Programs and Events

VOA Africa Program Chief Speaks on International Broadcasting
December 15-17, 2005.
Negussie Mengesha of VOA (left) was keynote speaker at an InWEnt conference in Munich that brought together third world journalist currently training at the International Journalism Institute in Berlin, German media international correspondents and editors and 25 graduating students from the German Journalism School. He underlined the importance of international broadcasting in promoting democracy and human rights and progress. Mr. Mengesha also spoke to a group of senior students at Munich University’s journalism department and visited the Ismaning IBB facilities.(more)

NATO Orientation Program for Bavarian Journalists
December 13-15, 2005.
Journalists from regional media in the Munich and Frankfurt consular districts visited Geilenkirchen, home to NATO's Airborne Early Warning and Control Force. The journalists are on the tarmac in front of an AWACS plane that provides strategic aid surveillance as well as airspace management, air policing and combat search and rescue. The group then continued to Brussels for briefings at the United States Mission to NATO and the European Union and to NATO's military headquarters in Mons.(more)

A Visit at the Junge Union in Markt Schwaben
December 13, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) addressed the "Junge Union" and the "Senioren Union" in Markt Schwaben, a Munich suburb. He was welcomed by the JU Markt Schwaben chairman Jan-Patrick Fischer (left). Mr. Rooney discussed the wide range of issues concerning the transatlantic partnership and the importance of achieving progress in the WTO Doha Development Round.(more)

Consul General Rooney Addresses Europa Union Schwaben
December 9, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney traveled to Leipheim on the western edge of Bavaria to speak to members and friends of the Europa Union Schwaben, where he was greeted by the Europa Union Schwaben chairman Gerhard Böck (left). In his lecture and broad ranging discussion Mr. Rooney (right) stressed the shared values and shared responsibilities of the European-American partnership for freedom, democracy and human and economic progress in the world.(more)

American Citizen Information Night
December 6, 2005.
Consul General Matthew Rooney was one of the featured speakers at the American Citizen Information Night organized by the Consular Section, headed by Consul Lisa Washburn. Topics covered for American citizens residing in Bavaria included services offered at the Consulate, Social Security benefits and visas and travel regulations. A representative of Munich's office for foreigners also spoke, and guests received a briefing on U.S.- German bilateral relations from Tom Kelsey, Consul for Economic and Political Affairs.(more)

Consul General Rooney Accepts the Master Draught
December 3, 2005.
Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney accepts the Meistertrunk from the Kellermeister of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The master draught recalls the dramatic event from the Thirty Years' War when the city of Rothenburg was saved from destruction in 1631. Mr. Rooney was in Rothenburg to mark the founding of the German-American Society of Middle West Franconia. This new group, based in Ansbach, intends to intensify the German-American dialogue in Franconia and engage in political, economic and cultural exchanges. Consul General Rooney also met with the Lord Mayor of Rothenburg and made remarks to the founding members of the German-American society.(more)

U.S. Experts Expand German Views on America
December 1/2, 2005.
The CSU-affiliated Hanns Seidl Foundation invited some thirty leading German U.S. policy experts for a two-day conference on American world power status. The Public Affairs section of the US Consulate General Munich added leading immigration expert Tamar Jacoby and Heritage Foundation Vice President Kim Holmes onto the speaker roster. Consul General Mathew M. Rooney (right) chaired the foreign policy session, assuring some first-hand American input. Tamar Jacoby also had interviews with the national daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung (circ. 450,000) and with Bavarian Public Radio.(more)

Culture Clash vs. Global Integration
November 21, 2005.
Thomas Kelsey (center), Consul for Political and Economic Affairs at the U.S. Consulate General Munich, was one of the experts on the transatlantic EU/U.S. partnership brought together for the first San Francisco Coffee Company Political Lounge. The aim of the Political Lounge is to enhance dialogue between the “new” and “old” worlds beyond simplistic stereotypes. Other experts participating were Paul Heardman, First Secretary at the U.K. Embassy, Berlin (second from left) and Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert (right), Institute for American Studies, University Munich. The moderator was Marion Kleinschmidt (second from right).(more)

U.S. Ambassador Timken at CAP
November 15, 2005.
U.S. Ambassador William R. Timken Jr. paid a visit to the Munich university-affiliated policy think tank Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) where he was greeted by the director Professor Werner Weidenfeld (right), formerly coordinator of German-American affairs in Chancellor Helmut Kohl's government. Ambassador Timken was accompanied by Consul General Matthew M. Rooney. During his Munich visit Ambassador Timken also gave an interview to Bavarian Public Radio on bilateral, transatlantic and global policy issues that was broadcast on November 16, reaching a listenership of about 750,000 across southern Germany. Ambassador Timken also met with members of the board and staff of the Bavarian-American Center for an exchange on the Center's activities and future plans.(more)

"...A Tremendous Potential..."
November 13-16, 2005.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Mrs. Columba Bush visited Munich leading a Team Florida delegation on a business development and trade mission. Organized by Enterprise Florida, Inc., the mission promotes Florida’s life sciences, information technology and other high-tech sectors in one of Europe’s most critical markets. "As a leading European economy and Florida’s third-largest trade partner, Germany is a prime market for many of the Sunshine State’s high-tech products and services," said Governor Bush. In Munich he spoke of the "tremendous potential" for cooperative partnerships between Florida and Bavarian business. Photo Gallery(more)

