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Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the state banquet in honour of the President of the Republic of Latvia in Bellevue on 21 February 2019

“The bad thing about some speakers is

that they often fail to say

what they are talking about...”

I have taken these words of Heinz Erhardt’s to heart, and will therefore begin with my most important statement. President Vējonis, Mrs Vējone, I am delighted that you have come to on a state visit in this centenary year of Latvian independence – welcome to Schloss Bellevue!

I have visited nine times over the past few years – seven times as Foreign Minister and now twice as Federal President. These many visits are an expression not only of the close cultural and political ties between our countries, but also of the high esteem in which I personally hold you and Latvia, and of my friendship with you and your country. I would like to thank you, President Vējonis, for the wonderful hospitality you extended to me and my wife during our last visit. And I thank you for the important dialogue that our group of non-executive presidents engaged in under your chairmanship in Riga. We hope to reciprocate on both fronts – hospitality and dialogue – during your visit here.

It was no mere coincidence that I quoted Heinz Erhardt a moment ago. The great German comedian was a Baltic German, born in Riga in 1909. His grandfather Jakob served as mayor of the city, and his uncle Robert became the finance minister of the fledgling Republic in 1919.

Mr President, I submit that Erhardt’s dry sense of humour has much in common with the frame of mind of many of your fellow Latvians. Even at the most difficult times in your country’s history, your people retained their optimism and their unwavering desire for freedom.

The writer Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš is just one example. Like hundreds of thousands of other Latvians, he fled during the Soviet

Page 2 of 3 occupation. Like many others, he found a new home here in Germany. He lived with his wife Nāte in Körbecke, Westphalia, until his death in 1962.

“Tell us something funny,” Nāte said one evening, as they sat together. “Okay,” said Jānis, “I will tell you how we left our home.” His wife couldn’t remember anything light-hearted about their enforced journey, but Jānis said you could find something cheering in even the most adverse circumstances. And so Nāte asked him to go on. “I am curious [...] as to how you can make jam out of onions.”

Making jam out of onions – making the apparently impossible possible – seems to be a Latvian virtue!

This virtue has been needed more often than the Latvians would like, not least because of us Germans. For it was eighty years ago, on 23 August, that the Molotov-Rippentrop Pact paved the way for the end of the Latvian state. Who would have thought it possible that 50 years later, on 23 August 1989, the Latvians and their neighbours would join together to form the Baltic Way, a human chain for freedom, a swansong to the oppression and bondage they had suffered? “Wake up, Baltic countries,” hundreds of thousands of people sang in the peaceful protest that won them their independence.

We are grateful for the close and trusting partnership that has since evolved between our countries. We have tied our fates together as fellow members of the European Union. And as fellow members of NATO, we collectively defend each other’s security: We are committed to Latvia’s security and its territorial integrity!

We face new challenges, both as European countries and as democracies. Convincing answers to these challenges are being sought – and found – in Riga, as they are in or Paris or in Brussels. Latvia may be located on the eastern fringe of the European Union, but for us, it is at the heart of Europe. In our eyes, your country, Mr President, is not only important. It is also close. You yourself have done much during your years in office to make this so. Let me take the opportunity this evening to thank you for this!

The guests in this room include various , who are well aware of the centuries-old cultural affinities between our countries. Many of you are active campaigners for the preservation and consolidation of these ties.

I was accompanied on one of my first visits to Riga by Baltic German culture professionals, including the architect Meinhard von Gerkan. At the end of a long day he said to me: “I’ve built a house nearby of which I am really proud. I was born here in Riga, you know.” In truth, it was late and the house wasn’t really that nearby, but nonetheless we went there on the spur of the moment. Von Gerkan showed us around his still impressive house, Sten Nadolny read from

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“The Discovery of Slowness,” while the Lithuanian cellist David Geringas transported us with spherical sounds. It was a magical evening, Raimonds, an evening I have never forgotten and which did much to inspire my love of Latvia.

That evening I and everyone present felt the power that culture has. The power to forge deep bonds between countries and individuals. This is why I am also especially looking forward to a wonderful evening this Sunday, when the Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna will perform for us in the Elbphilharmonie. Before then you, Mr President, will visit Lüneburg, and tomorrow evening we will meet again for the Matthiae- Mahl in . You have a packed schedule that reflects the esteem in which you hold our country – for which we are very grateful!

Mr President, I wish you and your wife a pleasurable and fulfilling visit to Germany.

Let us raise our glasses to President Vējonis, to Mrs Vējone, and to the German-Latvian friendship!

Thank you very much.