Programs and Events

Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig addresses students and English teachers in southern Saxony
December 5, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig and the director of the Information Resource Center (IRC), U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, participated in “America Day” at the city library in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) town of Annaberg-Buchholz. Consul Wenig addressed two groups of students on the subject of the consulate and the U.S., one from the 10th grade at the 'Berufliches Gymnasium - Richtung Wirtschaftswissenschaft,” and the other from the 10th and 11th grades at the “Evangelisches Gymnasium Erzgebirge.” Eleven English teachers from the district also attended an afternoon presentation and discussion lead by Consul Wenig on U.S. themes. The visitors from the U.S. Consulate General Leipzig were also welcomed by Annaberg-Buchholz Mayor Thomas Proksch, who attended one of the student programs, and Consul Wenig officially presented to the Annaberg-Buchholz library some U.S. military Rhein-Main-donated children's books, as well as presentation books on U.S. society and geography.(more)

Alumni Networking in Leipzig
December 1, 2005 The U.S. Consulate General Leipzig hosted a reception for former International and Voluntary Visitors, bringing together grantees from a wide variety of institutions and geographic locations throughout the Leipzig consular district. Cultural Attaché Kim Marie Sonn and Alumni Coordinator Daniela Schilling-Muehl, both from U.S. Embassy Berlin, introduced the new alumni website to the 50 attendees and pointed out the manifold opportunities of this international alumni community. The program was rounded out at Leipzig public library by a performance of the Nancy Thym Harptree duo, which led the audience through a journey in time with songs of German immigrants to the U.S. The Alumni Initiative(more)

American Students Lecture at Leipzig Community Library
December 1, 2005 Three Consulate General Leipzig interns and the director of the Information Resource Center (IRC) visited the Mölkau public library and addressed 25 10th grade students from suburban Leipzig high schools. The U.S. interns talked about American society and culture while the IRC director made a presentation about the consulate and introduced new American books. The school outreach program at Mölkau library, initiated through a book donation in 2004, reaches out to students who do not have direct contacts with Americans and was publicized in the Mölkauer Gemeindeblatt.(more)

U.S. Perspective on Political, Economic and Educational Reform in the Middle East and North Africa
November 16, 2005 U.S. speaker Charles K. Mallory, Senior Adviser at the US Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, explained to students at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität of Jena recent developments in U.S. policies towards the Near Eastern States. Mallory analyzed changes in U.S. foreign policy and assistance towards Egypt since September 11, 2001, and put a special emphasis on the role of civil society in the Middle East. His audience was especially interested in the various U.S. reform initiatives.(more)

Consul General Mark D. Scheland Visits Weissenfels, Saxony-Anhalt
November 10, 2005 Consul General Mark D. Scheland participated in the opening ceremony for the Central German Medicine Education Center in Weissenfels, which offers 700 students the opportunity to train in physio-therapy and related fields. The Mayor of Weissenfels, Mr. Manfred Rauner, attended the ceremony. At the event the Consul General presented the director of the Center, Mr. Joachim Tentscher, with a collection of English books and reference works for their library, with the hope for future cooperation with the Information Resource Center at the Consulate General in Leipzig.(more)

Leipzig High School Students Celebrate Book Donation
November 8, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig, U.S. interns Sean McGrath and Michael Cude and the director of the Information Resource Center(IRC), U.S. Consulate General, attended a presentation by 5th and 11th grade students showcasing their English language skills, held at the school library of the Humboldt Gymnasium in Leipzig. The principal and English teachers thanked the Consulate for its longstanding support and cooperation, and Consul Wenig officially presented the new English language books to the school’s library. A lively discussion about the U.S. rounded out the program.(more)

English Teachers Explore U.S. Topics at Seminar in Leipzig
November 3, 2005 Consulate General Leipzig hosted teachers of English at an in-service training seminar in Leipzig. Consul General Mark Scheland welcomed participants from across Saxony, Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig and Consulate General Leipzig staff talked about services for teachers and students, while Bettina Kutsche, Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), presented FCS Leipzig and gave an overview over recent economic developments in the U.S. Prof. Crister Garrett of Leipzig’s American Studies Institute discussed U.S. domestic and foreign policy with the group. The seminar, which was supported by the Ministry of Education and regional school authorities, introduced consular activities and current issues in American society to teachers from vocational schools.(more)

