speeches
Opening of the Exhibition “Evolution of a Friendship”
Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr.
German-American Institute Nürnberg
March 9, 2006
Professor Falke, dear friends of the Amerika Haus, dear friends in uniform, Ladies and Gentlemen,
You couldn’t have thought of a better highlight in my first visit to Nürnberg than opening this tribute to German-American friendship at the German-American Institute. I have just come from a meeting with your young, smart and energetic Lord Mayor, Dr. Maly, where our mutual friendship and respect was real and tangible. We talked about the good and the bad that ties America and Nürnberg together historically and about the bright future of our ties - for example about the United States soccer team playing its decisive first round game - and I bet you - not its last game in the World Cup in the Franken - Stadium. We also talked about the strength of our American companies and the expansion of our military facilities in your region.
Our friendship, as this documentation shows, has a remarkable history. And as you probably know, my family history could well have been included in this show. My great great grandfather, a farmer’s son from the outskirts of Bremen, was one of the millions of Germans who sought and found a better future in a “Land of Opportunity”. It is particularly gratifying to me that this tribute to our friendship was put together by the Bundeswehr’s military history institute on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of our military academy West Point in cooperation with our Library of Congress and our National Archives. The exhibit has been shown in America, in cities that are hosts to German Armed Forces units and in some of our bases here in Germany.
It is so important that we not forget the central role that our soldiers and their families play and have played in our partnership. When I talk to your Minister President and to the mayors here in Bavaria, they tell me how fortunate it is that our troops are still present here or they tell me how great the loss was when they were withdrawn. It is a fact that those 15 million Americans - the soldiers and their families, who were stationed in Germany over the past 60 years, have been Germany’s best Ambassadors in America, and the same is true for the German soldiers who have trained with our troops, here and in America. I am delighted to see so many members of the Armed Forces, both German and American here today, and I salute you and I thank you for the work you do as part of our shared mission in NATO, here in Europe and as you secure peace and democracy in other parts of the world. You are living proof that the bilateral partnership is alive and well.
I am very pleased to have been invited to the Amerika Haus, and I thank you, Professor Falke, for that invitation. This Amerika Haus, this German-American Institute, could also be part of this exhibition, because it too played a central role in the “evolution of our friendship” as the exhibit is called. It will celebrate its 60th Anniversary this year - that makes it, by American standards, a truly venerable institution. So let me take this opportunity to congratulate the German-American Institute, the Amerika Haus Nürnberg on its great work over the past six decades - times that haven’t always been easy in our relationship. And let me express my sincere hope and wish that it will continue its work with your support, with the city’s support and our support.
I know everyone is eager to visit the exhibit, but before we formally open it, I want to give Professor Falke a chance to introduce us to it briefly.
