Archive of Selected Events Sep-Dec 2009

Deutsche Version

Also check out Jan-Apr, May-Aug 2009 and our archive of 2008 Events!

• October 30: Blue Note photo exhibit at Jewish Museum
  www.jmberlin.de
• October 15 – 20:
  Asian Women’s Film Festival at the Arsenal cinema.
• July 22-October 4:
  Exhibition “Bauhaus. A Conceptual Model” at Martin-Gropius-Bau 

20 Years Fall of the Wall

• Mauerfall 2009

  November 2, 2009 – March 2010
  “11/9 ↔ 9/11” Exhibition project by a group of artists from Berlin and New York: the artists explore from a personal angle the effects and implications of two contemporary historical events: the fall of the Wall in Berlin/Germany and the 9-11 attacks in New York. The works of the U.S. artists will be exhibited in Berlin, those of the German artists in New York. Opening of exhibition in New York: November 2, 2009 Opening of exhibition in Berlin: March 2010 in the gallery Berlin am Meer
• November 6 & 7 and November 13 & 14:
  The Kennedy School Drama Department will be performing the musical Stimmen durch die Mauer/Voices through the Wall. The musical, written by JFKS teacher Dr. McDaniel to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, offers insight into the Cold War divide and its effect on Berliners from both sides. The piece will be performed by high school students in both English and German with projected subtitles. Five performances are scheduled during two consecutive weekends at 7 pm in the Aula, as well as on Thursday, November 12^th.
  press release
  
• November 8/9
  The Wall Project, Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
  Artists Thierry Noir, Kent Twitchell and Shepard Fairey will design 32 recreated pieces of the Berlin wall, which will be erected across Wilshire Blvd., to be torn down at midnight in form of a artistic ceremony on November 8 corresponding to November 9 in Berlin. The midnight ceremony will feature a performance by renowned chanteuse Ute Lemper, after which the Wall across Wilshire will be toppled by artists featured in The Wall Project: www.wallproject.org
• November 9
  “Fest der Freiheit”
  The fall of the Wall will be celebrated on November 9 with a festive act at the Brandenburg Gate and state representatives, contemporary witnesses and senior personalities. A highlight of the event will be a 'domino effect' staging of the symbolic fall of the Wall when more than 1,000 oversized dominos designed by young people will be made to fall - stretching from the Reichstag through to Potsdamer Platz, marking the old route of the Wall that ran past the Brandenburg Gate. PA Berlin has sponsored a U.S. Embassy domino designed by 12th grade students from the Torhorst Schule Oranienburg (Brandenburg).
  www.torhorstschule.de/html/domino.html - Fall of the Wall
  http://www.mauerfall09.de/en/portal/9-november.html
  http://www.berlintwitterwall.com/de/
  
• November 10: Street Festival on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the Glienicker Brücke organized by Land Brandenburg and City of Potsdam - The Street Festival (Bürgerfest) is taking place at Glienicker Brücke in Potsdam from 18:00-20:00 hrs. and will be open to the public. There will be performances by a U.S. Army brass quintet as part of the cultural program. more
• December 4
  Symposium “Art in the Cold War” at the Deutsches Historisches Museum with one American speaker. The symposium will take place in connection with the exhibit “Art of Two Germanys”.
  www.dhm.de/ausstellungen/kunst-und-kalter-krieg/begleitprogramm.html
  
• December 17
  Lecture within the series “20 Years Fall of the Wall on “American Culture and the Cold War” - 6-8 PM - Speaker: Richard Pells, Professor of History, University of Texas, Audience: students from the Kennedy Institute (literature, culture, history). Host: Andreas Etges, Professor of History. 
• Ongoing programs: USA-GDR: Twenty Years Later – Oral History Project
  The project highlights the American connections to the GDR by an interactive online oral history collection designed to record the reciprocal impressions of GDR citizens and Americans who lived through this period of history. To document this unique relationship, the impressions of both Americans who lived and visited in the GDR and citizens of the GDR who came in touch with Americans are being recorded. In cooperation with the Leipzig Consulate, PA Berlin has identified interview partners including Foreign Service officers and local staff from the former U.S. Embassy in East Berlin, Americans with other institutional and personal contacts in the GDR, and former GDR citizens. Their interviews will be posted on a YouTube page, with appropriate links from the Mission website. In addition to video clips, text comments and photographs, the site will feature a timeline of the political events that led to unification, including the commitment of successive American presidents, FRG Ostpolitik, Perestroika, and the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR as reference points to topics mentioned in the interviews. So far the project has been presented at America@yourlibrary events in Frankfurt/Oder and Potsdam, more regional events are planned.
  

