The former President of Saxony, Kurt Biedenkopf, is to appear as the keynote speaker during a week of German-themed celebrations at Clare Hall Cambridge.

Professor Biedenkopf will give two lectures in a programme highlighting the links between Germany and the postgraduate college, which has a reputation for international diversity.

Between October 20 and 28, there will be a series of events with a German theme, including discussions and debates, dinners, music recitals, film screenings and other presentations. The Tanner lectures themselves will both be given on the evening of the 23rd.

The former President, who spent 12 years at the head of the German federal state of Saxony, is giving this year’s Tanner lectures. These are given at the college each year and were established by the American scholar and philanthropist Obert Clark Tanner in 1978 to achieve “a better understanding of human behaviour and human values”.

Coinciding with this year’s lectures, Clare Hall is in the midst of marking its 40th anniversary with a series of internationally-themed programmes. The college has students from 43 different countries on its roll at present.

Professor Ekhard Salje, president of Clare Hall said: “Germany provides the second largest contingency of Visiting Fellows and graduate students at Clare Hall after the US. It is not surprising, therefore, that discussions on the impact of the German unification on the political landscape of Europe, German culture and history, and academic collaboration between Cambridge and Germany often take place in college.

“I am delighted that leading German personalities from politics, media, research councils and over twenty scientists are coming to Cambridge to celebrate the close connection between Clare Hall and Germany.”

Professor Biedenkopf’s first lecture will analyse the changes in social and economic policy that followed German reunification in 1990. The second will focus on how the expansion of the European Union and in particular the inclusion of middle and south-east European states affects Germany’s role.

A series of responses on October 24 will be given by Senator Jorg Drager, the Hamburg Minister of Science and Research, Dr Georg Schuette, of the Humboldt Foundation, Professor David Cope, from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology and Frau Maria von Walser, CEO of Nord Deutsche Rundfunk. The German Ambassador, Wolfgang Ishinger, will host the Tanner Reception on the same day.

Other highlights will include “Grenzenlos”, an exhibition of posters to mark the 45th anniversary of the building of the Berlin Wall, screenings of the 1974 film version of Effi Briest and a harp and violin recital by Sarah and Rafael Christ, featuring music by Schubert, Bach and Mendelssohn.

The Alexander von Humboldt Organisation, a German organisation promoting international co-operative research, will also be holding an all-day seminar on the scientific study of ferroics on October 26.

A full programme of events together with further details is available on request from Rossella Wilson: Tel 01223 332368 e-mail: tanner.admin@clarehall.cam.ac.uk

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