Press Releases

July 2, 2008

German Ambassador Scharioth Hails Opening of New US Embassy at Historic Site in Berlin

Celebrating the Fourth of July and Freedom in the Heart of Berlin

This Fourth of July, the United States and Germany celebrate the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Berlin. The new Embassy stands right next to the Brandenburg Gate, in the heart of the German capital. The venue could not be more symbolic or appropriate. It is the best address in the Republic.

Many Americans remember when no one could walk through the Brandenburg Gate. Germany was divided, the Berlin Wall had closed off the gate, cut through the heart of Berlin, and made the Brandenburg Gate a symbol for the divide between freedom and repression. When spirits were low, President John F. Kennedy came to Berlin and encouraged us all by saying “Ich bin ein Berliner”. And it was at this gate in 1987 that President Ronald Reagan called for an end to the Cold War: “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The German people will never forget that in 1990 we became one country again, free and united, thanks to the unwavering support of our American friends – from President George H. W. Bush to thousands of U.S. diplomats and millions of U.S. military servicemen and their families who served to achieve this goal.

As the new U.S. Embassy opens, the Brandenburg Gate is a powerful symbol of freedom and unity all over the world. The Wall came down in 1989. Today, united Germany is a free country under the rule of law, a country that stands for the values of the Enlightenment, that strives to contribute to the spread of freedom, justice, human rights and tolerance throughout the world. Our challenges in this still young 21st century are no less daunting than they were at the start of the Berlin Airlift 60 years ago, but we have proven that we can be successful if we mold our common interests into a common purpose and join our forces in an effort to be wise and generous. This is why the story of Berlin still matters today.

On this Fourth of July, people will walk by the new Embassy of the United States of America and through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and they will remember: freedom can be delayed, but freedom can never be fully denied. Friends make all the difference.

Klaus Scharioth
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany
to the United States of America

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