Almost historical: 100th Birthday Ceremony & Party for and with Henry Kissinger in Fürth
On June 20th, Prof. Voigt had the great opportunity and honor to attend the festive birthday reception for Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State and Nobel Price Winner, in his former home town Fürth. In a festive ceremony in the beautiful Fürth Theater, prestigious guest speakers praised the guest of honor: Federal President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder, former Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schäuble, former German Ambassador in USA, Wolfgang Ischinger, and Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer SE. Finally, Henry Kissinger himself adressed the highly-moved audience, sharing his reminiscences of his child- and boyhood in Fürth before emigrating to USA in 1938 and his constant kept close relationship – if not love – to Germany and his home town throughout his long and outstanding career. Not to mention that he was always interested in the fortune of his favorite soccer club – the SpVgg Greuther Fürth!
In a relaxed party after the ceremony, given at and by the Ludwig Erhard Zentrum in Fürth, Prof. Voigt took the chance to listen to the touching memories Henry Kissinger shared with his numerous guests and talked with many of the guests – Prof. Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (Bosch) and his charming wife, Prof. Dr. Enno Weiss and Daniela Schadt (all close connected with the Chair of Industrial Management of FAU), as well as FAU Presidents Joachim Hornegger and Karl-Dieter Grüske, Bavarians Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann MdL, and Member of Germany‘s Council of Economic Experts, Prof. Dr. Veronika Grimm – to name only a few. In a short talk with Mathias Döpfner, Prof. Voigt valued his speech that impressed so many guests of the evening.
Although not being an incontroversial person, Dr. Henry Kissinger – being impressively fit and vigilant with 100 years – was deeply moved and emotionally touched by this event, finishing a journey (in his own words) that has begun 100 years ago at exactly this place. It was an evening where you could experience history very close and eyeball to eyeball!