Exhibit on German Immigration to Texas Opens in Leipzig
November 3, 2005 The Consulate General Leipzig, in cooperation with the Houston-Leipzig Sister City Society and the main library of the city of Leipzig, opened an exhibit entitled, "German-Texans and the Llano Estacado Connection." Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig delivered welcoming remarks, and Dr. Meredith McClain from Texas Tech University in Lubbock presented a slide-show lecture, followed by a reception.(more)

Magdeburg Students Investigate U.S. Opportunities
November 1, 2005 Professor Holger Kersten from the University of Magdeburg and a group of his students attended a presentation on study and internships in the U.S. delivered by Consulate General staffer Birgit Kämmer, which took place at the Magdeburg International Library. While Ms. Kämmer provided general information and addressed questions, the head of the Academic Exchange Office, University of Magdeburg, introduced the group to U.S. exchange programs involving Magdeburg. The director of Leipzig's Information Resource Center (IRC) talked about IRC services and resources.(more)

Magdeburg English Teachers Learn About Life in the U.S.A.
October 27, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig, U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, and the Director of the Information Resource Center (IRC) conducted a workshop for English teachers at the Magdeburg Public Library. Wenig spoke about the U.S. in presenting his home state of Alaska, and discussed political and environmental issues with the 35 participants. The introduction to IRC services and products was followed by a donation of books on U.S. history and immigration to the Magdeburg library, which participates in the America@yourlibrary project.(more)

Strengthening Ties With School Libraries
October 25, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig welcomed 25 librarians and staffers from Leipzig school libraries and introduced them to the Consulate's tasks and services. Consulate's Information Resource Center staff presented USA information on the Internet, while Consulate's Cultural Affairs Assistants provided an overview on 'Educational Information Services' and the Leipzig- Houston sister city partnership. U.S. intern Sean McGrath compared his library experiences in the U.S. and Germany.(more)

Consul General Mark Scheland Hosts Participants of a Fulbright Seminar
October 25, 2005 Consul General Mark Scheland welcomed a group of six participants of a Fulbright seminar for U.S. Administrators on International Education at the Consulate General Leipzig. Scheland outlined the structure and work of diplomatic posts abroad, explained the Consulate's involvement in international educational exchange (i.e. with regard to the Fulbright program) and engaged the group in a lively discussion on a variety of topics.(more)

Images from the Deep South in Leipzig
October 11, 2005 A photo exhibit paying tribute to the Deep South opened in Leipzig's student club Moritzbastei. The exhibit was initiated by Leipzig's Consulate General in cooperation with photographer Axel Küstner to draw attention again to loss of cultural heritage in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Küstner chose 32 portraits of blues musicians, city and countryside images out of a pool of more than 20.000 photographs. After Leipzig, the exhibit will go on the road for display at further destinations throughout Germany. In their opening remarks, Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig, U.S. Consulate General, and Reinhard Lorenz from the Eisenach International Jazz Archive stressed the strong cultural and educational ties between regional institutions and Leipzig's Consulate General, which were reflected by this successful cooperation.(more)

Leipzig Stages Youth Exchange Fair
October 8, 2005 Consulate General Leipzig invited exchange organizations, students, parents and teachers to an all-day youth exchange fair at the Leipzig Public Library. About 300 students gathered information on educational opportunities in the U.S. and listened to Sylvia Schill, co-author of “A High School Year in the U.S.” Bundestag deputy Rainer Fornahl talked about the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program while a recently returned German student recounted her U.S. experiences as Au pair. Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Mike Rousek welcomed the 25 exchange organizations from all over Germany and singled out youth exchanges as a vital element of German-American relations.(more)

Consul General Mark Scheland Unveils Plaque Commemorating the Former U.S. Consulate in Annaberg-Buchholz
October 8, 2005 The American Consul General Mark D. Scheland made his inaugural visit to the city of Annaberg-Buchholz in the Ore Mountain region of Saxony. He was warmly welcomed by Lord Mayor Barbara Klepsch, and given the honor of signing the “Golden Book” of the city. The Consul General and the Lord Mayor were joined by Steffen Flath, Minister of Culture and Education, Saxony, Dresden, and Thomas Bezner, head of the “German-American Society in the Free State of Saxony,” Chemnitz, in the unveiling of a plaque, which commemorates the former location of the American Consulate. The text of the plaque reads: “Annaberg- Buchholz 12-8-1879 through 6-30-1908. In this building resided the Consulate of the United States of America, whose purpose was to coordinate overseas trade.”(more)

