Leipzig Consul General Reads to the Youth

June 23, 2009. Consul General Katherine Brucker read in French and German from The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery at the Leipzig Public Library to over thirty 11^th grade Honors French students from the Reclam Gymnasium. The director of the Association for the Promotion of the Leipzig Public Library had invited Ms. Brucker to participate in its "Prominent Leipzigers read to the youth". After an introduction by the director of the jury for young adult literature, the Consul General spoke briefly about her diplomatic career, and then introduced the author, who, like Katherine Brucker, had studied in France. A discussion session with the students followed the reading. Consul General Katherine Brucker donated both French and German versions of the book to the library.

Consul Tackles Tough Questions in Chemnitz

June 23, 2009. Consul for Public Affairs James Seward talked with more than 30 students of English and their teachers at Chemnitz Night School (Abendgymnasium) about President Obama and the progress of his administration after more than five months in office ("President Obama - Challenges Galore"). Mixing explanations of social and cultural background with straightforward exposition of President Obama's policy initiatives, the Consul encouraged the students to utilize resources available at the Leipzig Consulate General website to access the President's speeches and remarks, as his own words are generally the most comprehensible and eloquent statements of what he is trying to achieve, and how.

Rare Bauhaus Art on Display in Gera

June 22, 2009. Leipzig Consul for Public Affairs James Seward and Leipzig Consulate staff helped launch an exhibit which celebrates the 90^th anniversary of the foundation of the world-famous Bauhaus with pottery, an underrepresented aspect of the Bauhaus portfolio. Supported by a major grant, the Gera Museum for Applied Fine Arts arranged the first ever retrospective with pieces by Marguerite Friedlaender-Wildenhain, chronicling the stages of her artistic life in Europe and the United States, where she became one of America's most influential potters, ceramic designers and art teachers. Friedlaender, an early graduate of the Bauhaus school, was forced to emigrate from Germany in 1933. After several productive years in the Netherlands, she left Europe on one of the last ships in 1940 and, after a short stint at the East coast, made California her new home. Influenced by (Native) American art, Friedlaender's Pond Farm (near San Francisco) became an influential education center and workshop for young American ceramic artists.

Leipzig Consul General Shows a Heart for Music

June 21, 2009. As a music lover and Leipzig choir member, Leipzig Consul General Katherine Brucker was a welcome prominent "table host" at the Leipzig Community Foundation's citizen picnic. The event was organized by Angelika Kell, a local community organizer, whose organization was just recently honored in Berlin for its civic engagement by Wolfgang Tiefensee, Minister for Transportation and Eastern Reconstruction. The Foundation's prized project "Music makes (you) Smart", helps underprivileged families and schools acquire instruments and provide music lessons. Consul General Katherine Brucker was one of many well-known city residents featured by the Leipziger Volkzeitung on June 22 under the headline "Musicians have a Heart for Kids".

Leipzig Consulate General Scores at Thueringentag

June 19-21, 2009. With its first active participation in the Thüringentag, an annual event celebrating institutions and products from the state, Consulate General Leipzig broadened its profile in a remote region of Thuringia. From June 19-21, the Consulate General Leipzig staffed a strategically placed booth at the event, which drew 210,000 visitors. The U.S. stand quickly evolved into a meeting point for thousands of visitors interested in the United States and the information products on display. While students primarily wanted to learn about educational opportunities in the U.S., others enjoyed taking the "About the U.S." quiz. Tourist/travel information and advice on ESTA was in great demand. On opening day, Consul General Katherine Brucker visited the local high school where she engaged 46 students in a lively discussion about the Obama presidency, the financial crisis and its impact on German-American exchange programs. In the afternoon, Minister President Dieter Althaus paid a lengthy visit to the U.S. booth where Consul General Katherine Brucker presented him with a gift from President Obama in memory of his recent Buchenwald visit. In addition, Consulate General staff conducted two readings for kindergarten kids and Katherine Brucker donated a collection of the forty best children's books of 2008 to the Greiz public library.

U.S. Hands-On at Schools in the Leipzig District

June 17-22, 2009. U.S. intern Ivana Djak started her tour of German high schools on June 17 at the Thüringisches Rhön-Gymnasium in Kaltensundheim, where she spoke to roughly sixty 7^th and 11^th graders. On June 18, she addressed fourteen 11^th grade English students at the Heinrich-Böll-Gymasium in Saalfeld. As the last school, she visited was the Franziskaneum Gymnasium in Meissen, where she and fellow intern Colby Mangels engaged about eighty 9^th and 10^th graders on June 22. At all schools, the U.S and Germany were compared in terms of size, population, and the economy. Commonplace stereotypes like "obese, ignorant Americans" or "beer-drinking, sausage eating Germans" were discussed and discredited. In Kaltensundheim and Saalfeld, she also talked about high school and university experiences. Furthermore, she dealt with numerous questions about the new administration, politics, adolescence in America and many other topics.

For previous programs and events please click here.