As prepared for delivery

Remarks at the 50th Anniversary of the Leo Baeck Institute's
dinner honoring Otto Schily

November 21, 2005

Henry A. Kissinger

It means a great deal to me to participate in this celebration by an institution to which my parents belonged and which contributed so much to the serenity and fulfillment of their lives. The Leo Baeck Institute was founded by Jews who fled Germany in the 1930s, and is dedicated to preserve the values of their humane and intellectual traditions. We are assembled to honor Dr. Otto Schily who, at this speaking, is still Minister of the Interior - for a few hours anyway, until the German parliament elects a new Chancellor, inaugurating a Grand Coalition of the two major democratic parties. We all wish the new government every success and Germany a period of peace and well-being.

The presence of Ernst Cramer, who has contributed so much to the emergence of a free and democratic press in Germany, is much appreciated. He has been a reliable friend and a great fighter for the humane causes that make life worthwhile. It is an honor to share this podium with him.

The relationship between Germany and its Jewish community has been complex. Historically, there has been a remarkable identification of the Jewish community with its German hosts - indeed, the people among whom I grew up did not consider themselves as outsiders in Germany, but as proud fellow citizens. The events that changed this state of affairs cannot be forgotten. At the same time, we have kept our ties to the German culture and to the best values of German history. We respect the extraordinary achievement of Germany's post-war generation, of reclaiming democracy and human rights after the Nazi tyranny collapsed. We recognize that the overwhelming majority of Germans living today came to maturity after the Nazi period. They deserve to have it appreciated that, under the leadership of all parties, they have contributed to building the Atlantic Alliance, fostered European integration, encouraged minority and human rights and have paid special attention to the relationship of the new Germany with the Jewish people.

Our honoree tonight is a distinguished representative of this new, democratic Germany. Born in 1932, he experienced the Nazi period as a bystander. But he has played an indispensable role in the construction of a democratic Germany. Some of the routes he chose to implement his convictions were unorthodox - for example, his role as defense attorney for some radical groups that were threatening that very democratic process. But the defendants were entitled to legal representation and our honoree managed to

walk a line between serving as a defense attorney and identifying himself
with the cause of his clients.

In the last twenty-five years, Dr. Schily increasingly devoted himself to
politics - first as a prominent member of the Green party and later moving
into a leadership position in the Social Democratic party. Appointed Minister
of the Interior in 1998, it fell to Dr. Schily to defend German democracy
against the terrorist onslaught. This Dr. Schily did with extraordinary
dedication and ability. I had many occasions to discuss his efforts with him
personally. His grasp of the subject and commitment were impressive. Even
during periods of tension between the German and American governments,
Dr. Schily acted on the principle that tactical difficulties should not obscure
the underlying community of interest in defense of democracy. He has been
a symbol of the extent to which democracy has become a dynamic and
unifying force for Germany and, therefore, for European integration as well
as Atlantic partnership.

It is with great personal satisfaction that I give award the Leo Baeck medal
to Dr. Otto Schily, which reads: "So that the memory of a great past may not
perish."

Since 1955, the mission of the Leo Baeck Institute has been to document and preserve the history and heritage of German-speaking Jewry. The Institute's library, archives, photo and art collections are used by thousands of researchers, historians, genealogists and journalists around the world. It is internationally recognized as the foremost research institute of its kind.

September 2001 marked the opening of a branch of the archive of LBI, NY at the Jewish Museum Berlin. This is the first time that the Institute's outstanding collections are available outside of New York.

The Institute's services are free to scholars and all others who benefit from its collections. They and we count on your support.

