Celebrating the 200th Anniversary Year of Richard Wagner
The celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Wagner reach their climax today, May 22, at the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth when Christian Thielemann, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Wagner, conducts the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra’s special concert of selections from Die Walküre, Rienzi, Götterdämmerung, and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Afterwards, Wagner pilgrims from around the world will gather in the center the “Wagnerstadt” to honor the great composer.
Federal President Gauck and Chancellor Merkel sent letters to President Obama expressing their condolences and those of the German people on the loss of life caused by the devastating tornado that struck the Okahoma City area on Monday, May 20.
Condolences After Tornado
"The vision of a transatlantic single market now gives us an opportunity to infuse the transatlantic partnership with new momentum. In a dramatically changing world, we have to turn to our common strengths in order to shape globalization in line with our libertarian values."
Transatlantic Partnership
Westerwelle is to meet with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu and other members of the government. Issues topping the agenda are renewed efforts for the peace process, the crisis in Syria and the Iranian nuclear program. In Ramallah, Westerwelle is to meet with Salam Fayyad, caretaker Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority.
Middle East Trip
What will the EU look like in the future and what role will Germany play? These questions were the focus of the 16th WDR Europaforum at the Federal Foreign Office attended by high-ranking politicians from all across Europe.
Europaforum
In the past decade, the amount of women in management roles in Germany has been on the rise, but Chancellor Merkel says that German companies have to pick up the pace. In a Women’s Summit on May 7 she discussed the barriers to women in the workplace and will use their insight to develop a strategy for the future.
Women in Leadership Roles
Picture yourself in your dream car, speeding down a band of concrete that stretches all the way to the horizon. Sounds good? Welcome to the German Autobahn.
Autobahn
Both the men’s and women’s Bundesliga teams excelled this year, both nationally and internationally. The Wolfsburg club will be facing off against the Olympique Lyonnais club, trying to grab the title from the two-time champs. The women’s final will be held on May 23 at Stamford Bridge in London.
Wolfsburg Club
May the better team win, but which one will it be? A very important question to soccer fans for the upcoming finals, and that is why they say: "Es geht um die Wurst!"
Word of the Week
German Missions
