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The Week in Germany: Current Affairs June 1, 2007 G8 Leaders Meet on Pebble Beach near Baltic
The pebble beach at Heiligendamm has always been only so-so for sunbathing or swimming: the rich and famous come to this German seaside resort instead for the accommodation, the fine food and one another's society. It will not be just a day at the beach when Group of Eight (G8) leaders stay in Heiligendamm for the June 6-8 world economic summit, however; the scenery is just there to provide the right atmosphere for a meeting of minds on world problems. Still, the Baltic coast is one of Germany's best-kept secrets, with summers mostly hot but relieved by land and sea breezes and a hinterland of green, idyllic countryside where villages are few and far between. In summer, Heiligendamm can be breathtaking. Its palatial white hotels,
set against a backdrop of beech-woods, are far removed from urban sprawl,
noise or pollution. The grand facades earned the town the nickname “The White Town by the Sea.” Under the East German regime, some of the historic buildings were torn down and replaced by more utilitarian structures while others fell into disrepair. In 1996, a private development firm acquired the property in the historical center of the town and has been rebuilding it as a first-class resort. The centerpiece of the new Heiligendamm and the site of the G8 Summit
is the Kempinski Grand Hotel, a new five star hotel with stunning gardens.
US President George Bush stayed there on a visit to Germany last year.
(dpa, TWIG) |
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