'American Studies Orientation Week' at Leipzig University
October 6, 2005The Institute for American Studies, University of Leipzig, staged its first Orientation Day for new students. As one of the guest speakers, Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig presented an overview of American BA and MA programs. The staff of the Consulate General explained Consulate resources. Approximately 80 students who will begin their American Studies program this year were familiarized with the Consulate and its research services and received the CD-Rom "About the USA.”(more)

Book Donation to Europe-Library in Görlitz
October 5, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig, U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, the director of the Consulate's Information Resource Center (IRC) and U.S. intern Sean McGrath handed over a book donation from the former Rhein Main U.S. military base to the Görlitz European Library. In the audience were the director of the Euro-School-Organization (ESO) as well as students from the ESO and the Augustum high school. The participants were introduced to the Consulate's tasks and services and IRC products and resources. Intern McGrath presented his home state Colorado and discussed U.S.-German cultural differences with the 30 students.(more)

Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr., Visits Dresden
September 29, 2005 Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr., made his initial call on Saxon Minister-President Georg Milbradt in the framework of a two-day visit. His agenda also included a discussion with local political representatives, which produced valuable insights into the debate about future German government constellations – particularly in view of the postponed Bundestag vote in Dresden’s voting district I on October 2. In addition, Ambassador Timken visited AMD, the largest U.S. investor in the state of Saxony, and met with a group of teachers, who reflected on their experiences as participants in the Eastern German Teachers Visitor Program. Ambassador Timken's wife Sue Timken and his daughter Fran Karsh visited the porcelain factory in Meißen.(more)

Dessau Highschool Students Learn About the U.S.
September 28, 2005 Consulate General Leipzig's Information Resource Center (IRC) Director Thea Bohse and U.S. intern Michael Cude visited the Anhaltische State Library Dessau. The IRC director presented to the library an Academic American Encyclopedia and children books, donated by the former Rhein Main U.S. Base library, as well as a State-by-State Atlas and books over U.S. immigration. The head of the Dessau cultural office, local media and 40 high-school students from the Gymnasium Philanthropinum, accompanied by their English teachers, joined the hand-over ceremony. Intern Cude provided a Power Point presentation about his home state of Texas, followed by a lively discussion with the students over life growing up in America, while the IRC director briefly talked about consulate services and provided information material about the US.(more)

Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr. Visits Leipzig and Erfurt
September 20 - 21, 2005 The first visit of Ambassador William Timken, Jr. to Leipzig and Erfurt garnered extensive media coverage, in which he underscored U.S. interest in the establishment of a stable German government and in the maintaining of good bilateral relations between the U.S. and Germany. He also discussed the extensive and challenging tasks involved in dealing with Hurricane Katrina, and emphasized the global challenges facing economies in the U.S. and Europe. His wife, Sue Timken, and daughter, Frances Karsh, accompanied Ambassador Timken, Jr. as he visited the U.S. Consulate General in Leipzig, where he met with Consul General Mark Scheland and consulate staff members. Editor-in-chief Bernd Hilder of the regional newspaper ‘Leipzig Volkzeitung' then interviewed Ambassador Timken, Jr., while Mrs. Timken and Ms. Karsh visited the Academy of Visual Arts and the Gallery of Contemporary Art, both in Leipzig. While in Erfurt, Ambassador Timken, Jr. attended his first meeting with Minister President Dieter Althaus.(more)

"Music Helps" with Katrina Aftermath
September 17 and 21, 2005 On September 21, Saxony's internationally renowned state orchestra (Staatskapelle) performed in Houston, Texas, as a sign of solidarity for Hurricane Katrina victims and volunteer helpers. The concert, which was initiated by Saxon Minister President Georg Milbradt under the patronage of Federal President Horst Koehler, received support from the U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, the Berlin Embassy and institutions in the United States. On September 17, U.S. Consulate General Leipzig supported a Jazz concert for New Orleans as part of the Jena City Festival. The organizers and musicians, among them jazz veterans like the Jena Dixieland Stompers, encouraged the audience to donate money to help musicians in New Orleans who were left stranded by Katrina. Consul for Public Affairs Mark Wenig was introduced to the audience from the stage and later discussed further cooperation with Jena district mayor Rosa-Maria Haschke and representatives from the cultural scene.(more)