Clinton in Berlin for Fall of the Wall festivities

Mauerfall 2009

November 8, 2009. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Berlin. She was greeted at the airport by Ambasssador Murphy. Secretary Clinton will represent the United States at the 20th anniversary celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall and meet with senior German officials. arrival video | Travel page

Update: Remarks With German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (November 9, 2009)

U.S. diplomats as “witnesses to history” speak at MTV’s program commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall

November 5, 2009. In the context of its Europe Music Awards, MTV invited selected guests from media, business, politics, and the creative industry to an afternoon program exploring the events around November 9, 1989. The program featured Consul General Janice Weiner, from the U.S. Consulate General Düsseldorf and Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs, George Glass, from the U.S. Embassy Berlin, who shared their experiences of serving at the U.S. Embassy in East Berlin during the fall of the Wall and the Reunification process in 1989/1990.

Key economic and business representatives explore U.S. Energy policy with energy expert

November 2, 2009. Elizabeth Benson, a Washington-based expert on a wide range of energy issues, spoke at the U.S. Embassy to members of the prestigious Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the World Energy Council. Her speech was part of the U.S. Embassy’s speakers program. Her lecture, “United States Energy Policy: An Evolving Picture”, addressed the current energy situation in the U.S. on both the national and state levels. She offered a comprehensive overview of the status of the development of various renewable energy initiatives and the advances in technologies in the U.S. designed to address the problems of climate change and energy security. She also provided an assessment of the realistic prospects of getting new legislation approved by Congress. Her insights and analyses presented an opportunity for her German counterparts to gain a sense of the new directions in U.S. energy and climate change policies under President Obama. Video

The Tourist at The Kennedys: Olen Steinhauer reads from his new novel

Mauerfall 2009

The U.S. Embassy Literature Series – 20 Years Fall of the Wall

October 29, 2009. Olen Steinhauer, Picador-Guest Professor at the University of Leipzig, read from, and discussed, his five-book sequence chronicling Cold War Eastern Europe and his new novel, The Tourist, at the Museum THE KENNEDYS. The program was a cooperation of the U.S. Embassy with Veranstaltungsforum der Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH.

Olen Steinhauer grew up in Virginia, and has since lived in Georgia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Massachusetts, and New York. Outside the US, he’s lived in Croatia (when it was called Yugoslavia), the Czech Republic and Italy. He also spent a year in Romania on a Fulbright grant, an experience that helped inspire his first five books. He now lives in Hungary with his wife and daughter.

Olen Steinhauer has published stories and poetry in various literary journals over the years. His first novel, The Bridge of Sighs (2003), the start of a five-book sequence chronicling Cold War Eastern Europe, one book per decade, was nominated for five awards.

The second book of the series, The Confession, garnered significant critical acclaim, and 36 Yalta Boulevard (The Vienna Assignment in the UK), made three year-end best-of lists. Liberation Movements (The Istanbul Variations in the UK), was listed for four best-of lists and was nominated for an Edgar Award for best novel of the year. The final novel in the series, Victory Square, published in 2007, was a New York Times editor’s choice. With The Tourist, he has left the Cold War behind, beginning a trilogy of spy tales focused on international deception in the post 9/11 world. Happily, George Clooney’s Smoke House Films has picked up the rights, with Mr. Clooney scheduled to star. photo gallery | Audio (mp3)

Ambassador Murphy opens Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs

Mauerfall 2009

October 22, 2009. Ambassador Phil Murphy opened this year’s Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs. The three-day gathering provides an opportunity for alumni of the Marshall Memorial Fellowship to remain engaged in transatlantic dialogue and to examine the U.S.-Europe relationship in a global context. Titled “20 Years After 1989 – Looking Back and Ahead. Are the Ideals of Democracy and Market Economy Still Valid?,” the conference focuses on topics that include the legacies of 1989, the impact of the economic crisis, the challenges of global security, climate change and competitiveness, right wing radicalism, labor migration as well as insight into the outcome of the German federal election. In his remarks Ambassador Murphy stated he wanted to “communicate the new optimism and commitment to the transatlantic relationship” and – to use U.S. President Obama’s words — “to renew our relationship for a new generation, in a new century." Ambassador’s speeches