Journalists Jour Fixe with Consul General Rooney
November 10, 2005.
The Pressclub Regensburg invited Consul General Matthew M. Rooney to its weekly “jour fixe” meeting for journalists in Eastern Bavaria. About twenty journalists and moderator Gerald Schneider (right) from the Straubinger Tagblatt took the opportunity to engage Consul General Rooney in discussions of mutual German-American interest such as transatlantic relations, the United Nations and climate change. The event was covered in several regional dailies.(more)

How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
October 31, 2005.
Renowned U.S. author Professor Jared Diamond signs his book “Collapse” after a well-attended reading at Amerika Haus. Diamond read from the German translation of his book published by S. Fischer Verlag. “Collapse” is a study of the history of different civilizations, and why they choose to succeed or fail. The audience confronted the author with challenging questions about today’s global issues.(more)

German-American Ties in Memmingen
October 26, 2005.
Public Affairs Officer Patricia Guy visited the city of Memmingen to present a lecture about "Multiculturalism in the USA" at the Bernhard-Strigel-Gymnasium (Photo). The lecture was followed by a discussion with some 100 students of the Gymnasium. During her visit to the city of towers, Patricia Guy was also welcomed by Hans Ferk, deputy mayor of Memmingen, and by members of the local German-American society.(more)

Consul General Matthew M. Rooney Hosts Iftaar Dinner at His Residence.
October 25, 2005.
Honoring the holy feast of Ramadan and the Muslim community in his consular district, Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (center) invited representatives of that community to his residence for a traditional Iftaar dinner. The Turkish Consul General Abdurrahman Bilgiç (left) and the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates were among the guests, as were the chairman of the Turkish-Islamic Community, the spokesman of the Islamic Council, and the inter-faith counselors of the Catholic and Protestant churches in Bavaria. On the photo right is the Attaché for Religious Affairs at the Turkish Consulate General Munich, Mustafa Temel.(more)

Fade to Clear
October 20, 2005.
Korean-American author Leonard Chang reads from his 2004 novel "Fade to Clear" at a reading and discussion at the Junior Year Office. Wayne State University's Junior Year at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich is America's oldest study abroad program in Germany, existing for more than 50 years. Chang also discussed his approach to writing, his influences and the role of ethnicity in his works. Earlier in the day, he read for students at the University of Regensburg.(more)

About Grace
October 18, 2005.
Anthony Doerr, U.S. newcomer author, read from his second and highly appraised novel "About Grace" at the Amerika Haus Munich library. The German translation of Doerr's novel was published by Beck Verlag under the title "Winklers Traum vom Wasser". Munich-based Beck Verlag organized the reading in cooperation with the U.S. Consulate and the Amerika Haus Munich. Wieland Freund, literary critic from the German newspaper "Die Welt", moderated the reading and the subsequent discussion. After the reading, Anthony Doerr autographed his books "About Grace" and "The Shell Collector".(more)

A Visit at the Munich Armed Forces University
October 7, 2005.
Upon invitation of the newly appointed President of the Munich Armed Forces University, Professor Merith Niehuss (right), Consul General Matthew M. Rooney discussed the current transatlantic agenda in a speech followed by a Q&A session with students and faculty of the Munich Armed Forces University and the university’s German-American Working Group. The visit offered a platform to exchange current views on military and defense issues and underlined the excellent cooperation between the U.S. and Germany in the military field. The picture shows Consul General Rooney (center) with Professor Niehuss and Colonel Jörg Lohmann (left).(more)

Historical Welcome at the Dinkelsbühl Town Gate
October 5, 2005.
In a historical ceremony Consul General Matthew M. Rooney is welcomed at one of the watch gates in Dinkelsbühl, one of most picturesque medieval towns in Bavaria. The city mayor, Dr. Christoph Hammer, invited the Consul General to sign the Golden Book. The Consul General also toured an industrial park and gave a speech to local business people on the challenges of globalization. He also visited Ansbach and spoke at “Go West – the Market in the USA”, an event hosted by the Foreign Trade Association and local small businesses.(more)

Farewell to Professor Ostendorf
September 30 – October 2, 2005.
American Studies experts from Germany and the U.S. met at a conference in Tutzing to discuss "Europe and America - Cultures in Translation." The conference was organized by the German Research Foundation and the German Association for American Studies. The event was in honor of Professor Berndt Ostendorf, the central figure and leading authority in American Studies in Germany for almost four decades. Prof. Ostendorf - retiring this year- headed the America Institute at Ludwig-Maximilians-University for 25 years. Public Affairs Officer Patricia Guy (right) made welcoming remarks at the conference.(more)

Stroke of the Brush – Watercolors in Wasserburg
September 21, 2005.
The picturesque lakeside town of Wasserburg on Lake Constance invited Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (center) and Mrs. Dianna Rooney to meet mayor Thomas Eigstler (right) and open an art workshop with American artist John Ploeger (left). The California artist conducts a three-day workshop for ten regional artists in Wasserburg. Participants receive individual coaching and brush up their painting skills in an enchanted landscape.(more)