Ronald McDonald House Leipzig Hosts American Barbeque
August 25, 2005 New Leipzig Public Affairs Officer Mark Wenig represented the Leipzig Consulate General at the fourth annual Ronald McDonald House summer barbeque. The institution provides accommodation and support for families with children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. As part of the opening, Mark Wenig was officially introduced to about 200 guests and made brief comments.(more)

Consul Bonkowsky Visited Seiffen, Saxony
August 15, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky visited the southern Saxony town of Seiffen. The director of the town’s famous toy museum, Dr. Konrad Auerbach, showed Dr. Bonkowsky his display of toys exported to the United States in the early years of the 20th century and expressed appreciation for his contacts with folk art museums in the United States. Dr. Bonkowsky also visited Seiffen's public library. The chief librarian told Dr. Bonkowsky that she would welcome more English language books to meet a growing demand from high schoolers and their parents. She also noted that tourists to this wooden toy manufacturing town often looked for English-language publications.(more)

Consul General Bids Farewell to Magdeburg
July 29, 2005 Leipzig Consul General Fletcher Burton paid his last official visit to Magdeburg and took part in a photo op with a “Nashville Promenade” street sign soon to be installed along a portion of the Elbe river. The street sign was an initiative of the Magdeburg Dialog Center, headed by Parliamentarian Uwe Kuester (SPD), who thanked Consul General Burton, a Nashville native, for his support of the Magdeburg-Nashville Sister-City Partnership.(more)

Saxony Celebration of Sorb Ethnic Minority
July 17, 2005
Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky represented the Consulate at the Sorb folk group festival at Crostwitz, near Bautzen. She was welcomed at every turn including a luncheon - attended also by Saxon state ministers and representatives - a festival parade and the afternoon program of folk music and dancing. The Sorbs, a Slavic minority group, live in a small town and rural area of Saxony and south Brandenburg.(more)

Eastern Germany Celebrates the West
July 16, 2005
The Consulate supported the summer Karl May pageant at Bishofswerda after their costumes were destroyed in a fire last year, which was apparently due to arson. Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky attended a performance adapted from “The Treasure in the Silver Sea” with Winnetou, Old Shatterhand, a giant grizzly bear, numerous special effects and a cast of some 50 “extras” made up of local school children. The cast and towns people undertook considerable research in creating replacement costumes in order to make them as authentic as possible.(more)

Independence Day Celebration in Chemnitz
July 1, 2005 About 500 guests flocked to the Leipzig Consulate General’s 4th of July celebration, which took place at the Chemnitz Industrial Museum. In their speeches, Saxony Minister President Georg Milbradt and Chemnitz Lord Mayor Peter Seifert underscored the good relations with the Consulate and the importance of people-to-people contacts across the Atlantic. The Independence Day celebration was also a farewell for Leipzig’s American officers, Consul General Fletcher Burton, Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky, and Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox, who each gave short power-point presentations with their personal and professional highlights from the Leipzig consular district.(more)

Leipzig Lawyers Association visits Consulate
June 23, 2005 About twenty lawyers from the Leipzig Lawyers Association visited the Consulate General Leipzig to gather information on consular duties and services. The event included remarks by Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox and Consulate staff. The IRC introduced its resources and services. This was the second visit of a group of lawyers to the Consulate.(more)

Former President Bush Visits Eastern Germany
June 16/17, 2005. June 16 and 17 marked the first visit of former U.S. president George Bush to eastern Germany since the fall of the Wall, and thus garnered much attention in the region. President Bush made a quick stop at the U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, where he met the staff and a mixed student group from Gera and its American sister city Fort Wayne (Indiana). He then traveled on to Weimar and Erfurt, where he signed Erfurt’s Golden Book and that of the state of Thuringia. The next day, Bush and his former international counterparts, Mikhail Gorbachev and Helmut Kohl, received the Point Alpha Prize at the Thuringia/Hesse border, where U.S. and Soviet troops had faced each other in arms throughout the Cold War. 7,000 spectators, including 150 VIP guests, the minister-presidents of Thuringia and Hesse and Chargé d'Affaires John Cloud, followed the award ceremony, which paid tribute to the three statesmen’s crucial role in bringing about reunification.(more)

