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Henry A. Kissinger Prize Honoring Former Chancellor Dr The American Academy in Berlin | Hans Arnhold Center | May 16th, 2011 HENRY A. KISSINGER PRIZE HONORING FORMER CHANCELLOR DR. HELMUT KOHL 2 Zoellick: The president of the World 8 Clinton: The former American president 13 Kohl: The former German chancellor Bank describes how Kohl’s vision reveals how he followed in Kohl’s discusses Germany’s obligations to shaped modern history footsteps optimism and to its neighbors ! Citation ! The Henry A. Kissinger Prize was established in 2007 to honor Germany as the foundation for a Europe united within a democratic the Academy’s Co-Chairman, former Secretary of State Henry A. and secure Atlantic community. His tremendous achievements Kissinger, whose initiatives for disarmament and détente in the and legacy sculpted the post-Cold-War world we know today and post-war period helped lay the foundation for democratic change in strengthened the strong transatlantic cornerstones upon which Europe, the end of the Cold War, and the unification of Germany. the American Academy in Berlin is built. The 2011 Kissinger Prize In his more than forty years of active political service, Chancellor is awarded to him in recognition of his singular role in achieving a Kohl built on the traditions of Konrad Adenauer to establish lasting foundation for democratic peace in the new millennium. News from the Hans Arnhold Center | | 1 those present, of emerging from Zeitung. The Berliner Morgen- D i r e c t o r ’ s N o t e the evening with a new grasp post described the atmosphere of history. As the Frankfurter of the audience, keen to witness n Monday, May 16, the ments. The American consensus Allgemeine Zeitung would later “a summit among statesmen American Academy in about Helmut Kohl’s legacy muse, “History is never writ- who have written history.” We O Berlin was honored to knew no party lines: both of the ten in the present tense. But include an abridged review by host the 2011 Henry A. Kissinger evening’s commemorative speak- how, if not historic, should one Academy trustee and Kissinger Prize, awarded to former ers, Robert Zoellick and Bill describe what took place at the Prize co-initiator Josef Joffe as a Chancellor Helmut Kohl for his Clinton, hailed Kohl as one of the beginning of this week in Berlin, postscript to this documen tation. extraordinary role in German truly great post-war statesmen out there in Wannsee, in a tent In the pages that follow, I reunification and in laying the of Europe. Dr. Kohl’s acceptance in the garden of the American would like to share our memories foundation for an enduring speech, delivered extemporane- Academy ?” of the evening with you, and to democratic peace in Europe. ously, moved the entire audience This sentiment was echoed thank you for your presence and An audience of 350 guests wit- to a prolonged standing ovation. in the overwhelming press your continued support of the nessed the momentous event, as Afterwards, the exuberant response that followed in the next Academy, which is dedicated to Academy Vice Chair Gahl Burt, crowd gathered in the Academy’s days, from reports in the Times facilitating such meaningful US Ambassador to Germany villa for a reception, where of India to the New York Times. transatlantic dialogue. I would Philip Murphy, Chancellor states men, academics, journal- Over 1,000 articles appeared in also like to underscore our Angela Merkel, World Bank ists, donors, trustees, and staff German print and online media, gratitude to Bosch AG, Cerberus President Robert Zoellick, for- members reflected on the speak- in addition to extensive report- Deutschland, and Klaus and mer US President Bill Clinton, ers’ words. The rain, which had ing in German TV and radio Pia Krone for generously under- and Academy President Norman poured down earlier, had abated, and widespread international writing this evening. Pearlstine stepped to the podium unleashing the pungency of early coverage. “An homage that knew and spoke glowingly of the summer smells and accentuat- no holding back,” wrote Daniel Sincerely, Chancellor’s singular achieve- ing the sensation, among all Brössler in the Süddeutsche Gary Smith © ALL PHOTOS BY HORNISCHER BY PHOTOS ALL© 2 | 2011 Henry A. Kissinger Prize | News from the Hans Arnhold Center ! Unification! called ! for his vision ! Grabbing Providence’s Cloak by Robert B. Zoellick err Doktor Kohl, Chancellor Merkel, Mr. President, him. Holbrooke was the founding chairman of the Academy, Dr. Kissinger, ladies and gentlemen: and he remained an active contributor to its cultural and intel- H It’s a great pleasure to be here tonight to honor former lectual energy for the rest of his life. There can be no better Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl. legacy of Richard Holbrooke’s devotion to German-American It is a particular pleasure that