Wiesn Season
September 19, 2005.
U.S. Ambassador William Timken (right) and Mrs. Sue Timken (second from right), accompanied by their daughter Fran Karsh (left), enjoy their first visit to the Munich Oktoberfest. Hans Spitzner, undersecretary in the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, invited the Timkens and U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (center) and Mrs. Dianna Rooney (second from left) to the Hofbräuhaus tent to get a taste of Bavarian “Gemütlichkeit”.(more)

Sister Cities Act
September 17, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney and Mrs. Dianna Rooney visited Lichtenfels, the famous basket weaver town in Franconia. Lichtenfels is twinned with the U.S. city of Vandalia, Ohio. The sister cities program regularly arranges meetings and exchanges between citizens of both cities to promote mutual understanding. The picture shows Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (center) and Mrs. Dianna Rooney with American and German sister city program participants at the Lichtenfels city hall.(more)

Interreligious Dialogue
September 11, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney gave introductory remarks at an “Interreligious Dialogue” panel discussion at Amerika Haus that took place on the fourth anniversary of the tragic September 11 events. Over 200 people attended the program. It was organized by the German-Turkish Culture Council in conjunction with the U.S. Consulate General Munich and the Turkish Consulate General. The panelists were experts and representatives of the three monotheistic world religions Islam, Judaism and Christianity. From right to left: Professor Dr. Mahmut Aydin, Professor of Theology, University Samsun; Professor Dr. Richard Heinzmann, Professor Emeritus for Christian Philosophy, University of Munich; moderator Professor Dr. Gunther Wenz, Protestant-Theological Faculty, University of Munich; Professor Dr. Michael Brenner, professor for Jewish history and culture, University of Munich.(more)

A Heartfelt "Grüß Gott" for Ambassador Timken in Bavaria
September 8, 2005.
On his first official visit as Ambassador to Germany, William Robert Timken, Jr. was welcomed by Bavaria’s Minister President Edmund Stoiber (right) in the State Chancellery. Minister President Stoiber expressed his deep sympathy for the people afflicted in the U.S. southern states by Hurricane Katrina. Ambassador Timken also visited Munich-based companies and met with editors of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Münchner Merkur for interviews.(more)

Munich Mourns Hurricane Victims
September 2, 2005.
Munich citizens expressed their support for Hurricane Katrina victims at the U.S. Consulate General. U.S. ambassador Timken said at a press conference in Berlin: “I would also like to thank the German people for their pledges of support and the overwhelming outpouring of sympathy that we have received. In the past few days, we have received phone calls, letters, emails from people from all walks of life from every part of the country. Those sincere and heartfelt condolences are evidence, I believe, of the depth and the strength of our relationship…”(more)

Yoko Ono Retrospective in Passau
August 5, 2005.
Acting Consul General Patricia Guy opened a widely publicized Yoko Ono retrospective at Passau’s Museum of Modern Art of the Stiftung Woerlen. The Consulate General Munich provided a grant to the museum for the exhibit by the American artist that features her most significant film and video works. The photo shows Acting Consul General Patricia Guy signing a guest book following the opening of the Yoko Ono retrospective which runs until October 9. It is the only German showing of Ono's works, including films, videos, photos and other works.(more)

An Evening of Enchantment
July 21, 2005.
Acting Consul General Patricia Guy and German-American Institute Director Professor Dr. Andreas Falke enjoyed an evening with romantic songs in a benefit concert for the German-American Institute of Nuremberg. The concert under the auspices of Nuremberg Mayor Dr. Maly featured songs by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Richard Strauss as well as spirituals and songs from musicals. The performers were baritone Douglas Yates and pianist Denette Whitter.(more)

What Does a Foreign Service Officer Do?
July 21, 2005.
Public Affairs Officer Patricia Guy visited Simpert-Kraemer-Gymnasium in Krumbach, Swabia to talk about the U.S. Foreign Service. She explained the responsibilities of a Public Affairs Officer in Munich and talked about her personal experiences at previous posts. After a Q&A session with the 100 students - 12th and 11th graders majoring in English – Public Affairs intern Phillip Reavis presented an overview of the U.S. higher education system and its differences to the German system.(more)

Remembering: First Free Election in Germany After World War II
July 18, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney, together with Bavarian Interior Minister Beckstein, was the key speaker at the 60th anniversary celebration of the first free elections in Germany after World War II in which under US Army supervision the North Bavarian town of Ebermannstadt elected a new mayor on July 18, 1945. The Consul General's remarks were enthusiastically received and quoted in the local press. American contribution to democratic, social and economic post-war reconstruction in Germany was celebrated and gratefully acknowledged. Consul General Rooney also paid a visit to the German subsidiary of Kennametal, an American lead producer of high precision machine tools and chief employer in Ebermannstadt. The photo shows Ebermannstadt mayor Franz Josef Kraus (center) with Consul General Rooney (left) and Alfons Sponsel (right), son of the 1945 elected mayor. Photo: Barbara Herbst(more)

Art Meets Art
July 15, 2005.
U.S. writer Nicholas Delbanco, Professor for Creative Writing at the University of Michigan and widely acclaimed writer, read from his two latest novels, "Vagabonds" and "What Remains". The reading took place in a Munich gallery currently exhibiting works of American artists living and working in Munich. To pay tribute to the location, Delbanco read passages from his novels where the process and problems of the creation of art was described. After the reading and during a reception, Delbanco answered questions from the audience and signed his books.(more)

