US Mission in Germany : an Update
By Carol Harbers President
2022 saw many changes in the
US Berlin Embassy and US Consulate in Hamburg — changes that affect how the USA is seen in Germany ; how our club benefits from these institutions ( and them from us !); and how our members can obtain passports , visas , and information needed for deaths , taxes , and other citizen-relevant issues .
First , the FIRST . In February of this year , Dr . Amy Gutmann assumed the position of US ambassador to Germany — the first woman to do so . She fills the position vacated by Richard Grenell in June 2020 . Dr . Gutmann previously served as president of the University of Pennsylvania from 2004-2022 , having made a name for herself as a political scientist .
In her opening address in Berlin , she noted that she “ never dreamed that President Biden would one day call me personally and ask me to be an ambassador to the very country my father once fled .” She also defined three main goals for her term : strengthening alliances , innovating inclusivity , and defending democracy . Her reception in Germany has been very positive , and , from our perspective , things are indeed changing .
In November of this year , our club was asked to meet with Neal Frazier , the vice consul at the US Embassy , for a reception in Hamburg . Diana Schnelle , our vice president , represented AWCH and reported that Mr . Frazier was very genuinely interested in hearing some of the requests of our members , including those for Social Security assistance , guidance for binational children , and the need for more frequent service days in Hamburg . Mr . Frazier said they now intend to offer a Consular Services Day twice per year in Hamburg , the next one being in the spring . This is a unique opportunity to renew children ’ s passports and receive birthabroad reports at the Hamburg consulate , instead of making an in-person visit to the embassy in Berlin .
Leading us to the next big change . Our “ Little White House on the Alster ” has closed . This was officially announced at the annual Fourth of July Party at the consulate , and , sure enough , a few weeks later the US flag was down . Outgoing Consul General Darion Akins
US Consul General Jason Chue , AWCH President Carol Harbers , and US Deputy Consul General Osee Liebermann
Photo by Trang Hy , US Consul General ’ s Office
reportedly took many steps to reverse the decision to close the consulate , which has served this function for over 70 years , but to no avail . With the incoming consul general , Jason Chue , the consulate officially moved into the Amundsen-Haus in the Hafen City in July 2022 . Located between the Elphi and Minatur Wunderland , there is no flag to be seen … but the security is still strict .
Many of us had the honor of meeting new US Consul General Jason Chue at our Thanksgiving Dinner in November . He seemed quite at home — save the presence of the security guards — as he mingled with our members and their families . In addition to Hamburg , the consulate ’ s territory covers the states of Lower Saxony , Bremen , Schleswig- Holstein , and Mecklenburg-
Continued on page 6