United States opens new embassy in Berlin [4th of July]

The Earth Times ^ | Fri, 04 Jul 2008 | DPA

[wolf78]

Berlin - The United States opened a monumental new embassy in Berlin on Friday, returning the diplomats to their rightful place, 67 years after Washington declared war on the Nazis. Former US president George HW Bush, the ambassador to Germany William Timken, and his wife Sue Timken together cut a ribbon to symbolically let VIP guests enter the 130-million-dollar chancery.

The multi-storey building occupies a commanding site between the Holocaust Memorial and Brandenburg Gate.

US diplomats had left the site in 1941. During the decades of communism, the empty land had been part of a desolate no-man's land along the Berlin Wall. After the Wall fell in 1989, wrangles over anti-terrorist barriers held up reconstruction for many years.

At the celebrations, German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalled how late US president Ronald Reagan had once stood up nearby and appealed to the Soviet Union's last communist leader in Moscow: "Mr Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

[wolf78]

Former U.S. President George Bush with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday



Bush together with Ambassador Timken and his wife.



The neighborhood: The British, French, Hungarian, Polish and Russian embassy, as well as the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and the Reichstag.



View with the Brandenburg Gate





View from the Holocaust Memorial, with the Reichstag building in the background.

[stravinskyrules]

I didn't realize a Holocaust memorial was built Berlin. Good to see.

Wow, GHW Bush has lived a hell of a cool life.

[Strategerist]

It always amazes me how good Bush the elder looks - especially compared to when he left office.

I think not being re-elected may have saved his life.

[KarlInOhio]

At the celebrations, German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalled how late US president Ronald Reagan had once stood up nearby and appealed to the Soviet Union's last communist leader in Moscow: "Mr Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

I heard one of Reagan's speechwriters tell about how many aides (especially State Department ones) tried to remove that statement from the speech. Quite possibly the statement by Reagan most likely to be remembered throughout history, and the State Department wanted to remove it. It would be like advising Lincoln to tone down the Gettysburg address and dump that old fashioned "four score and seven years" phrasing.

[skeeter]

The monument consists of a 'field of stalae'.

I saw it after completion but before it officially opened, and honestly couldn't make heads or tails of it.

[wolf78]

More pictures from the 4th of July party:



Pariser Platz



Corporate sponsorship ;)



Surprise rain



The party continues inside the embassy



Bush with Merkel, quite the gentleman



Brandenburg Gate in the background



Sue Timken, Ambassador William Timken and the Chancellor



Speech



Celebrity guests: German intelligence chief Uhlau



German foreign minister Steinmeier



His predecessor, Joschka Fischer



Dressing for the occasion



Aerial view.



Red, white, blue and the Brandenburg Gate quadriga



Ribbon cutting.



Ribbon cut.



Porcellain eagle.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Looks like a one star motel.

[tuckrdout]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, isn't it cute how Ambassador Timken and Bush dressed alike for the occasion?