4th of July - Berlin welcomes the new US Embassy
There couldn’t have been a better date than this 4th of July for the opening of the new US Embassy at Pariser Platz in Berlin.
It was the US ambassador in Germany, Mr. William R. Timken jr., who welcomed the 4.500 guests who were invited to attend the opening celebrations and enjoy american food and entertainment.
The location of the new embassy looks back on a history which spans across more than 70 years. In 1930 already, the U.S.A had purchased the property at Pariser Platz 2 in Berlin. After they had moved into the building in 1939 their residency got interrupted by World War II and the location, which was close to the Berlin Wall and therefore no mans land during the existence of the German Democratic Republic. After the wall fell in 1989 first plans were made to build a new embassy on the historic location and on the beginning of this millenium the plans were put into practice.
For tonight’s grand opening celebration, which is nearly the same date as the 60 year celebration of the Berlin air lift, some contemporary witnesses attended, like one of the pilots of the air lift - Mr. Gail Halvorsen.
Most important guest of the night, besides of german chancellor Angela Merkel, was former US president George H.W. Bush, father of the current US president, who in his speech reminded about the long history of the american/german friendship. The americans didn’t just help tear down the Nazi regime, but Ronald Reagan played an important role in the reunification of Germany.
Gallery
We all remember his historic speech at Brandenburg Gate when, adressing Michael Gorbatschow, he said the famous words “Mr. President, please tear down this wall!”. Some decades earlier it was the unforgotten John F. Kennedy who said the words that every Berliner knows by heart: “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words “Ich bin ein Berliner.”
In the end and to some huge amount it was Ronald Reagan’s merit that Berlin Wall finally got torn down which allowed the US to build a new home for the US ambassador at Pariser Platz.
The final highlight of the night was one of the biggest fireworks that the city of Berlin has ever seen. For 15 minutes impressive images were “painted” into the sky, which of course were dominated by the colors red, white and blue.
Tomorrow, on saturday, the americans celebrate - togehter with the people of Berlin - an american/german festival where not just the embassy gets presented, but as well food and entertainment from the United States.
After it’s stormy voyage, the american embassy is finally back where it belongs - close to Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin Germany and it’s citizens.
