Today’s 3rd October marks the 19th anniversary of German reunification. On Sept. 20, 1990 Eastern and Western German Parliaments in Bonn and East Berlin adopted the treaty of unification with large majorities. The Bundesrat (Federal Council) uniting representatives of the then 11 German states, adopted the treaty the next day, providing the basic legal requirement for the unification of the two German states.

On Oct. 3, 1990 the German Democratic Republic acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany. This day of reunification is one of the most important dates to the German people in recent history and has therefore been chosen as the German National Day: over 40 years of separation have been overcome and thereby 40 years of dictatorship for the people in the GDR ended. The Iron Curtain had fallen and paved the way for Germany and Europe as a whole toward reunification and broader and better political and economic cooperation.

Culturally and socially the European family was again brought together and counts today 27 member states. The reunification of Germany came forth on the ground prepared especially by the Polish freedom movement. Without the courage and persevering fight against communist dictatorship of our neighbors our reunification and the European unification could not have taken place. Our gratitude goes out on this day to our Polish friends, to the people in the former GDR fighting for their freedom and our political partners in East and West. Without their cooperation and political willingness this National Day would not have been possible.

The year 2009, is an even more special year. It is the year we call the year of 20/60. In 2009, the Federal Republic of Germany is celebrating the 60th anniversary of her foundation: on May 23, 1949 the German constitution, Grundgesetz (Basic Law), was signed and gave birth to the Federal Republic of Germany. On Nov. 9, 1989 in the night the wall, “Die Mauer,” was torn down after long months of Monday demonstrations in the former GDR and massive escape of citizens of the former GDR to our embassies in Prague and Warsaw. In the German Embassy in Riyadh we already celebrated the constitution day of the Federal Republic of Germany on May 23, 2009, and we will also mark Nov. 9 with a lecture dealing with the end of the former GDR and an exhibition displaying the deeds of this eventful period in the German history.

I am glad that I can celebrate this anniversary of our German National Day in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The relationship between our two countries is excellent and founded on regular consultations between our governments. In the spirit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s historic visit to Berlin in 2007 the last year has seen a significant intensification of our bilateral relations with official visits of the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank Walter Steinmeier; the Federal Minister for Economy, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg; the Prime Ministers of the Federal States of Hessen and Bavaria, Roland Koch and Gunther Beckstein, and a large number of political and business delegations to the Kingdom.

This fact displays not only the excellent relationship but also the intensified interest of Germany in cooperating with Saudi Arabia in the political and economic field. In times of global economic and financial turmoil the economic ties between our two countries have become even more important. Saudi Arabia has very well managed the effects of the global economic crisis by courageously implementing an economic stimulus package to cushion the impacts of the crisis, this again widened the opportunities for German companies in the Kingdom.

Another important area of our relations is cultural exchange and dialogue, education and training as well as scientific and technological exchange. The German Embassy offers like every year, beginning on Oct. 4, German language courses. We continue to strive to intensify the exchange between universities, high ranking academic representatives and students. I firmly believe that our two countries have great possibilities to deepen cooperation and work together for the benefit of both countries and this region. It is my hope that in the future the people in both countries will have more possibilities to meet, to get acquainted with each other and to learn from each other.

This would foster our bilateral cooperation and lay the ground for further common projects and businesses, including in the sciences and technologies of the future.

The year 2009 is also a very special date in the bilateral relations between Germany and Saudi Arabia marking the 80th anniversary of the first treaty between our two countries and peoples signed on April 26, 1929. I would like to extend congratulations and greetings to all German nationals and to all friends of Germany in Saudi Arabia on the occasion of our National Day. Let us celebrate together in the spirit of ever-closer relations between our two countries, fostering friendship, understanding and dialogue between our two peoples.

Volkmar Wenzel

Ambassador of Germany