Diplomat and Politician – Interactive With Students
July 15, 2005.
Consul General Matthew Rooney (right) discussed U.S. foreign policy and transatlantic relations together with German Bundestag deputy Georg Fahrenschon (left) at Feodor-Lynen-Gymnasium, Fahrenschon's former high school in Munich. About 40 students, among them 14 American exchange students from a high school in Wallingford, PA and their teachers clearly enjoyed Consul General Rooney’s and Fahrenschon's mutually reinforcing remarks about U.S.-German relations. The students also took the opportunity to ask questions about the future of NATO, the role of the UN and the current situation in Iraq and US policies on North Korea and Iran.(more)

Understanding Islam
July 14, 2005.
Leading Islam historian Richard Bulliet (right) of Columbia University concluded his Germany speaking tour in Bavaria, addressing students, peers and journalists in Munich and Bamberg. In the wake of the London bombings, Bulliet’s insights were particularly pertinent and sought after. In Munich he spoke to a large student audience at Munich University and met with editors of national daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and national weekly FOCUS Magazine. In Bamberg the entire faculty of oriental studies and 20 graduate students gathered to meet with one of the great scholars in their field until late into the night.(more)

The Art of Cutting the Cake
July 1, 2005.
By cutting the traditional cake Consul General Matthew M. Rooney starts off the Fourth of July celebration at the U.S. Consulate General Munich. Some 1,000 guests from politics, business, religious communities and the cultural scene attended the event. The Bavarian State was represented by Bavarian State Minister for Justice Dr. Beate Merk. Consul General Rooney challenged the guests with a quiz on U.S. presidential quotes as an essential part of his speech. In their remarks both Consul General Rooney and State Minister Dr. Merk emphasized peace and freedom as cornerstones of democracy in Western countries.(more)

Multiculturalism - a Way of Life
June 29, 2005.
Consul of Public Affairs Patricia Guy (left) visited the Gymnasium Munich/Moosach and talked to seventy students and five teachers about the contributions that various ethnic communities make to U.S. society. Consul Guy stressed the fact that multiculturalism is a way of life. Accompanying Consul Guy were two U.S. students who presented to the audience an overview of high school respectively college life in the U.S.(more)

Consul General “On Tour” in Southwestern Bavaria
June 27, 2005.
In a tour of the Bavarian Lake Constance region, Consul General Matthew M. Rooney attended the opening of the annual Nobel Prize Laureate meeting with young scientists in Lindau. He gave interviews to the Lindauer Zeitung and the Allgäuer Zeitung, met with Petra Meier to Bernd-Seidl (left), mayor of Lindau and toured the Lindau plant of a very successful German-American joint venture supplying parts to major automakers that grew out of a personal friendship between the small company owners who met at U.S. tradeshows.(more)

Consul General Rooney Visits Sonthofen
June 27, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney addressed members and guests of the “Europa Union” in Sonthofen. The city is an important base of the German Bundeswehr and a stronghold of Bavaria's governing party. On the picture Consul General Rooney signs the Golden Book of the city of Sonthofen. Far right on the photo is Sonthofen mayor Hubert Buhl, second from right is Europa Union chairman for the district Oberallgäu Harald Voigt, left of the Consul General is Allgäu district commissioner Gebhard Kaiser.(more)

Grassroots Public Diplomacy
June 27, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy (center) explained grassroots public diplomacy to a group of 21 American Studies students from the University of Munich. Assistant professor Dr. Maren Roth (right)had arranged for a visit at the U.S. Consulate General to see U.S. public diplomacy at work. The Q&A session following Patricia Guy's presentation covered a variety of topics including the U.S. image of Germany, the German image of the U.S. and changes in the transatlantic relationship since the end of the Cold War.(more)

Poetry Slamming in Bamberg
June 24, 2005.
Marc Kelly Smith, Poetry Slam founder from Chicago was a special guest at the 1st Slam & Jam Open Air in Bamberg organized by the city of Bamberg’s Kulturbeutel and by Nora Gomringer (left) from the university of Bamberg. The festival featured poets from Germany, Denmark, France, Romania and the U.S. and attracted about 300 people from all generations. The photo shows Nora Gomringer, Marc Kelly Smith (center) and Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy on the festival grounds in Bamberg.(more)

Leader in U.S.-German Relations Meets Bavarian Opinion Makers
June 23, 2005.
William Drozdiak, (center) newly-appointed President of the American Council of Germany, engaged Bavarian media, business and government representatives at a luncheon-discussion hosted by Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) and BMW-Quandt Foundation. Drozdiak and his interlocutors expressed their concerns over European pre-occupation with EU crises and their expectations for a more congenial future bilateral relationship. The high-level discussion brought to the fore the U.S. commitment to a renewed U.S.-European partnership and the urgency of closer cooperation in the face of global crises.(more)

Young Bavarian Socialists Start the Summer With U.S. Consul General Rooney
June 22, 2005.
The entire Bavarian Young Socialist state leadership spent a long evening at Consul General Matthew M. Rooney’s (left, standing) residence, discussing divisive issues such as Kyoto, Iraq, globalization and the ICC, as well as the future of German politics. The inquisitive and receptive group of young political leaders opened itself to a broad range of American policy positions and arguments.(more)