November 10: An American in Berlin - Reading and Discussion with Ralph Martin

"Ein Amerikaner in Berlin. Wie ein New Yorker lernte, die Deutschen zu lieben" (Dumont Verlag, August 2009)

Ralph Martin — Reading and Discussion  

Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 7:00 pm

Ralph Martin tracks the stages of his transition from contemptuous ex-New Yorker to “lover of all things German." When he arrived in Germany, Martin was a typical New Yorker: smart, snobbish, always a little bit over-dressed. Just the way to stand out in Berlin which compared to the “big apple," seemed like a wormy organic apple. One thing was clear: something had to give. It wasn't going to be Berlin — and Ralph Martin began the painful but sometimes comical transition from Manhattanite to Berliner.
http://ralphmartinwrites.com/

In cooperation with the Stadt- und Landesbibliothek Potsdam.

An America@yourlibrary program.

http://slb.potsdam.org/php3/tipp.php3#10.November.19.00

Location:
Stadt-und Landesbibliothek Potsdam, Hauptbibliothek
Am Kanal 47 - 14467 Potsdam (10 min from Potsdamer Haupbahnhof)

November 4: Climate Bridge Los Angeles – Berlin

In Koope­ration mit der weltweit größten »grünen« Jugend­konferenz in Berlins Partnerstadt Los Angeles (L. A.) mit dem Motto »Get Your Green On! Start Local, Impact Global« findet auch hier in Berlin eine ganz besondere Ver­anstaltung statt: Wir schlagen eine climate bridge nach L. A. und stellen ungewöhn­liche Aktionen vor, in denen junge Menschen aus beiden Metro­polen Klima­schutz in die eigene Hand nehmen. Wir möchten so unsere Gäste motivieren, sich auch selbst aktiv für den Klima­schutz einzusetzen. Kurz vor dem Welt­klimagipfel in Kopen­hagen steht die Ver­anstaltung im Rahmen von ClubE unter dem Motto: »Stop talking. Act now!«. Videos aus L. A. und Berlin sowie eine Talk­show und mehrere Spiele regen das junge Publikum vor Ort zum Mit­machen an. Die Ergebnisse werden am Ende live in die Konferenz nach L. A. kommuniziert.

Zeit: Mittwoch, 4. November 2009, Einlass 17.30 Uhr, Beginn 18.00 Uhr bis ca. 20.30 Uhr
Ort: Kalkscheune, Johannisstraße 2, 10117 Berlin-Mitte

Eintritt frei, Anmeldung erforderlich unter www.berliner-impulse.de/

Jewish-American artist Mindy Weisel opens exhibit in Berlin

October 22, 2009. “I’ve come to Berlin as an American, an artist, a Jew – and a daughter.” Mindy Weisel, distinguished artist and writer, opened her Embassy supported exhibit “Full Circle” at the gallery Lorch + Seidel in Berlin. As one of the first babies born in Bergen Belsen after World War II and daughter of Auschwitz survivors, Mindy Weisel found expression in painting. Her art work of paintings and objects weaves history, personal tragedy, darkest times and brightest times into a pattern of love, beauty and artistry. photo gallery

Ambassador Murphy meets the Weisels

On October 23, Ambassador Murphy met with distinguished artist and writer Mindy Weisel who had come to the Embassy with her husband, two of her daughters and her youngest grandson to donate one of her glass works as a permanent loan. Mindy Weisel also toured the country to talk about “The Survival of Beauty” in light of tragedy in Dachau, at the German Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, and will continue at the Consulate General in Hamburg and the Mahnmal Kilian in Kiel next week. Video

Background/Media reaction:

• Germany’s Ambassador to the U.S. Klaus Scharioth met with Mindy Weisel at the German Embassy on October 5, 2009
• 2007 Interview with Mindy Weisel (Video | MP3)
• “Ich komme völlig ohne Groll” - article by Antje Passenheim in taz of Sep. 11, 2009  
• “Der Triumph der Überlebenden” - article by Sabine Buchwald in SZ of Oct. 22, 2009
  
• report broadcast on DW-TV's Kultur.21 program Oct. 31
• Richard Greenberg: “Back to the future/Artist returns to Germany as cultural emissary” In: Washington Jewish Week of Nov 11, 2009

Ambassador Murphy holds press roundtable

October 21, 2009. Ambassador Philip Murphy welcomed journalists from major German news outlets to the Embassy in Berlin for an on-the-record press roundtable. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Murphy highlighted issues of common interest between Germany and the U.S., ranging from Afghanistan to climate change negotiations to the financial crisis. In the question and answer session that followed, Ambassador Murphy reiterated the Obama Administration’s emphasis on seeking solutions to problems by working in partnerhsip and maintaining dialogue with other nations. He described the U.S.-German partnership as “essential” to making progress in areas of concern to both countries, and to the world.