Students from Wolfen and Clemson, SC, Visit the Consulate General
June 14, 2005 Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox, Consulate General Leipzig, helped setting up the Wolfen-Clemson, South Carolina, school partnership program. Consul Fox welcomed the U.S. students in Wolfen on May 31 and Mr. Irmer, the German teacher, responsible for the exchange program, organized a visit to the Consulate General in Leipzig. Consul General Fletcher Burton who welcomed the group was very interested in learning about the student's experiences in Germany.(more)

SAIS Students Visit the Consulate General
June 14, 2005 A group of students from John Hopkins University/SAIS, Washington D.C., accompanied by the head of the German Program Dr. Angelika Führich, Director of the Berlin Summer Program, visited the Consulate General. The group learned about the consulate, it's services and products and discussed Eastern Germany's political and economic situation with the Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky and Leipzig's Political Specialist Dr. Andreas Fürst.(more)

First Battle of the Books Staged in Leipzig
June 3-5, 2005 Four German schools representing the cities of Kiel, Aachen, Chemnitz and Markkleeberg (near Leipzig) participated in the first Battle of the Books in Germany. The competition on American youth literature was organized by four Fulbright teaching assistants who had initiated the program as part of a contest by the PAD (Pedagogical Exchange Service – which was also represented at the event). The 54 11th graders proved to be amazingly eloquent in English when answering factual, interpretative and creative questions on the books, thus refuting the notion that children would rather watch TV or play computer games than read. In addition to receiving the students at the Consulate, Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky attended the award ceremony on June 5 with the two eastern German schools, Markkleeberg and Chemnitz, coming in first and second. The contest prompted the students to immerse themselves in the English language and American literature, thereby broadening their views on U.S. society and values.(more)

Information Resource Officer Holly Murten Lectures on Internet Trends in American Libraries
June 3, 2005 Holly Murten, Information Resource Officer from the U.S. Embassy Berlin, lectured on “Internet Trends in American libraries” to students and faculty members of the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences as well as representatives of Leipzig libraries. The participants learned about the impact of the Internet on U.S. libraries and discussed future technical trends. The IRC director of the Consulate General talked briefly about the IRC, its services and information products.(more)

Students of Library Sciences Visit the Consulate General
May 27 and June 1, 2005 Two groups of students of Leipzig's University of Applied Sciences, Department of Library Sciences, visited the Information Ressource Center (IRC) of the Consulate General. Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky and Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox welcomed the students and provided a broad overview of the U.S. Mission to Germany and consulate's work and activities. The students, accompanied by their Professor, toured the IRC and learned about its U.S. resources. The IRC director spoke about organization and management of the IRC as well as as cooperation and information-sharing among German IRCs.(more)

Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Bonkowsky Honored for Support of Exchange Program
May 28, 2005 Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky joined a meeting of former German exchange students who have attended U.S. high schools and their parents at Magdeburg’s German-American Dialogue Center. Mrs. Jäger of the Dialogue Center thanked Mrs. Elizabeth Bonkowsky for her engagement as a member of the exchange program’s selection committee. The students expressed their appreciation for Dr. Bonkowsky’s support by presenting her a poster that carries photos and signatures of all students who have participated in the exchange.(more)

Consul General Fletcher Burton Joins Reading of Werner Heiduczek
May 18, 2005
Consul General Fletcher Burton assisted a volunteer project in one of Leipzig’s suburbs: The community library in Mölkau (threatened by closure and saved by people from the neighborhood, as well as by well-known German author Erich Loest) combined a public reading of the author Werner Heiduczek from Baalsdorf with activities to gain more awareness for the importance of libraries. The event was the culmination of a long commitment of Leipzig citizens and the Consulate General Leipzig, which provided a grant to the library and carried out programs for students. In his speech, Consul General Burton pointed out the importance of volunteers' engagement. The attending library users appreciated their first chance to get acquainted with the American books, which had been acquired for the library and were on display.(more)

