Selected Events 2009

An American Artist in the Harz Mountains

James Seward (center) with Mayor Dr. Brecht and Dr. Selker of Texas Tech

June 13, 2009. As a welcome addition to the activities at the Saxony-Anhalt Festival in Thale, Consul for Public Affairs James Seward and Consulate staffer Gabriele Schuckelt did further outreach programs and networking in Quedlinburg, a historic and scenic town near Thale. Dr. Marlene Selker introduced them to the Texas Tech University Center in Quedlinburg and they discussed further cooperation with Dr. Eberhard Brecht, Mayor of Quedlinburg and Vice President of Saxony-Anhalt's Association of Cities and Communities. Dr. Brecht also joined the Leipzig guests at an exhibition opening at the Feininger Gallery, which under the title "Feininger in the Harz Mountains" introduced about 250 guests to mostly unknown drawings and sketches by German-American artist Lyonel Feininger. Consul Seward's opening remarks at the exhibit stressed the vivid cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Germany. In their laudatory speeches, gallery director Dr. Björn Egging and Dr. Katja Schneider, director of the Moritzburg art museum in Halle thanked Leipzig for its engagement over many years.