"Dancing to Connect" Commemorates the Fall of the Wall

October 15, 2009. “Student created, student performed,” such is the motto of the Manhattan-based Battery Dance Company’s Dancing to Connect program. Several members of the Cultural Affairs Section attended a performance of Dancing to Connect – The Fall of the Wall last Thursday at the Fontane-Haus Berlin. The performance involved 100 students from five high schools throughout Berlin and Brandenburg and was one of a series of joint student-Battery Dance Company productions presented during the month of October (October 13, Nikolaisaal Potsdam). This program was, however, particularly special because it not only gave participating high school students the opportunity to attend professionally led dance workshops and develop and produce their own choreography, but it also gave them the chance to connect with the historic events surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a time they were not even alive to experience.  Berliner Zeitung reported on the event with a specific focus on the 21 New York bound students of the Ernst-Reuter-Oberschule in Wedding, who will head to the Big Apple at the beginning of next month for a ten day dance tour. The paper wrote that many of the dancers come from migrant backgrounds and claim to have very little knowledge of the GDR – this occasion has allowed them to take a deeper look at German history. The students, who performed with Dancing to Connect last year at the opening ceremony of the U.S. Embassy at Pariser Platz, were all very enthusiastic to participate in the program once again.
Dancing to Connect brings together high school students and the professional dancers of the Manhattan-based Battery Dance Company via dance workshops and performances. | 2008

Ambassador Phil Murphy Supports U.S. Agriculture at ANUGA Trade Show

October 14, 2009. At this year’s ANUGA (International and Food and Beverage) Trade Show in Cologne, Ambassador Murphy met with representatives of U.S. food and beverage companies to highlight the importance of trade and show his support for U.S. Agriculture. More than 160 U.S. companies representing a variety of products including nuts, beef, poultry, grains, juices, and other consumer-oriented food products showcased their quality products to international importers and food service organizations. Most of these companies are small to medium sized firms, whose participation is supported through the use of funds provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program. The ANUGA Trade Show is the world’s largest food and beverage show in the world and takes place every two years.

Federation of German-American Clubs awards Lucius D. Clay medal to Chancellor Angela Merkel

October 10, 2009. At this year’s Celebration of German-American Day at the Federal Press Office in Berlin, the Federation of German-American Clubs presented Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Lucius D. Clay Award. In his keynote speech, Ambassador Phil Murphy highlighted Chancellor Merkel’s important role in promoting a strong German-American partnership: “The distinctive feature of this partnership is the fact that we share the same fundamental values. Chancellor Merkel, who grew up behind the Berlin Wall, is adamant that ‘we must never take freedom for granted. Freedom and democracy must be worked at continually.’” Photo gallery
Background: German-American clubs throughout Germany have annually celebrated German-American Day since President Reagan officially proclaimed the celebration in 1987. Since 2001, the Federation of German-American Clubs has been commemorating this special day with joint events at different locations in Germany, with the U.S. Ambassador traditionally serving as patron. This year, in connection with the 60th anniversary of the German Federal Republic and the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, the Federation of German-American Clubs held its annual German-American Day event in Berlin.
• Presidential proclamation regarding German-American Day (October 6, 2009)

