fun of Turkish, German, Afghan and American lifestyles and common prejudices. After breaking the fast, the women enjoyed thoughtful poems about love and relationships written and presented by Nadia Qani. The evening was filled with excellent conversation, networking opportunities, and much laughter.

The legacy of Mickey Mouse at Lucas Film Festival in Frankfurt
September 11-12, 2009. U.S. filmmaker and Academy Award nominee Leslie Iwerks fascinated a captive audience of filmmakers and an interested public at the 32. LUCAS International Children’s Film Festival in Frankfurt with stories about her grandfather Ub Iwerks, companion of Walt Disney, designer and co-creator of Mickey Mouse. Iwerks presented two of her documentary films, “The Hand behind the Mouse – the Ub Iwerks Story”, and “The Pixar Story”, which chronicles the history, business, artistic triumphs and challenges of Pixar Animation Studios and the computer animation art form they pioneered. LUCAS International Children’s Film Festival organized by the German Film Institute (DIF) is the longest-running children’s film festival in Germany and presents artistically and thematically worthy films, which make foreign cultures understandable.

Consulate Community Remembers 9/11
September 11, 2009. Staff of the Frankfurt Consulate honored the victims of terrorism of September 11, 2001 in a candle-lighting ceremony on Friday afternoon, September 11, 2009.   Consul General Ned Alford called for a moment of silence in honor of those who had lost their lives in the attacks, reminding the mourners of the sacrifice made by the many heroes of September 11  and the efforts of those working to prevent similar acts from ever occurring again. 
President Obama: Proclamation "Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance"

Discussion of Obama Administration in Kassel
September 4, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt and the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation organized a lecture by American political scientist Dr. Andrew Denison, Director of Transatlantic Networks, on “New Directions of U.S. Government Policies – Are Hopes Coming True?”in Kassel.  Almost 100 guests came out on a rainy Friday night to discuss the policies of the new administration.  Denison explained the nature of the tough choices the Obama White House is facing and engaged the audience in a lively discussion of the impact of the election of Barack Obama on transatlantic relations.

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.  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. (More)

My home is my castle - Sheri Warshauer exhibit opens in Frankfurt
September 2, 2009. Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen spoke at the opening of the Sheri Warshauer exhibit on September 2, at the Davis Klemm Gallery in Frankfurt.   Ms. Warshauer has won multiple awards for her works, which focus on architecture and homes.   Ms. Rosen praised the paintings in the exhibit “My home is my castle” as reflecting not only the vision of the artist but also underscoring the creativity of the homeowner.   The exhibit will continue through October 24. 

DPO Doria Rosen Conveys the President’s Ramadan Greetings at Iftar at State Chancellery in Stuttgart
August 31, 2009. Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen addressed an audience of some 50 participants at an Iftar hosted by Baden-Württemberg’s Justice Minister Prof. Dr. Ulrich Goll at the state chancellery in Stuttgart on August 31.  Ms. Rosen conveyed President Obama’s Ramadan greetings and talked about Ramadan traditions in the United States.  She also quoted parts of the president’s speech in Cairo, where he had sought a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world earlier this year.  Other speakers included Dr. Goll as deputy minister president, Imam Abdelmalik Hibaoui, the Turkish Consul General Ümit Yardim, as well as Turkish-German author Nilgün Tasman.  Print copies of the state department publication “Obama in Cairo: A Commemorative Transcript” and the 2010 Richness & Diversity Gratuity Calendars with powerful images depicting the convergence of Eastern and Western art that Ms. Rosen brought as gifts were well received.

“Touch ’n Go” Wows Crowd at Museumsuferfest
August 29 and 30, 2009. U.S. Air Force Band “Touch’n’Go” wowed audiences with their performances of rock and Motown at the Museumsuferfest in Frankfurt on August 29 and 30. Newly-arrived Consul General Ned Alford greeted the dense crowd on August 30, while Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen did the honors on August 29 on the stage of the Journal Frankfurt, which joined the Consulate and the English Theatre in sponsoring the band. The English Theatre, the largest English-language theatre on the European Continent, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. On both days, the band attracted a packed crowd who came to listen and dance.