Third Annual Media Workshop for the Journalism Trainees of MDR
May 12, 2005 Consulate General Leipzig conducted its third annual all-day media workshop for the journalism trainees of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR). The 11 aspiring journalists were introduced to Information Resource Center (IRC) resources, relevant U.S. web sites and fellowships for journalists, engaged Consul General Fletcher Burton and Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky in a dialog on the Consulate’s activities and U.S. policy objectives, and received an overview from Foreign Commercial Service of U.S. investments in the region. The day’s highlight proved to be a Digital Video Conference with Alberto Fernandez, Director for Public Diplomacy in the Office of Iraq Affairs.(more)

WW II American Veterans Visit Moscow and Met President George W. Bush
May 8-9, 2005. In April, WW II American Veteran Joe Lipsius visited Leipzig's Consular District and did several programs in the framework of the 60th anniversary of the end of the war. Joe Lipsius was also invited by the Russian government to be part of a group of American veterans celebrating the end of WW II in Moscow on May 9. At a reception at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, he met President Bush and Mrs. Bush, who were also in Moscow for the ceremonies marking the end of the war.(more)

American Day in Europe-Library Görlitz
May 3, 2005.
Consulate General Leipzig's Information Resource Center (IRC) staff met with three groups of high school and college students to discuss intercultural differences between the U.S. and Germany and inform the students on the Consulate’s work and educational exchanges during America Day at the Goerlitz Europe library. The library came into existence when books from the former USIS Library at the U.S. military base in Baumholder where transferred to the city in 1996. Staff also attended the official opening of the Europe Direct Information Office at the Europa Library, where Dr. Gerhard Sabathil, Director of the Agency of the European Commission in Germany, served as keynote speaker.(more)

First Annual Saalbach Lecture in Leipzig
April 30, 2005. Dr. Horst Saalbach, a successful American entrepreneur who grew up in Leipzig, Saxony, introduced the First Annual Saalbach Lecture to a highly interested audience at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. The event was supported by Professor Crister Garrett of the University’s American Studies Department and Consulate General Leipzig. Consul General Fletcher Burton, who greeted the audience, pointed to the importance of spending time abroad. The lecture, followed by a reception, drew about 150 students, faculty, and Leipzig community leaders. Dr. Martin Gillo, the keynote speaker, member of the Saxon State Parliament and former State Minister for Economics spoke, on “Why Americans Favor Investing in Saxony,” thus highlighting the U.S. economic presence in the region.(more)

Chemnitz and Zwickau Language Students Visit the U.S. Consulate General Leipzig
April 26, 2005. Some 25 participants of English language courses from the adult education centers of the rural districts Chemnitz and Zwickau in Saxony visited the Consulate General Leipzig, accompanied by their part-time teacher in adult education. Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky talked about consular duties and services, while staff of the Consulate's Information Resource Center (IRC) introduced its resources and services and presented USA information on the WWW.(more)

Visit of Chargé d'Affaires John Cloud and Mrs. Cloud to Torgau
April 25, 2005. Chargé d'Affaires John Cloud, U.S. Embassy Berlin, and Mrs. Cloud visited Torgau on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Torgau, the so-called "Elbe-Day". Accompanied by Consul General Fletcher Burton, Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox, Captain Farawell and Lt. Commander Rielage, Defense Attaché's Office, they met with the Mayor of Torgau and joined a ceremony at the "Fahnenmonument" on the East Bank of the Elbe where the honor guard ceremonies and wreath-laying took place. They proceeded to the statue on the West Bank of the Elbe to commemorate the meeting between Russian and American troops, and the Chargé delivered a commemorative address. Speech by the Chargé d'Affaires John Cloud(more)

U.S. Consulate General Presents U.S. Information at Torgau Public Library
April 23, 2005. Consulate General Leipzig presented USA information at Torgau's public library on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation. Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox did a Q&A session for the general public and performed a quiz for students at the Consulate's booth. The Jazz poster show put on display at the library also attracted visitors of the Public Library.(more)

