International Study Seminar – Day 5
Thursday, March 13, 2014
– written by Brian Anderson, Julie Gerdes, & Daniel Carmichael – Presiding Fellows
Greetings from Berlin, a city once divided. After arriving in town late the previous evening we had the opportunity to explore this magnificent city, take in some of the sights by light, and find a place to fill our appetites. After a good night sleep at the beautiful Marriott Hotel – located right next to where East and West Berlin were once divided – we were eager to begin our historical tour of this area.
Luke McKelvie captures an image of “no man’s land” at the remaining remnant of the Berlin Wall.
Walking out the door of our hotel we were greeted by Juan Bendedict, or JB, as he preferred, who directed us to the bus that would take us around the sights of the city. Our friend began with giving us an understanding of the architectural work that has been done in Potsdamer Platz, the location of our hotel. This area was once a “no mans land”, acting as a barrier between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, GDR, or West and East Germany respectively. From here we were taken to see one of the last remnants of the wall that divided these to areas. For many in our group this was a learning experience, while for others it brought back feelings from times gone by. For all, it made us pause to appreciate the freedom we have been granted in our great nation. Our tour concluded with a visit to “Check Point Charlie” where we had the opportunity to stock up on some souvenirs for our friends and family at home.
After a lunch at our place of choice (many of us choosing the German Sandwich shop, “Subway”, for 5 Euro footlongs) we met at the US Embassy located next to the Brandenburg Gate. At the embassy we were greeted by Paul Spencer, Ag Counsellor, for the US Embassy. Paul provided insight to the class on the challenges facing the USDA in Germany and Europe. Their main focus includes Trade Policy, Marketing, and Commodity Reporting with trade policy commanding most of their focus. Following Paul’s presentation we had the opportunity to hear from John Rodgers, Foreign Service, who provided us with deeper insight into T-TIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) and how close we could be into reaching an agreement but still be so far away. It was interesting to hear from both of these gentlemen how the US and Europe can have so many similarities but still be so different, especially when it comes time to meet at the negotiation table. Our afternoon visit concluded with presentations from Heinz Degenhard, DuPont Pioneer, Bernd Neufert and Sabine Klages-Buchner, DuPont. These folks provided us with insight on the DuPont business in Europe, their main focus, and the challenges facing them, including the acceptance of GMO products and the concerns of the consumer.
Following our time at the US Embassy it was time to meet our host Simone for the remainder of our historical tour of Berlin. We gathered together again at the Brandenburg Gate for additional history of this area and then a walk to Holocaust Memorial, the site of Hitler’s Bunker, and the Reichstag at which we concluded our evening with a group dinner at the Kafer Restaraunt. This day was a summary of past and present, a reflection of what was and what is, and a better understanding of hope and despair. Berlin is an amazing city and we are all grateful we had this opportunity to understand and appreciate this historical cornerstone.
The Class of 2014 poses for a group photo at the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin.
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