New Consul General Meets Lord Mayor Roth and City Council Chairman Bührmann
August 26, 2009. Frankfurt Lord Mayor Petra Roth and City Council Chairman Karlheinz Bührmann met the new Consul General Edward M. (Ned) Alford at Frankfurt City Hall on August 26. Lord Mayor Roth presented Consul General Alford two china espresso cups made in Hoechst for “his first Frankfurt coffee”. Mr. Alford had assumed charge of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt on August 19, 2009. Prior to his assignment to Frankfurt, Mr. Alford served in Washington, Baghdad, Islamabad, Moscow,  Rome, Dhaka, Windhoek, Addis Ababa, Leningrad, Nairobi, and Manama.  Mr. Alford is looking forward to being in Frankfurt again: When he served in the military in Augsburg 1975-1976 where he worked as a German translator, he had spent his first night in Germany at “Gutleutkaserne” in Frankfurt.

Consul General Alford Attends Frankfurt Iftar
August 26, 2009. Consul General Ned Alford attended an Iftar given by the Turkish-German Health Foundation in Frankfurt on August 26. At the Iftar, Dr. Ysar Bilgin, as Chairman of the foundation, introduced Minister President Koch and presented him with gifts to honor the occasion. The Minister President spoke about progress made in Hessen in the education and integration of students whose families had immigrated to Germany and the urgent need for this progress to accelerate.

New Consul General has assumed charge in Frankfurt
August 24, 2009. Consul General Edward (Ned) M. Alford, a career Foreign Service Officer, class of Minister Counselor, assumed charge of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt on August 19, 2009. Prior to his assignment to Frankfurt Edward (Ned) M. Alford, a career Foreign Service Officer, class of Minister Counselor, served as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Management at the Department of State in Washington D.C. He joined the Department of State in December 1978. His previous assignments overseas include Management Counselor at the Embassies in Baghdad and Islamabad, Management Minister Counselor Moscow, General Services Officer in Rome and Dhaka, Management Officer in Windhoek, Addis Ababa, and Leningrad, Information Systems Officer Nairobi, as well as Consular Officer Manama, Bahrain. At the Department of State in Washington D.C. he served as Executive Director of the Bureaus of Near East Asia and South Central Asian Affairs, Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Management, and Post Management Officer for East Africa. (More)

Gießen – Waterloo, Iowa
August 15, 2009. On August 15th, Sister Cities Assocation Gießen - Waterloo, Iowa, presented information on the partnership during the annual "Stadtfest Gießen". The towns have been sister cities since 1981. Members of the association staffed an information booth and talked to Gießen citizens about their activities, including their recent trip to Waterloo, Iowa. They were joined by the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt. Visitors tested their knowledge of the United States with a USA quiz and had their questions on exchange opportunities and visa answered. They picked up information on the services of the U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Section, upcoming events and EducationUSA Frankfurt.

Marburg celebrated Thorpe Cup 2009
August 8 & 9, 2009. German and U.S. decathletes and heptathletes competed against each other to win the 2009 Thorpe Cup in Marburg on August 8 and 9. The binational competition is named after the American athlete and famous Olympic medal winner Jim Thorpe who won both new two multi-event disciplines decathlon and pentathlon at the Summer Olympics in Stockholm in 1912. The Thorpe Cup takes place alternately in Germany and the U.S. every year. Supported by the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, this year’s competition attracted more than 3,000 visitors who cheered for the American and German teams. | more

Farewell to “Windows on America” Group from Ludwigshafen
August 3, 2009.  Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins bid farewell to the “Windows on America” group from the Pestalozzi Hauptschule in Ludwigshafen on August 3, 2009.  Meeting with the nine excited students and their two teachers at the Frankfurt airport, Ms. Collins wished them a wonderful experience in the United States and encouraged them to make many new friends during their trip.  The students will travel to the United States for a twelve-day trip, visiting American cities such as New York, Washington, DC, and Charlotte, North Carolina. While on this trip, the students will be exposed to all aspects of American culture and daily life by visiting American museums and monuments, meeting with American youth groups, and participating in home stays with American families. (More) 