Chinese-American Author Lisa See Opens Book Fair in Berlin

October 9, 2009. Cultural Attaché Elizabeth Corwin opened the Embassy Book Fair program at the State of Hesse’s representation office in Berlin featuring a reading by Chinese-American author Lisa See. Family history and China – the featured country at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair – serve as the backdrop for Lisa See’s novels. She combines the rich heritage and cultural reach of the Orient and the Occident in a unique way. Ms. See is probably best known for Snow Flower and The Secret Fan, for which she travelled to a remote area of China—where she was told she was only the second foreigner ever to visit – to conduct her research. Amy Tan called the novel “achingly beautiful, a marvel of imagination.” The rights to Snow Flower were sold to 38 countries. The novel also became a New York Times bestseller and won numerous U.S. and international awards. MGM Studios acquired the film rights. In addition to reading from her recently published novel Shanghai Girls (“Töchter aus Shanghai”), Ms. See gave a fascinating account of U.S. immigration history, talked about the restrictions on immigration from Asia in the 18th and 19th century and the daily racism practised on Angel Island, the equivalent of Ellis Island, through which most Chinese immigrants would have come on their long journey to equal rights, full citizenship and opportunity. photo gallery | www.lisasee.com/shanghaigirls/.

"Life with Maggie" - U.S. Embassy supports Young Photographer's exhibition

October 9, 2009. Ofer Wolberger, a talented young photographer, is featured with artists Robert Frank and Nan Goldin in a photo exhibit opened on Friday at C/O Berlin (www.co-berlin.info). Deputy Cultural Attachée Stephanie Brancaforte emphasized the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to showcasing emerging American talents.

Ambassador Murphy toured Ramstein

October 8, 2009. Ambassador Murphy took a tour through facilities at Ramstein Air Base Germany with General Roger Brady, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, during his visit to the Kaiserslautern Military Community. The Ambassador was briefed by Col. Robert Moriarty (left), deputy director of installations and mission support for headquarters USAFE. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Corey Clements)

Ambassador Murphy holds townhall meeting at Humboldt University

October 5, 2009. In his first speech before press since his arrival, Ambassador Murphy presented his vision for renewing the U.S.-German relationship with a new generation of Germans. Speaking at Humboldt University in former East Berlin before an audience of over 150 high school and college students, as well as young professionals, the Ambassador reminded the audience of the historical importance of the U.S.-German relationship, praised the virtues of tolerance and diversity, and called on Germans to work together with the U.S. to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. Speaking in German, the Ambassador said: “It is important when friends disagree that they are honest about it… The history of our partnership after 1945 makes the relationship between our countries more like family. You don't always agree with your brother or sister, but you do come back at the end of the day to sit together at the same table—because we share the same basic values.” remarks in full | photo gallery | Video

Media reaction:

• Deutsche Momente Ein Hauch von Obama
  WELT ONLINE - ‎06.10.2009‎
  Von Alexander Kohnen 7. Oktober 2009, 04:00 Uhr So macht das nun mal ein echter Macher: Erst mal das Jackett ausziehen, die Ärmel hochkrempeln,
• Neuer US-Botschafter tritt zum Dienst in Berlin an
  Berliner Morgenpost - ‎06.10.2009‎
  So macht das nun mal ein Macher: erst mal das Jackett ausziehen, die Ärmel hochkrempeln, Krawatte lockern. Das ist er also: Barack Obamas Mann in Berlin.
• Berlin: Neuer US-Botschafter beweist Entertainer-Qualitäten
  FOCUS Online - ‎05.10.2009‎
  Seine Helden sind John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King und natürlich Barack Obama: Berlin hat mit seinem neuen US-Botschafter Philip D. Murphy einen ...
• US-Botschafter Murphy - der Infotainer Tagesspiegel - ‎06.10.2009‎
  Wenn der neue US-Botschafter Philip D. Murphy so weitermacht, wie er bei seinem ersten größeren öffentlichen Auftritt am Montagabend in Berlin angefangen...
• “A new game of dominoes” (The Economist, Nov 12; The Indian Express, Nov 18)
  THE new American ambassador to Germany, Philip Murphy, introduced himself to Berliners recently in an Obama-style town-hall meeting at Humboldt University

Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures

October 2, 2009. At the German Historical Museum, Berlin, Ambassador Murphy opened the widely acclaimed exhibition “Art of Two Germanys / Cold War Cultures.” Coming from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the show was put together by LACMA and "Kunstprojekte Berlin". The exhibition continues until Jan 10, 2010. Before Berlin, the exhibition was on display at the Germanische Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg. The June 16-18 conference “Deutsche Kunst im Kalten Krieg” (German Art in the Cold War), part of the additional program, was supported by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section.
• list of artists

The Fall of the Wall from an American Perspective: DJ Darky Goes Berlin

September 30, 2009. On the occasion of this year’s 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, the U.S. Embassy Literature Series featured a reading by American poet, performance artist, and novelist Paul Beatty at the Literaturwerkstatt Berlin. Paul Beatty’s latest book Slumberland describes the experiences of DJ Darky from Los Angeles who comes to cold war Berlin as a disk jockey in search of the perfect beat – only to witness turbulent times and the changes brought about by the wall. German translator and actor Robin Detje read from his German translation. Together with a highly interested audience, cultural critic and journalist Ingo Arend and Mr. Beatty discussed the German interest in American culture, the different shades of racism and race relations in the U.S. and Europe and post-cold war changes. This program was in cooperation with Literaturwerkstatt Berlin and Blumenbar publishing house. Beatty also read in Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich.