Bavarian-American Partnership Celebrated
June 21, 2005.
At the invitation of the American-German Business Club in Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney and Bavarian State Minister for European and Regional Affairs Eberhard Sinner discussed the broad range of Bavarian-American ties, foremost among them the intensive business relations manifested in the presence of over 600 U.S. subsidiaries and six U.S. state representations in the Bavarian capital. For the eighty German and American guests the event at Amerika Haus Munich also presented an opportunity for professional networking.(more)

Media and Politics
June 21, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy and American freelance journalist Douglas Merrill discussed the role of U.S. media and its influence on politics and policymaking at the Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie in Kochel am See. The role of new media, including blogs, also was on the agenda. The participants, from teaching and other professions, are attending a weeklong seminar titled "America: Model, Partner or Bogeyman?"(more)

Consul General Rooney Addresses Conservative Youth Conference
June 18, 2005.
At the Junge Union Bayern State Conference on Germany, Europe and Transatlantic Relations in Straubing, Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (left) discussed the agenda for a new departure in transatlantic and German-American relations with the seventy delegates from all over the state of Bavaria. He joined JU state chairman and European Parliament member Manfred Weber and Bundestag-Member Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (right) in calling for a continued and renewed effort in strengthening the Atlantic partnership.(more)

Foreign Policy 101
June 14, 2005.
Upon invitation of Dr. Mirjana Eilers, political scientist at the University of Augsburg, Consul General Matthew M. Rooney introduced approximately 300 students of Augsburg University to U.S. foreign policy issues and to recent developments in U.S. transatlantic relations. He explained the processes and substance of American foreign policy and answered questions from the students on a broad range of foreign policy issues including Near East policy and the U.S. viewpoint on the European Union.(more)

The Power of the Aesthetic
June 9, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney opened the 7th annual conference of the Bavarian American Academy at Amerika Haus Munich. The conference, co-sponsored by the Munich U.S. consulate is dedicated to the topic "The Power and Politics of the Aesthetic in American Culture". The conference runs from June 9-11, 2005 and brings together scholars from both sides of the Atlantic who will address a variety of controversial tenets.(more)

Longing for Nature -Andrew Young at Amerika Haus
June 8, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy opened an exhibit of collages by Chicago artist Andrew Young at Amerika Haus. The exhibit - part of the German National Garden Show (BUGA) cultural program – shows collages that skillfully combine botanical and bird imagery with pattern and color. Andrew Young received his master of fine arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was fascinated by images and patterns from different countries and times sent to him by his father, a former Foreign Service officer. The exhibit at Amerika Haus runs until September 16.(more)

Transatlantic Issues Discussed
June 7, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney spoke to an audience of 300 American studies and political science students at the University of Regensburg. He lectured on “U.S. foreign Policy and the Transatlantic Agenda”. Professor Dr. Stephan Bierling, Chair of the Political Science Department and Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel, Chair of the American Studies Department of the University of Regensburg had invited the Consul General. After the lecture the students engaged Consul General Rooney in a lively Q&A session.(more)

An Open Ear for New Music
June 4/5, 2005.
The U.S. Consulate in Munich is supporting the participation of American composer Mark Applebaum at Munich's 8th Festival A•Devantgarde of New Music. Applebaum, an assistant professor of composition and theory at Stanford University, composed "Martian Anthropology 4•5•6" for the festival, which runs through June 10. The biennial festival has established itself as a forum for very young composers and combines avantgarde music with new presentation forms.(more)

American Artists in Munich
June 2, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy opened the exhibition "American Artists in Munich" at the Gallery Maendl-Lawrance in Munich. The vernissage attracted nearly 200 German and American art lovers. Until July, the gallery will show 43 works of five American artists living and working in Munich - Eric Hanfstaengl, Trisha Kanellopoulos, Christopher Lewis, Michael Likan and Stephen B. Mason. In her remarks Consul Guy mentioned that since the 19th century American artists have always found Munich a stimulating and inspiring place to work, and that these transatlantic connections and cross-fertilizations continue to this day.(more)

The Jewish Experience in America
May 31, 2005.
Professor Steven Bloom (standing), University of Heidelberg, talked to 30 high school teachers at a teacher training seminar in Augsburg on "Jewish Jokes and Jewish Life in the United States." The program under the title "The Jewish Experience in America" was organized in cooperation with the Colloquium Politicum of Augsburg University, the Regional Teacher Training Office for Swabia and the U.S. Consulate General Munich. Patricia Guy (left), Consul for Public Affairs at the Munich U.S. Consulate General, moderated the program. Professor Henry Feingold (center) analyzed the Jewish experience in 20th century U.S. policy.(more)

350 Years of American Jewry: Conference in Tutzing
May 23, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) gave opening remarks at an international conference entitled "350 Years of American Jewry, 1654-2004: Transcending the European Experience?" at the Akademie für Politische Bildung, Tutzing. The conference, which runs from May 22 - 26, was organized in cooperation with Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich and the University of Erfurt. Professor Henry Feingold (left) from Baruch College, New York, lectures on May 26 on the topic: "Can Less be More? The American Jewish Effort to 'Rescue' German and Soviet Jewry."(more)