DHS Deputy Secretary Lute tours Frankfurt Airport’s biometric border control system
July 21, 2009. Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute received a guided tour and demonstration of Frankfurt airport’s pilot system for automated biometric border controls by German federal police on July 21, 2009.  A similar system is currently being piloted at several U.S. airports and Deputy Secretary Lute discussed her experiences with her German counterparts. Frankfurt is the first German airport to operate such a voluntary automated biometric system, which uses machine-readable passport data and an iris scan to identify previously registered passengers. Currently about 23,000 travelers have voluntarily registered with the system, which helps expedite border controls as well as enhance security.

Consulate Interns Attend International Climate Change Conference
July 12-19, 2009. Consulate interns Katelyn Andell and Katie Kyle participated in the UNESCO World Youth Festival, which took place from July 12 to 19 in Stuttgart. The event included a two day conference on climate change, during which the participants developed their ideas about climate change and suggestions for sustainable living into a “Stuttgart Statement.” The participants presented the statement to the Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, Wolfgang Schuster, at the conference’s final ceremony. Young people from 190 countries took part in the festival, enjoying such events as a tour of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, a sports day, and a screening of Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth.

Classic Jazz Rock at the Palmengarten
July 16, 2009. A unique trio of U.S. jazz artists Larry Coryell (guitar), Alphonse Mouzon (drums) and Joey DeFrancesco (B3 organ) filled the Frankfurt Palmengarten with the sounds of classic jazz rock on a beautiful summer evening. An overflow outdoor audience of nearly 1000 came to listen to the three exceptional musicians, who performed as part of the annual series of open air concerts at the Frankfurt botanical gardens. “Jazz at the Palmengarten”, under the artistic direction of Jazzinitiative Frankfurt e.V. and partly co-sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General, is the world’s longest running open air jazz series and celebrates its 5oth anniversary this year. An upcoming highlight of this summer’s concerts will be “Blues at the Palmengarten” on August 20 featuring Harriet Lewis, the Bluesnight Band and special guest Tommie Harris. (More) | Palmengarten Concert Program (pdf)

U.S. Mission to Germany supports multimedia project on Jewish history July 15, 2009.  At a luncheon hosted by the Jewish Community, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins welcomed a diverse group of teachers from the United States, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Turkey to Frankfurt on July 16th.  The teachers participate in a week-long seminar organized by the Vienna-based non-government organization “Centropa.” Centropa uses advanced technologies to preserve Jewish memory in Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, the Balkans and the Baltic’s, and then uses those same technologies to disseminate their findings in creative and innovative ways. | more

Bridging Cultural Differences
July 12,2009. Interns of the Consulate’s Public Affairs section met with participants of the German-American Internship Exchange of the Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft e.V. on July 12 to learn more about cultural differences between Germany and the U.S. and about living in Germany. After greeting the group, Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft’s President Dr. Ingrid Gräfin zu Solms-Wildenfels, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins and Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft's U.S. interns program coordinator Juliane Adameit discussed the challenges and opportunities of living and learning in foreign countries.  The lively discussion was followed by a city walk tour of Frankfurt and a barbeque at the Main river.

Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen Welcomes Participants of RISE-Program
July 9, 2009. Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen welcomed to Heidelberg over 350 American, British, and Canadian participants in the “Research Internships in Science and Engineering” (RISE) program, which facilitates exchange of science and culture.  She emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the sciences, as well as the unique experiences the scholars will have conducting research in German universities and research institutions. This year the RISE program, which grants scholarships to undergraduate science students from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to work with German researchers, celebrates its fifth anniversary.  This is also the first year that German students will travel to the United States.  Following the opening exercises in Heidelberg, the students will travel to their research posts at labs and universities all over Germany.

