German President honors President of the Max Kade Foundation
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For decades, Dr. Lya Friedrich Pfeifer, the President of the Max Kade Foundation New York, has been a remarkable representative of German-American relations. Through her commitment, enthusiasm and dedication she has fostered and strenghtened ties in the academic, cultural, and social fields. On May 20, Consul General Horst Freitag – on behalf of German President Horst Köhler - presented the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit for outstanding contributions to German-American relations and cultural exchange.
A role model, who inspires, encourages, and empowers young leaders, Lya Friedrich Pfeifer is known for building bridges on both sides of the Atlantic. By sponsoring young talents, researchers and artists, she has connected people and knowledge. Through her numerous commitments to foster German-American ties, her achievements have lasting impacts, and bear the trademark of excellence. “Her actions speak with convincing eloquence,” praised the Consul General the honoree.
Increasingly under her leadership, the Max Kade Foundation New York thrived as an organization devoted to the promotion of mutual understanding of the people and cultures of Germany and the United States. It is the merit of Mrs. Friedrich Pfeifer that the foundation has become one of the most active, and influential, organizations to advance German-American understanding, and cultural exchange.
A lawyer by profession, she is also director and secretary of the Germanistic Society of America, a charitable institution that supports German-American causes. She is the trustee of the Liederkranz Foundation, as well as director of Friends of Goethe New York, and last but not least, member of the advisory board of Deutsches Haus at NYU. Her path of devotion to further the German language and culture was clear cut from early on: she attended the German-American School of New York first as a student, before becoming a teacher there. Eventually, she became the president of the German American School Association. Since then, and throughout her career, she has inspired a number of young Americans to study German.
The reception in honor of Mrs. Friedrich Pfeifer was held at the Consul General’s residence on Park Avenue, followed by a dinner at the "Liederkranz of New York City". She was accompanied by her husband, Joseph Pfeifer, family members, friends and colleagues.