Welcome to Germany: Reception for new Foreign Service Officers

September 29, 2009. In honor of three newly arrived Public Affairs Foreign Service Officers, U.S. Embassy's Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs hosted a welcome reception. Ambassador Phil Murphy dropped by to officially welcome Pamela Dragovich, Elizabeth Corwin and Stephanie Brancaforte and to pay his respect to invited Public Affairs contacts and partners from the cultural, educational, political and institutional field.

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) participants share their experiences

September 25, 2009. Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Pam DeVolder and American intern Diana Partridge met with 50 participants of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program who recently returned from a one year exchange in high schools throughout the U.S. In an open dialogue session, the participants shared both their positive and negative experiences, their impressions of American culture and society, and their sentiments upon returning to Germany and reintegrating into their everyday lives. The perceptiveness of the young people and their eagerness to articulate their experiences was highly impressive. Nearly all the participants enjoyed involvement in clubs, sports teams, politics, church groups, and activities with their host families. Many expressed pleasant surprise at the open, accepting nature of Americans, while others noted that interracial tensions in their communities ran higher than they had anticipated. A few noted the prominent role religion plays within American society at large, some observed a strong sense of national unity in the U.S., and none were without a passionate account of Obama’s inauguration speech. The participants conveyed a desire to maintain contact with friends and host families in the U.S and pursue their interest in American culture. Over the last 25 years, the CBYX Program has made it possible for some 15,000 young Germans and Americans to participate in a year-long high school exchange.

Clean Fuels and Technologies

September 22, 2009. Dennis Leaf, a senior policy advisor for international programs in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), spoke at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin to about 30 German Bundestag staffers on “Current Energy and Environmental Issues and Initiatives in the United States.” A passionate advocate for President Obama’s new policy on climate change, Mr. Leaf assured the audience that President Obama is committed to working with Congress to address the issue of climate change. But he also warned of too high expectations of the upcoming Copenhagen Summit. While in Berlin Mr. Leaf also discussed Clean Fuels and Technologies for Traffic and Transportation in Europe and the US with experts at the Ecologic Institute, members of the American Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the German automobile industry at the Berlin representation of Daimler AG. photo gallery | video

Dr. Daniel Hamilton Discusses Current State of Transatlantic Relations with Journalists

September 17, 2009. Dr. Daniel Hamilton, Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, had an on-the-record discussion with a group of six German journalists focused on the current state of transatlantic relations and the challenges faced by the Obama administration. Dr. Hamilton emphasized the importance for the Obama Administration of the period between now and the 2010 congressional elections (“the first 500 days”). He said that by the end of that period, the administration’s major reform projects need to be well underway, if not actually completed. Dr. Hamilton underscored the centrality of the President’s efforts to achieve health care reform, noting that “the President needs a win” in order to strengthen his ability to further advance his domestic agenda and also move forward in the area of foreign policy. Dr. Hamilton stressed that the U.S. is open to a new relationship with Russia, and that in order to reach international consensus on Iran, Russia, China and the EU need to agree on a joint approach. He dismissed the notion that there is tension in the relationship between President Obama and Chancellor Merkel, and said he sees no major policy differences between them but rather at most some variations in emphasis.