we are here under the aus- relations – and to an American foreign policy infused with pices of the American Academy in Berlin. The founding of this imagination, beliefs, and ideas – than the enduring relevance Academy after the end of the Cold War evidences a wonderful of the American Academy in Berlin. insight about transatlantic ties in a new era. I have been asked tonight to speak about Helmut Kohl. This singular institution offers a place where American I have chosen to offer an account, for Germans and scholars and writers, cultural and political figures, can come Americans, recalling Dr. Kohl’s legacy: his unshakeable belief together, share their experiences with, and learn from, in German and European unity and his commitment to the the people of Berlin and Germany. It was envisaged as a true Atlantic Alliance. academy, “a living center for the exchange of ideas,” in the Dr. Kohl’s beliefs led him – and Germany – to three decision words of the late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. And that is points that have shaped our world today: German unification; exactly what it has become. the deployment of medium range missiles and the wielding There could be no better ambassador for the Academy and of dual track diplomacy during the 1980s; and the creation of what it represents than Dr. Kissinger. the European Single Market, the Euro, and the European Henry Kissinger left Germany as a refugee. He built an economy of integration. extraordinary new life devoted to service to his new country as both a scholar and a statesman. He returned to Germany as DECISION POINT: A VISION OF UNIFICATION a world figure. The prize that bears his name not only honors Great historical events can appear to be inevitable in hindsight. Dr. Kissinger’s achievements in diplomacy and foreign policy, The reality is that events could have taken a different turn. it also recognizes the strength of the transatlantic relationship – In November 1989, the East German regime had to give its intellectual, cultural, and political strength. in to the pressure of the people and opened checkpoints in the At times during Dr. Kissinger’s long years of service, the Berlin Wall, allowing its citizens to travel freely to the West ties between Europe and America have been stretched and for the first time in almost three decades. At that moment, the strained. Yet his international assessments have always been most probable outcome was not that there would be a peacefully grounded in realities. One essential that Dr. Kissinger always unified German state in less than a year, firmly anchored in kept at the heart of his Weltanschauung is that Europe and the West. the United States must be bound as allies. Though his achieve- The issues surrounding the events of 1989 had arisen ments reached to China, the Middle East, Russia, and beyond, faster than anyone at the time could have expected. They were Dr. Kissinger always appreciated the centrality of Europe – driven by many deep historical currents: the growing evidence and of Germany – because, for a maritime United States, the of a bankruptcy of Soviet-style political systems in Central Atlantic must be a bond, not a barrier, and because of shared and Eastern Europe and the courage of Central and Eastern values born of entwined histories. Europeans to challenge those systems; the retrenchment of the I would also like to say a few words about Richard Holbrooke. Soviet Empire imposed by a collapsing economy; the appeal It was while he was serving as US ambassador to Germany of West Germany and the new Europe amidst the resolve of the that Richard Holbrooke conceived the idea of an American West; and the building demand for freedom and fundamental Academy in Berlin. And as any of you who knew him are well human and political rights that propelled the East German aware, once he had an idea in his head there was no stopping people to break through that wall. News from the Hans Arnhold Center | 2011 Henry A. Kissinger Prize | 3 But once the wall tumbled, statesmanship steered the sequence to guide the end of the Four Power rights established after of events that followed. There were many voices – in London, World War II within the context of a broader, changing inter- Paris, Moscow, frankly, all across Europe and even some in national architecture. That design, too, required vision. Germany – urging caution or even opposing a united Germany. Following his meeting with President Gorbachev, Secretary There were few voices calling for unification in the present. Baker sensed a possible breakthrough on the creation of the Yet Helmut Kohl had vision. Dr. Kohl understood – perhaps Two-plus-Four process. Bob Gates and I were supposed to fly to earlier than anyone else at that time – that historical forces brief Kohl. But there was not enough time. So Baker wrote were at work in Europe.
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