German Info: Saxony Baroque Meets High Tech

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Minister President Georg Milbradt

Word of Greeting for the Website of the German Embassy in Washington Marking the Reception on 3 October 2006

3 October is a special date for all Germans: this day in 1990 marked German reunification and the end of more than four decades of separation between East and West Germany and therefore it recalls a truly historic occasion. Reunification also provided the initial boost for Europe to grow closer together.

The Free State of Saxony is proud to hold the reception marking the Day of German Unity at the German Embassy in Washington this year. Saxony played a decisive role in German reunification. The cry “We are the people” uttered by the residents of Leipzig initiated the peaceful revolution in East Germany and the subsequent reunification of the two German states. The Americans shared in the joy and excitement of this providential historical moment. They campaigned for the freedom and self-determination of the German people as if their own destiny was at stake. That is something, which we Germans will never forget.

Saxony has benefited from the political events of the years 1989 and 1990 in an extraordinary manner. Following its centuries-old tradition as a business and science centre, the Free State has once again gained the reputation of being a dynamic centre of business and research today – 16 years after reunification. It is also world-famous as a centre of art and culture. The Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and the “Green Vault” are just two of the cultural highlights of any European tour.

Saxony is a state full of variety. The people of Saxony have been building for the future of this beautiful state with commitment and courage for 16 years. And they are delighted when more and more people from all over the globe come to visit the heart of Europe.

Georg Milbradt