U.S. Embassy Literature Series: Arab-American writer Randa Jarrar reads at Nights of Ramadan Festival

September 16, 2009. Several partners came together to make a very special event possible during the “Nights of Ramadan” cultural festival in Berlin: A reading with the Arab-American Book Award winner Randa Jarrar at the world famous Museum for Islamic Art on Museum Island. Jarrar, who read from her debut novel A Map of Home, is a representative of a young generation of writers who not only personify the immigrant experience, but who add a very special flavor to a diverse American literary landscape. The audience, among them representatives of the largest Muslim community in Germany, immigrants from Palestine and Iraq, teachers, students and academics, greatly appreciated Ms. Jarrar’s humorous and candid coming of age story set in Kuwait, Egypt and the U.S. Before Berlin, Ms. Jarrar had already appeared in Munich and Tuebingen, and traveled on to read in Kiel and Hamburg. bio | photo gallery | International Literature Festival (September 9-19)

Former Ambassador Timken and Mrs. Timken return to Berlin to promote Windows on America

September 15, 2009. Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany William R. Timken, Jr. and Mrs. Sue Timken returned to Berlin to support the Windows on America program (WoA) which they initiated in 2006 to promote mutual understanding and build relationships among the next generation of German and American youth. This unique public-private partnership program enables minority students to travel to the United States for short term exchanges to learn firsthand about American culture. In the words of former Ambassador Timken, “The Windows on America program is important because it helps break barriers of ignorance and fosters better understanding between people in Germany and in the U.S.” Since 2006, 110 students have participated in the program. The most recent group, 10 students from the Pestalozzi Hauptschule in Ludwigshafen who represent a variety of cultures, religions and backgrounds, traveled in August to New York, Washington, DC, and Charlotte, North Carolina. During their stay in the U.S., they lived with host families, visited high schools and youth clubs, worked with a community organization, and learned about American culture and society. “I loved every minute of the program” one student commented after his return. “I have learned so much and had so many amazing experiences. The trip to the U.S. also inspired me to improve my English.”

Urban Redevelopment Policy in the United States

September 24, 2009.
Lecture by Professor Robert A. Beauregard - "From Growth to Shrinkage: Urban Redevelopment Policy in the United States"
Center for Metropolitan Studies

Ambassador and Mrs. Murphy host Iftar Reception

September 14, 2009. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy, his wife Tammy, and their four children welcomed 30 members of various German Muslim communities, as well as German political and community leaders actively involved in integration, to their home for a traditional Iftar reception. In his welcome remarks, the Ambassador referred to President Obama’s commitment to engagement based on mutual respect and mutual interests, and emphasized that communication with Muslims living in Germany would continue to be an important part of the Mission’s outreach programs. Dr. Markus Kerber, Director General for Policy Planning and International Development at the German Ministry of the Interior, who spoke on behalf of the German government, expressed his gratitude for the Embassy’s long history of engagement to promote cross-cultural understanding and tolerance through interfaith events and other initiatives. Following an airing of President Obama’s Ramadan message, Imam Abadallah Hajjir, of the Haus der Weisheit in the Moabit district in Berlin, led the group in prayer. The program was concluded by the breaking of the Ramadan fast after sunset. Photo Gallery
• Ramadan Kareem - Remarks by President Obama at Iftar Dinner, multiple translations (September 1, 2009)
• Secretary Clinton Hosts Annual State Department Iftar Dinner (September 15, 2009)
• Eid Mubarak - President Obama’s Ramadan message (September 19, 2009)
• Ramadan feature at www.america.gov

Moment of Silence marks the eighth anniversary of September 11 attacks

September 11, 2009. The U.S. Embassy commemorated the events of September 11, 2001 in a ceremony featuring remarks by Ambassador Philip D. Murphy, followed by a moment of silence. The families of the German victims of 9/11 were invited to join the commemoration event in the Embassy courtyard, where one year ago they gathered for the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the victims of the September 11 attacks. Photo Gallery | Remarks by the Ambassador

Ambassador and family spend weekend on the Baltic Sea coast

September 5 and 6, 2009. On their first visit outside of Berlin, Ambassador Murphy took his family to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Murphys, including dog Sasha, thoroughly enjoyed the magnificient coastal landscape around the seaside resort Wustrow.

Ambassador Philip D. Murphy has presented his credentials in Germany

September 3, 2009. Ambassador Philip Murphy presented his credentials to the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler. Photo Gallery

Milestones in the nomination process:
August 21, 2009. Ambassador-designate Philip Murphy and his family have arrived in Germany (photo | video | remarks). The next and final step will be for him to present his credentials to the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, after which he will assume his full duties as Ambassador.
August 13, 2009. In Washington, Philip D. Murphy was sworn in as Ambassador to Germany.
August 7, 2009. United States Senate confirms Philip D. Murphy as Ambassador-Designate to the Federal Republic of Germany