Remembrance of Victims
May 9, 2005.
At the 60th anniversay of the end of WW II, members of the Munich Consular Corps, the Bavarian state government, the Munich city government and religious communities gathered at the grave sites of foreign victims of Nazi terror and of members of the German resistance 'White Rose' (Sophie and Hans Scholl) for a joint ceremony of remembrance. U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney and Bavarian Minister President Edmund Stoiber in their remarks called for a joint and continued effort in support of freedom, peace and human rights. (From left: Minister President Dr. Edmund Stoiber, U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney and Consul General Alexander Karachectsev, Russian Federation)(more)

"Homage to Peace" - Consul General Rooney Speaks at MIR
May 9, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney gave a speech at an event initiated by the Munich-based non-profit organization "MIR" commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The program was under the auspices of the Bavarian Minister President Edmund Stoiber and Moscow’s Mayor Yury Luzhkov and had adopted the motto: Homage to Peace. The Russian word "Mir" means "peace" and "universe". In 1991 MIR was founded in Munich by German and Russian artists and intellectuals. MIR sees its main objective in bridging cultures – bridges that lead from man to man, or, as one would say in Russia: from soul to soul.(more)

Ambassador Edward B. O' Donnell Visits Germany's Oldest Jewish Community in Regensburg
May 3, 2005.
U.S. Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Edward B. O’Donnell (second from left) called on the leaders of Germany’s oldest Jewish community in Regensburg. On the picture he is shown with Rabbi Dannyel Morag (left), Jewish community board member Michael Russakovski (right), chairman Otto Schwerdt (second from right) and board member Hans Rosengold (center). Ambassador O’Donnell also met with the local press in Regensburg and lectured to some 300 students at the university on the special responsibility and need for cooperation between Germany and America in combating anti-Semitism and xenophobia at home and fighting for freedom, democracy, human rights and tolerance in the world. Photo: Uwe Moosburger(more)

Liberation of Dachau Concentration Camp Commemorated
May 1, 2005.
Sixty years after the liberation of Dachau Chargé d’Affaires John A. Cloud (left) from the U.S. Embassy Berlin and Munich U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) laid a wreath at the Dachau concentration camp memorial site on the occasion of the official liberation commemoration event. More than 1,500 survivors attended the ceremony, many of them for the very first time. Bavarian Minister President Edmund Stoiber thanked the U.S. troops and the American people: "Many sons of America died for the freedom of Germany and of Europe. That remains unforgotten." The Federal German government was represented by Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.(more)

World War II Veterans Return to Munich
April 29,2005.
In a meeting with U.S. veterans of the 157th regiment of the 45th Infantry Division of the 7th Army at Bavarian Television studios on April 29 - the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp - U.S. Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy takes a look at their photos of the liberation of the concentration camp and their entry into war-torn Munich. Shown left on the picture are Jack Hallowell who serves as the group's historian, Carl Getzel (center), and Chan Rogers (right).(more)

Ambassador Lukens Returns to Munich After 60 Years
April 28, 2005.
Alan Lukens (right), a retired U.S.Ambassador, and his wife visited U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (left) at the U.S. Consulate General in Munich. Ambassador Lukens participates in ceremonies marking the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. Sixty years ago, Lukens served in Combat Command B of the 20th Armored Division, 7th Army, as an artillery fire control operator. After the liberation of Dachau his unit moved on to Munich and then to Frasdorf where they celebrated the official end of the war with the local population and young French soldiers from the 2nd Armored Division.(more)

Peace in the Middle East - A Transatlantic Dialogue at Munich Think Tank
April 27, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney chaired a transatlantic dialogue on "roads" to peace in the Middle East at the Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) with area experts Prof. Giacomo Luciani, European University Institute, Florence; Felix Neugart, CAP and Prof. Kenneth Stein, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (left to right) in which the U.S. and European role in the Greater Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were hotly debated.(more)

Liberation of Concentration Camp Flossenbürg Commemorated
April 24, 2005.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Cloud (left) and Munich U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (center) took part in the ceremony to commemorate the liberation of the concentration camp Flossenbürg by soldiers of the 90th U.S. Infantry Division on April 23, 1945. Dr. Jack Terry, (right) survivor of Flossenbürg concentration camp, is shown on the picture at the wreath-laying service. Renate Schmidt, Minister for Family, Youth and Senior Citizens represented the German federal government. Günther Beckstein, deputy Minister President, participated on behalf of the Bavarian government.(more)

Munich Consul General Joins in Nuremberg Commemoration of the End of the War
April 20, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) and Prof. Jutta Limbach, (second from right) president of Goethe Institute and former German Chief Justice, were guests of honor and speakers at the City of Nuremberg's official commemoration of the end of WW II. In his remarks at Nuremberg's historic city hall, Consul General Rooney urged the Nuremberg citizenry to be mindful now and in the future of a history that allowed enemies to become friends and of a transatlantic partnership that allowed Europe to again become whole and free. Far left on the picture is Mrs. Dianna Rooney, second from left is Nuremburg's Lord Mayor Dr. Ulrich Maly.(more)

Melting Pot or Salad Bowl: Diversity in the United States
April 12, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy spoke to an audience of 23 teachers of the Josef-Effner-Gymnasium Dachau (1,300 students) on diversity issues in the United States. Patricia Guy looked at contemporary shifts in America's racial and ethnic composition and analyzed latest Census facts and figures. In 2003 the Josef-Effner-Gymnasium established an exchange program with the Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington near Philadelphia.(more)

