Since Richard Grenell stepped back as ambassador in Berlin on June 1, 2020, the post has been vacant until February 17, 2022.
Wikipedia states: "Through her writings, Gutmann has consistently sought to bridge theory and policy to advance the core values of a civil democratic society: liberty, opportunity, and mutual respect."
We waited for her at the Gerichtslaube (courthouse) entrance, the oldest town hall in Freiburg, where she came on foot. Leaving her limousine with the Berlin license plates behind, she walked toward Mayor Martin Horn, smiling.
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From the right America's Consul General in Frankfurt, Norman Thatcher Scharpf, Lord Mayor Martin Horn, Ambassador Amy Gutmann, Freiburg's Finance Mayor Stefan Breiter, and Hanna Böhme, Managing Director at Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik Messe GmbH. |
They took a group photo before the flagpole with the Star-Spangled Banner.
Martin Horn, wearing his chain of office, on occasion welcomed the ambassador.
He regarded her visit as a sign of the tight connection between Freiburg and
the USA. In this context, he mentioned the city partnership with Madison,
Wisconsin, the "global players" Pfizer and Stryker busy in Freiburg, and, of
course, the Carl-Schurz-Haus, on whose 70th birthday Amy Gutmann came to
Freiburg. The CHS is a great institution dedicated to German-American
relations, said Horn, bringing people together.
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| Consul General Scharpf is listening too. |
Meeting people who share the same values despite the pandemic, the war in
Ukraine, and the energy crisis is a pleasure. Sending the greetings of
President Joe Biden, who considers it essential to strengthen German-American
relations, she hoped this would not be her last visit to this "wonderful
city."
During her speech, Amy Gutmann exuded enthusiasm and esprit de corps. When she approached the invited American students, she was entranced.
Her enthusiasm continued in the evening when she gave the Carl-Schurz
lecture. Freiburg's good parlor, the Kaisersaal in the historic
Kaufhaus, was filled to capacity. A long line formed at the
entrance as staff checked all registrations for the evening. Red Baron
was glad to have a seat reserved among the members of the
Freiburg-Madison-Gesellschaft. From there, I took some photos.
Amy Gutmann based her lecture "Our Shared Responsibilities for Tomorrow"
on two quotations. One is from Benjamin Franklin; the other is from Carl
Schurz.
Franklin's comment at the time of signing the Declaration of Independence, "We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately," Gutmann extended to German-American relations. We two countries must stand together to defend our democratic values, especially in times of crisis.
Carl Schurz's saying, "My country, right or wrong," he replied to a country fellow who accused him, as an immigrant, of not being sufficiently American - you find nearly always truncated. Carl Schurz notably added, "If [my country is] right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right," referring to his active involvement in building American democracy, such as the founding of the Republican Party.
Her lecture perfectly introduced the following One Day Pop-Up Think Tank: Democratic Vistas, Sharing Ideas for a Transatlantic Future.
It followed a discussion between the ambassador and three students of the
Freiburg Bosch College.
Amy told the students not only to protest against things they want changed but also to engage politically.
Regarding the spread of fake news on social media, she recommended not to suck it in, but to respond to any false information quickly and precisely.
Ultimately, Professor Gutmann insisted that you must teach and learn history. Only then can you learn from history. This last remark warmed Red Baron's heart.
Ambassador Gutmann is a stroke of luck for Germany.
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During her speech, Amy Gutmann exuded enthusiasm and esprit de corps. When she approached the invited American students, she was entranced.
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| The traditional exchange of presents |
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| The ambassador signed the city's Golden Book. |
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The Director of the Carl-Schurz-Haus Friederike Schulte welcomes the ambassador and the guests. |
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The Mayor for Cultural Affairs Ullrich von Kirchbach addresses the crowd |
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Ambassador Amy Gutmann gives the Carl Schurz Lecture |
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Hymns by Paul Hindemith and songs by Kurt Weill with texts by Walt Whitman |
Franklin's comment at the time of signing the Declaration of Independence, "We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately," Gutmann extended to German-American relations. We two countries must stand together to defend our democratic values, especially in times of crisis.
Carl Schurz's saying, "My country, right or wrong," he replied to a country fellow who accused him, as an immigrant, of not being sufficiently American - you find nearly always truncated. Carl Schurz notably added, "If [my country is] right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right," referring to his active involvement in building American democracy, such as the founding of the Republican Party.
Her lecture perfectly introduced the following One Day Pop-Up Think Tank: Democratic Vistas, Sharing Ideas for a Transatlantic Future.
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From the left, the Ukrainian and the German student,
Ambassador Gutmann and the Tunisian student (©Meike Voß) |
Amy told the students not only to protest against things they want changed but also to engage politically.
Regarding the spread of fake news on social media, she recommended not to suck it in, but to respond to any false information quickly and precisely.
Ultimately, Professor Gutmann insisted that you must teach and learn history. Only then can you learn from history. This last remark warmed Red Baron's heart.
Ambassador Gutmann is a stroke of luck for Germany.
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| The beer brewed on the occasion was süffig (went down well). |
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