U.S. Veterans Visit Leipzig
April 21 - 22, 2005. The visit of U.S. veterans to the Leipzig Consulate General district brought back memories all around. While the detailed accounts of veterans Joe Lipsius and Edgar Parsons left a deep impression on the students of the Kant Gymnasium and the Berufsschulzentrum 6, the veterans’ tour of the liberation exhibit at Leipzig's City Museum held some emotional moments of its own with Joe Lipsius detecting himself on the photograph of the city’s surrender and another veteran meeting his war-time sweetheart. In the evening, Lord Mayor Wolfgang Tiefensee hosted the veterans for dinner and took part in a discussion at the Leipzig city museum of U.S and German witnesses to the final days of the war.(more)

Chargé d'Affaires John A. Cloud Visits Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt
April 15, 2005. Chargé d'Affaires John A. Cloud received a warm welcome in northern Saxony-Anhalt during his visit to Stendal. The Chargé conducted a lively exchange with Lord Mayor Schmotz and Stendal community leaders, which highlighted the city’s economic prospects and challenges. The Chargé also met with representatives from the local university for applied sciences and visited the nearby birthplace of Bismarck, which now houses a museum.(more)

Dr. Michael Seadle from Michigan State University Lectures at University of Applied Sciences, Leipzig
March 23, 2005. Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky hosted a luncheon for Dr. Michael Seadle, Assistant Director for Information Technology at Michigan State University and Editor of 'Library Hi Tech', at which he discussed joint German-American projects such as virtual periodical databases and Library Congress 2006. Guests included the directors and representatives from several libraries in the Leipzig Consulate General district, including the German National Library. In the afternoon, Dr. Seadle talked about "Services in Libraries" to a group of library and publishing students at the University of Applied Sciences.(more)

The United States at the Leipzig Bookfair
March 17-20, 2005. For the second time, the Leipzig Consulate General represented the U.S. at the Leipzig Book Fair from March 17-20. With 108,000 visitors and 2,142 exhibitors from 31 countries, the Fair logged a record attendance this year and further established its reputation as a major German national event. The booth supported by the U.S. Embassy Berlin attracted about 300 interested visitors a day. Pamphlets, brochures, bookmarks and CD-ROMs "About the USA" were distributed. On March 18, Consul General Fletcher Burton and Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky hosted a reception at the fair. On March 18, American author Roger MacBride Allen read from his latest book "The Ocean of Years" and signed books.(more)

Black History Month: Workshop for English Teachers
February 25, 2005 Consulate General Leipzig organized a workshop for English Teachers on African-American History Month. Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky spoke to the participants about African-Americans in Contemporary U.S. Society. The consulate invited two speakers: American Studies scholar Dr. Cathrin Gersdorf introduced the teachers to African American Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature and artist Paula Ross lectured on African-American painter Alma Woodsey Thomas.(more)

American Students Visit the Consulate General
January 27, 2005
Consul for Public Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Bonkowsky welcomes a group of American interns doing a program "Internship and Career Training" with InWEnt (Capacity Building International, Germany) at the Consulate General Leipzig. The Americans are living and working in Western Germany and attended a week-long seminar in the East.
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Leipzig Lawyers Association Visits the Consulate General
January 27, 2005
30 lawyers from the Leipzig Lawyers Association visited the Consulate General Leipzig to gather information on consular duties and services. The event included remarks by Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox and other consulate's staff members. The Information Resource Center (IRC) introduced its resources and services.
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Visit of Ambassador Daniel R. Coats and Mrs. Coats to Leipzig
January 18, 2005
Ambassador Daniel R. Coats and his wife Marsha visited Leipzig on January 18. They met with teachers of the teacher exchange program at MDR headquarters, Leipzig's broadcasting station 'Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk'. The teacher's program was followed by an TV interview with the evening news program MRD-Aktuell. In the evening, Ambassador Coats gave a farewell speech before an invited audience of 200 at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, which was followed by mingling with the guests, among them students from the American studies department of the University of Leipzig and members of the American Chamber of Commerce. Ambassador Coats and his wife also visited the U.S. Consulate General Leipzig to say goodbye to the staff.
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Consul for Political Affairs Talks to Students at Mölkau Branch Library
January 12, 2005
Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Eleanore Fox, U.S. Consulate General Leipzig, talked to 25 9th and 10th grade students about U.S. society at Leipzig's branch library Mölkau. Fox also provided an overview of the consulate, its tasks and its German and American staff. The IRC director presented books on U.S. society, history and geography, which had been acquired for Mölkau's USA collection, and introduced the group to gateways to USA information by using the CD-ROM 'About the USA'.
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