Selected Events 2009

All Eyes on President Obama During His Visit to Germany

President Barack Obama at Buchenwald

June 4-5, 2009. Leipzig Consul General Katherine Brucker was overall Mission Germany lead for President Obama's June 4-5 visit to Dresden and Buchenwald in Leipzig's consular district. Bruce Armstrong, Information Officer at U.S. Embassy Berlin, was the team leader in Dresden and Munich Consul for Public Affairs Kathryn Crockart covered press for the Buchenwald portion of the visit. Much of Leipzig's staff was "deployed" for the visit. In Dresden, a large filing center and Information center was set up, with Leipzig staff joining staff from Berlin and other posts to support the White House Press team and the large contingent of journalists who accompanied the President on his hectic tour of the Middle East, Germany and France. Much commentary focused on the evidently deliberate segue from the President's "New Beginning" speech at Al Azhar University in Cairo the day before to his visit and remarks at the Buchenwald Concentration camp. As part of the visit, the President also briefly met the Saxony and Thurigina Minister Presidents, Stanislaw Tillich and Dieter Althaus.