Detlef Wächter, the director of the German Information Center USA, the public diplomacy department of the German Embassy in Washington, recently visited Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

Enlarge image German Information Center USA Director Detlef Wächter speaking to students at Wartburg College in Iowa. (© Courtesy of Wartburg College)

Wächter, a career diplomat by backgound, spoke to students and faculty members from the international relations and German language departments on November 15 and 16.

The discussions took place in the context of the Do Deutsch campaign sponsored by the German Missions in the United States and related fall 2011 Campus Weeks programs taking place at 44 colleges and universities across the country. Wartburg College created its own "Do Deutsch" Campus Week program, held from November 6 to 12 and spearheaded by Yvonne Losch of the English and modern languages faculty.

During his visit to Wartburg, Wächter gave two presentations followed by Q&A sessions on "The Partnership Between Germany and the US in the 21st Century." He shared his point of view on several key challenges for the transatlantic partnership between the United States and Germany, such as the euro crisis, on the capabilities of NATO, the G8 and the G20, the role of Russia in Europe and future prospects for arms control and disarmament.

As he explained the German position on the euro crisis, Wächter focused on its origins, as well as the coordinated instruments implemented by the eurozone members to overcome it. In  lively debates with students, he also highlighted the importance of many shared values between the United States and Germany, such as the same foundation of a democratic, liberal and progressive society - the bedrock of future collaboration between both nations.

"No single country in the world can shoulder the burden of the challenges of the 21st century alone – not even the United States. The world in this coming century will be a better place when Germany, Europe and the US take on these challenges together," Wächter underscored.

Finally, Wächter congratulated Wartburg College on its deep Lutheran roots dating back to its founding by German immigrants in 1852.

The event at Wartburg was one among several other initiatives during the "Do Deutsch Campus Week" held at the college in a bid to highlight the importance of the German-American partnership in an ever evolving and inextricably interlinked globalized world.