We are at a very precarious moment in our history. The unconscionable killing of George Floyd almost two weeks ago has sparked the worst nationwide racial upheaval in 50 years. It has unleashed deep-rooted anger and pain over the longstanding racial injustice in our country. The current charged environment serves as a call to action. While the news has been dominated by reports about unacceptable violence instigated by a variety of actors, it is heartening to see so many people of different colors and faiths coming together (notwithstanding concerns about social distancing) to march peacefully for change, as well as police officers in some communities taking a knee with protesters in common cause. The civil rights crisis playing out in communities across the country is just...
Ambassador Christoph Heusgen In spring 1945, American troops liberated my hometown, Neuss, Germany, from the Nazis. Later, Neuss became part of the British zone, and they worked together with local citizens to organize post-war life. This did not occur in a vacuum – by the time the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949, the German government was working closely with allies, building a liberal, democratic state and, above all, integrating into an international system that was swiftly becoming robust and was centered on multilateral institutions like the European Union, NATO and the United Nations. As we mark the 75th anniversary of this liberation, we face an unprecedented global crisis. Chancellor Angela Merkel called the current pandemic the greatest challenge since World War II....
It is with deep sadness that the American Council on Germany announces the passing of ACG Vice Chairman Dr. Richard M. Hunt, the longest-serving President of the ACG and longtime Marshal at Harvard University, who was a driving force and an ardent supporter of the Council for 50 years. His dogged dedication to the ACG’s mission, his wise counsel, his keen knowledge of German-American relations, his faith in younger generations, and his warm, unassuming manner will be sorely missed. Rick Hunt was deeply committed to strengthening ties, building trust, and fostering mutual understanding between Germany and the United States. He gave exceptional support to the American Council on Germany, including through the Roy M. Hunt Foundation, named after his father, who had served as Alcoa President for...
It must be stated early and often the overall value this program has provided me. From the human connections with both the Americans and Germans to the sharing of ideas, perspectives, and views on life and the world, I have learned a great deal. This exchange also has impacted my work by exposing me to new ways of thinking and new methodologies around community engagement, digitalization, and the future of work. There are a number of high-level takeaways: Rethink education and workforce training models. It was clear to me that Germany and its education and workforce training systems are better prepared to adapt to support industries need for a new or reskilled workforce. While the level of complexity in these systems at first seemed overwhelming, it...
The City of Magdeburg, with a population of 240,000, is the state capital of the German Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt. I work in the field of business development, and it is my task to attract companies to Magdeburg and to help start-up companies boost their business in Magdeburg. In my daily work, I often get in touch with people with very creative ideas that have the potential to change business models and use technologies in an innovative and unseen way. Due to my professional focus, I was most interested in learning about job creation and strategies to help start-ups through this exchange program. During the site visits and discussions in the United States and in Germany, I was astonished to find out about the multitude of initiatives that...
