Consul General Butcher's Farewell Reception on Independence Day
July 4, 2007. Consul General Duane C. Butcher welcomed a record-number of close to 900 guests from all five North German states at the newly opened BallinStadt Emigration Museum in Hamburg for his farewell reception. Guests included three Hamburg Senators, the Deputy Minister President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the President of the Bremen Parliament, 5 mayors from Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein, numerous IVLP alumni and high-ranking representatives of the North German political, business, media and cultural communities.(more)

Painting of U.S. Presidents Presented
June 26, 2007. On behalf of President George W. Bush, Consul General Duane C. Butcher accepted the painting "The Presidents of the United States" by Iranian-born Hamburg artist Professor Jafer Montazer. Consul General Butcher thanked Professor Montazer for his work of art that will find a new home in the future Presidential Library of President Bush.(more)

First Lady Laura Bush Opens America@YourLibrary Partnership in Schwerin
June 6, 2007. First Lady Laura Bush presented a launch of the "America @ your library" program at the Schwerin City Library in Schwerin, Germany. America@yourlibrary is a partnership initiative between the U.S. Embassy and public libraries in Germany which highlights the proactive role of libraries as centers for learning, information and entertainment.(more)

First Lady Laura Bush Meets with Fulbrighters in Schwerin
June 6, 2007. Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs Anne M. Chermak moderated a round table with 8 American and German Fulbrighters at the Castle Schwerin. They had an opportunity to meet with the First Lady to discuss their exchange stays in Germany and the United States. The group included Fulbright teaching assistants at North German high schools, who are participating in the embassy’s MEET US program, a Fulbright professor teaching Political Science at the University of Halle as well as two young Germans of Turkish origin who took part in Fulbright-sponsored summer schools in the U.S.(more)

Attention: American Citizens Service Moves from Hamburg to Berlin
As of July 1, 2007, the American Citizen Services role of the U.S. Consulate General in Hamburg will be taken over by the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. This consolidation of consular services is part of a global effort to bring about greater efficiencies in how the U.S. Government conducts its diplomatic engagement overseas. After July 1, U.S. citizens resident in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen, and Niedersachsen are welcome to visit the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, (address: Clayallee 170, 14195 Berlin, Tel: 030-832-9233 or our Consular Agent in Bremen (Rooms 68/69, Third Floor, World Trade Center, Birkenstrasse 15, 28195 Bremen, Tel: 0421-301 5860, in conjunction with a passport or citizenship application, or other service requiring a personal appearance before a consular officer.(more)

The Last Three Feet - 2007 State Alumni Reception at the Bucerius Art Museum in Hamburg
May 7, 2007. Consul General Duane C. Butcher and the ZEIT foundation hosted a reception for 84 North German alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program, the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program and the Fulbright Program. Dr. Markus Baumanns, member of the board of the foundation and a 2002 IVLP alumnus, welcomed the guests and stressed how invaluable his participation has been for his work and the foundation, resulting in close U.S.-German ties. View the photo gallery(more)