American Indian Workshop
April 11, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney welcomed the participants of the 26th annual "American Indian Workshop", a gathering of European, American and Canadian scholars engaged in the study of Native American society and culture, to the Amerika Haus in Munich. The sixty academics, museum curators and researchers met for three days to present new research on a broad range of issues in contemporary Native North American cultural, economic and social developments.(more)

Globalization Discussed as Path to Democracy and Peace
April 6, 2005.
Daniel Griswold (left), trade policy chief at the CATO Institute, and Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) discussed the benefits of globalization to an invited public audience at the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the think tank affiliated with Bavaria's governing party. Their remarks struck a responsive chord with the audience, especially when describing globalization as a win-win proposition for global democratic and economic development.(more)

Consul Patricia Guy Talks about Multiculturalism in Marktoberdorf
April 5, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy(left) visited the Gymnasium Marktoberdorf (1,000 students) to talk to 20 teachers of English about multiculturalism in the United States. During the visit organized by English teacher Ms. Schwietz (center), school principal Dr. Lorenz Deuringer welcomed Consul Guy. Deputy principal U. Triller (second from right) mentioned in her introductory remarks that teachers appreciated the “outside, first-hand view and personal experiences” presented by Consul Guy. The lecture was followed by a Q&A session which covered a broad range of topics - from bilingual education to minorities in the military.(more)

Pueblo Indians in Oettingen
March 17, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney opened an exhibit on Pueblo Indians at the State Museum of Ethnology in Oettingen. In his remarks, the Consul General noted the importance that these Native American farmers placed on the sacredness of the land and their strong ties to nature. America’s cultural heritage, natural beauty and environmental sensitivity are showcased in this exhibit.(more)

Consul Patricia Guy meets with the Mayor of Freyung
March 15, 2005.
Consul Patricia Guy visited the city of Freyung and signed the city's golden book. She was welcomed by Peter Kaspar (left), Mayor of the city of Freyung , Johann Mindl (far right), principal of the Gymnasium Freyung and Karl Riesinger (right), teacher at the Gymnasium Freyung. Patricia Guy also presented a lecture on "Multiculturalism in the USA" at the Gymnasium Freyung and engaged students and teachers in a discussion about US topics.(more)

Transatlantic Colloquium: U.S. - German Relations
March 14, 2005.
Daniel Weygandt, Director of the Office for Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the U.S. Department of State, flanked by Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (left) and Prof. Dr. Juergen Gebhardt, director of the Bavarian-America Academy, gave a first hand report on the state of German-American relations as seen from Washington to members of the Bavarian policy community at Amerika Haus Munich.(more)

Bavarian-American Center Opens World War II 60th Anniversary
March 9, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney opened the first in a series of commemorative events on the end of World War II at the Bavarian-American Center at the Amerika Haus Munich, a photo exhibition of the work of Tony Vaccaro, American GI who covered the end of the war and post-war American-German encounters for Stars and Stripes from 1945-1949.(more)

Bavarian Students Learn About the US Embassy and Consulates in Germany
March 8, 2005.
Consul Lisa Washburn visited the Anton-Bruckner-Gymnasium Straubing to present a lecture about the activities of the US Mission Germany and the Munich consular section. About 70 students heard Consul Washburn's presentation. She also discussed her diplomatic experiences with students at the Graf-Muenster-Gymnasium Bayreuth on March 9.(more)

Engaging Teachers on African-American Voices
March 7, 2005.
Dr. Maureen Reed, a Fulbright Professor at the University of Regensburg, discussed the life and writings of Zora Neale Hurston at a training seminar for teachers of English. Also contributing to the day-long seminar titled "20th Century African-American Voices -- Art and Activism" were Patrick Walsh, Fulbright Professor at the University of Passau, and Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel of the University of Regensburg. About 35 teachers attended the event co-sponsored with the consulate by the Junior Year in Munich program.(more)

A Warm Welcome in Middle Franconia
February 18, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney was warmly welcomed by Windsbach's second mayor Jan Helmer (right). In the city hall Consul General Rooney signed the golden book and later met with students and teachers at Windsbach's Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Gymnasium for discussion of the U.S. diplomatic mission, U.S. foreign policy and transatlantic relations. During his visit to Middle Franconia Consul General Rooney also participated in a press meeting at the Technology and Innovation Center Ansbach.
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Ambassador Daniel R. Coats Bids Farewell to Bavaria
February 17, 2005.
Ambassador Daniel R. Coats (left) gave a farewell speech to 200 Bavarian politicians, government officials, academics and media at the auditorium of the SiemensForum. True to the SiemensForum's mottoes "The future begins in a dialog" and "Talk to one another", Ambassador Coats stressed the importance of European-American relations and thanked Bavaria and Munich for the outstanding support in recent years in view of the worldwide terrorist threat.
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Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Says Shared Goals Unite Nations in War on Extremists
February 11-13, 2005.
"...so our Atlantic Alliance relationship has navigated through some choppy seas over the years. But we have always been able to resolve even the toughest issues. I submit that is because there is so much that unites us: common values, shared histories, and an abiding faith in democracy...." "...These are historic times for freedom and democracy. Members of NATO share much more than the Atlantic alliance; we are united by ties and purpose, a heritage of liberty, and a calling to confront extremists' violence -- and to defeat it..."(more)

