To the Editor, The Tagesspiegel

Reading the editorial by Malte Lehming in the September 2 edition of the Tagesspiegel, I was disturbed by how completely he misunderstood the nature of our upcoming September 11th commemoration. I hope he will join us for the event.

This will be the fourth 9/11 memorial event I have had the privilege of cohosting during my time as U.S. Ambassador in Germany. The first, in 2005, was held at the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche. In 2006, the American Church in Kreuzberg played host. Last year we partnered with the Muslim Academy and Berlin’s Commission for Integration and Migration. Many of the mosques the Embassy works most closely with, however, are rather modest, so for convenience sake the event was held at my residence. This year we approached Berlin’s Jewish community, which offered space at the synagogue on Oranienburger Street. Perhaps next year we will be at a mosque.

We are grateful to each and every organization that has helped the Embassy memorialize the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Humans from many nations (including Germans) and many religions died that day. Each year, the event has been ecumenical, and clergy from major religious faiths have participated.

In all our September 11th commemorative events — in previous years and this year as well — the central quality is inclusiveness. We remember all the victims of terrorism, regardless of their religion or race or nationality. As I believe Mr. Lehming would agree, the importance of bringing people together is one of the most important lessons to be drawn from the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

Sincerely,

(signed Timken)