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Surprise Party for Consul General Jo Ellen Powell at English Theatre
July 8, 2009. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell was stunned and surprised to find over 100 friends standing behind a closed curtain on the stage of the English Theatre in Frankfurt who then suddenly chimed in on Brenda Rae’s singing of “I did it my way”. A group of friends led by English Theatre director Daniel Nicolai had planned this surprise farewell party for Jo Ellen Powell over the last couple of months. The program included piano pieces by Chopin and Beethoven performed by Darius and Samira Maleki, as well as German, American and French songs performed by singers of the Frankfurt Opera. After the exclusive show, the farewell party continued in the James Bar with a Viennese Waltz and classic rock and pop songs that had everyone, including the Consul General, out on the dance floor. The English Theatre was fabulously decorated with German and American colors, with just a hint of French colors as Jo Ellen Powell will join her husband and son in Paris after leaving Frankfurt. A slide show of over 200 photos showed highlights of Jo Ellen Powell’s three year service as Consul General. All the guests deeply regretted Jo Ellen Powell’s departure and many have already invited her back for private visits to Frankfurt.

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Pulitzer Prize Winners Take Frankfurt on an Exciting Journey from Fact to Fiction in Historical Literature
July 7, 2009. Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen and Library Director Thomas Schweier welcomed the “dream team of the historical novel” (Frankfurter Rundschau) Geraldine Brooks and her husband Tony Horwitz as well as some sixty interested attendees to the Bibliothekszentrum Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen on July 7th.  Geraldine Brooks introduced her latest historical fiction novel “People of the Book”, which tells the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah, one of the oldest surviving Jewish illuminated texts.  Tony Horwitz read from his newest book, “A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Other Adventurers in Early America.”  After their readings, the writers engaged the enthusiastic audience in a lively discussion on “History in Literature: Fact and Fiction” and shared experiences from their time as journalists, when they covered crisis regions all over the world for newspapers and magazines like the Wall Street Journal and the New Yorker. (More)

Consul General Jo Ellen Powell Hosts Independence Day Reception
July 2, 2009. On July 2, Consul General Jo Ellen Powell hosted Frankfurt’s official July 4th event at her residence.  After the presentation of the colors by the Marine Embassy Guard, Juandalynn Abernathy sang both the German and American national anthems.  Ms. Abernathy is the daughter of Ralph Abernathy, an American civil rights activist and leader and a close associate of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Consul General Jo Ellen Powell welcomed over 150 guests from local and state governments and cultural, educational, and financial institutions.   In her remarks celebrating the 233rd Independence Day, Ms. Powell reflected on her time as Consul General in Frankfurt.  She thanked her colleagues at the Consulate for having the honor to serve with them and expressed her gratitude for meeting so many interesting people and gaining their friendship.  | Photogallery

Farewells for Consul General Jo Ellen Powell in Stuttgart and Tübingen
July 1, 2009. The German-American Institutes in Stuttgart and Tübingen said farewell to Consul General Jo Ellen Powell during their annual Fourth of July receptions on July 1. In Stuttgart, State Interior Minister Rech thanked Consul General Powell in the name of Minister President Oettinger for her tireless engagement on behalf of German-American relations in the state of Baden-Württemberg. U.S. Admiral James G. Stavridis, the new NATO Commander in Chief and Commander of the U.S.-European Command in Stuttgart, joined some 500 guests at the reception who bid farewell to the Consul General in a very moving ceremony, saying “not Good-bye but Auf Wiedersehen.” In Tübingen, Lord Mayor Boris Palmer, an alumnus of the State Department's International Leadership Program and deputy board president of the German-American Institute, emphasized the strong commitment of Jo Ellen Powell to Tübingen. The school band of Hauptschule Innenstadt thanked Jo Ellen Powell for their 2008 trip to the United States with the 'Windows on America' program by playing their latest songs. Another hit of the summer reception at the idyllic Kloster Bebenhausen was the concert by Juandalynn Abernathy, who performed classic German and American songs as well as some American gospels.