41st Munich Conference on Security Policy
The Munich Conference on Security Policy can look back on a tradition of almost four decades. The international security community - ministers, representatives of the armed forces, members of parliament, journalists and experts, now from more than 40 countries - has met in Munich since the beginning of the 1960s. Each year, some 250 participants discuss in depth their views on the development of transatlantic relations as well as European and global security. This international conference is a unique forum for discussions on security and peace policy. At the beginning of the 21st century with its global challenges, the conference makes important contributions to the shape of the future international security architecture.(more)

U.S.-German Dialog Before the Munich Security Conference
February 10, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (left) hosted a roundtable with former Ambassador J.D. Bindenagel, Vice President of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations (second from left), and Jackson Janes (far right), Executive Director of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, for Bavarian policy analysts and opinion makers at Amerika Haus Munich. The in-depth discussion centered around the current state and future of the transatlantic relationship.(more)

Fulbrighter's Artwork Featured in Munich Gallery
February 10, 2005.
Munich Public Affairs Officer Patricia Guy (left) delivered opening remarks at a contemporary art jewelry exhibit featuring the jewelry of U.S. Fulbrighter Rebecca Hannon (center) at Galerie Biro in Munich. Rebecca Hannon is an instructor of metal and goldsmithing and has - among other accolades - received a Women's Jewelry Association scholarship and a Fulbright Grant, which enabled her to relocate to Munich and to study at the Munich's "Akademie der Bildenden Künste" in 2001. Her work has been exhibited in the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and throughout the United States.
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German-American Relations Discussed in Bamberg
February 4, 2005.
U.S. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney met with German Bundestag member Thomas Silberhorn in Bamberg for discussion of German-American relations. The regional daily Fraenkischer Tag (84,000 circulation)covered the event which also featured a visit at Mayor Herbert Lauer's office at the city hall and a visit at the U.S. military facilities. Shown on the picture is Consul General Rooney (right) at a discussion with students from the local Clavius-Gymnasium.(more)

Consul General Matthew M. Rooney Meets With Brandenburg High School Students
February 3, 2005.
Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney met with thirty high school students and teachers from Brandenburg on a "security policy" excursion to Munich at the invitation of the Bundeswehr. During the program at the Amerika Haus, the Consul General discussed American policy and the students' concerns, ranging from Iraq and combating violence in schools to the death penalty.(more)

American-German Women Summit in Nuremberg
February 2, 2005.
Member of the German Bundestag Melanie Osswald (right) welcomed Consul Patricia Guy on her first visit to Nuremberg for an exchange of ideas on future German-American youth activities and a report on Ms. Oswald's three-week tour of the United States in summer of 2004. Consul Guy also met with senior editors of Nuremberg's leading dailies Nürnberger Nachrichten and Nürnberger Zeitung and paid a first visit to the German-American Institute at Amerika Haus Nuremberg.(more)

Iraq Election Focus
January 27, 2005.
U.S Embassy Baghdad spokesman Dr. Richard Schmierer briefed German national media editors on the upcoming Iraqi national elections in an hour-long telepress conference at Munich Consulate General. In his discussion with Detlev Ahlers (Südwestpresse), Michael Gebhardt (FOCUS Magazin) and Dr. Peter Münch (Süddeutsche Zeitung), Dr. Schmierer provided a first-hand account of the voting preparations and of the Embassy's and the Iraqi government's optimistic outlook on Sunday's historic elections.(more)

Discussing America After the 2004 Election at Bavarian Political Education Academy
January 21, 2005.
Consul for Public Affairs Patricia Guy (center)joined a panel of German "America-Experts", including former Washington correspondent Dr. Clemens Verenkotte (left), Prof. Andreas Falke of Nürnberg University and political economist Dr. Jens van Scherpenberg (right) from the German government foreign affairs think tank in Berlin, in a post 2004-Election seminar for teachers and civic educators at the flagship of Bavarian political education in Tutzing. Countering journalistic impressions of a divided America, the panel majority concluded that a consensus on values continues to exist in America.(more)

A Bavarian-American Professional Exchange on Counter-Terrorism
January 21, 2005.
Consul General Matthew M. Rooney welcomed high level representatives of the German Federal and Bavarian State intelligence and law enforcement agencies to the Consulate for a discussion of post 9/11 terrorism threat analyses, policy conclusions and legislative responses with Mr. Michael Jacobson, former counsel of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission) and of the Joint House-Senate September 11th Committee.(more)

Lieutenant General David Barno Discusses Operation Enduring Freedom
January 12, 2005.
Lieutenant General David Barno (center), commander of combined forces in Afghanistan, discusses Operation Enduring Freedom at a press roundtable at the U.S. Consulate. LTG Barno noted the "tremendous progress" in Afghanistan's political process and said a "big challenge" ahead was finding a substitute for poppy cultivation there. LTG Barno is in Bavaria attending a conference at the George Marshall Center in Garmisch. Consul General Matthew M. Rooney (right) also participated in the roundtable.(more)

U.S. Development Policy Discussed
January 10, 2005.
U.S. exchange students shared their impressions and experiences in Germany with Munich Consul General Matthew M. Rooney at the InWEnt (Capacity Building International) conference center in Feldafing. The students later joined a group of young professionals from developing countries in Africa and Asia for a discussion with Consul General Rooney about U.S. development policy. The U.S. students are participants in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange.(more)