## LEO BAECK INSTITUTE NEW YORK
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

**Ismar Schorsch**
*President*

Michael A. Bamberger
*Vice President*

Eva Brunner Cohn
*Treasurer*

**Trustees**

Henry L. Feingold

Gerald M. Friedman

Peter Gay

Alfred Gottschalk

Arthur Hertzberg

Hans George Hirsch

Paula E. Hyman

Michael G. Jesselson

Josef Joffe

Ira H. Jolles

Joan C. Lessing

David H. Lincoln

Ralph E. Loewenberg

Michael A. Meyer

Ernest W. Michel

Scott Offen

Jehuda Reinharz

Robert S. Rifkind

Raymond V.J. Schrag

John H. Slade

Ronald B. Sobel

Helmut Sonnenfeldt

Guy Stern

Ernst Cramer,
*Honorary Trustee*

Carol Kahn Strauss
*Executive Director*

LEO BAECK INSTITUTE, INC.
15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011-6301
Phone: 212-744-6400 / Fax: 212-988-1305

LBI ARCHIVES AT JEWISH MUSEUM BERLIN
Lindenstrasse 9-14, 10969 Berlin, Germany
Phone: 49 30 25 99 33 00 / Fax: 49 30 25 99 34 09

OCT 07 2005

LEO BAECK INSTITUTE

takes great pleasure in inviting you to
the

## 50th ANNIVERSARY
## GALA DINNER

OTTO SCHILY

German Minister of the Interior
will be awarded the

Leo Baeck Medal

by

DR. HENRY KISSINGER

Former U.S. National Security Advisor and
Secretary of State

with introductory remarks by

ERNST CRAMER

Chairman, Axel Springer Foundation

Monday, November 21, 2005
at the

HARMONIE CLUB
4 East 60th Street
New York City

Cocktails 6:00 PM Dinner 7:00 PM

11/21

50th Anniversary
Dinner Chair

Dr. Guido Goldman
Harvard University Center
for European Studies

Honorary Co-Chairs

Wolfgang Ischinger
Ambassador of The
Federal Republic of
Germany to the United
States

Gunter Pleuger
Ambassador of The
Federal Republic of
Germany to the United
Nations

Dinner Committee (In formation)

Michael A. Bamberger
LBI Vice President;
Sonnenschein, Nath &
Rosenthal

W. Michael Blumenthal
Director, Jewish Museum
Berlin

Martin Bussmann
Mannheim LLC

Eva Brunner Cohn
LBI Treasurer

William Drozdiak
President;
American Council on Germany

Henry L. Feingold
LBI Trustee; Director, Jewish
Resource Center, Baruch
College, New York

Alfred Gottschalk
LBI Trustee;
Chancellor Emeritus,
Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Religion

Michael G. Jesselson
LBI Trustee;
Jesselson Foundation

Josef Joffe
LBI Trustee;
Publisher, *Die Zeit*,
Hamburg, Germany

Ira H. Jolles
LBI Trustee;
Senior Counsel,
Thelen Reid. & Priest LLP

Kurt Leopold
President;
Deutscher Verein

Joan C. Lessing
LBI Trustee

David H. Lincoln
LBI Trustee;
Senior Rabbi,
Park Avenue Synagogue

Michael A. Meyer
International President,
Leo Baeck Institute;
Professor,
Hebrew Union College

Ernest W. Michel
LBI Trustee;
Executive Vice President
Emeritus, UJA Federation

Scott Offen
LBI Trustee;
Portfolio Manager,
Fidelity Investments

Jehuda Reinharz
LBI Trustee;
President,
Brandeis University

Robert S. Rifkind
LBI Trustee;
Cravath, Swaine & Moore

Ismar Schorsch
President, Leo Baeck Institute
NY/Berlin; Chancellor, The
Jewish Theological Seminary
of America

Raymond V.J. Schrag
LBI Trustee;
Law Office of Raymond
Schrag

Bruce Slovin
Center for Jewish History

Helmut Sonnenfeldt
LBI Trustee;
Guest Scholar,
The Brookings Institution

Guy Stern
LBI Trustee;
Former Vice President
and Provost, Wayne State
University

Otto Schily is a man whose career transcends politics. The outcome of recent federal elections in Germany is significant perhaps for the national policy agenda, but for a statesman like Mr. Schily who has a record that spans decades of public service, it is his values, principles and judgments that matter most. The Leo Baeck Institute is proud to have Otto Schily as a friend, and honored to award to him the Leo Baeck Medal on the occasion of the LBI's 50th anniversary.

For most politically-conscious citizens of the world, **Dr. Henry Kissinger** needs no introduction. His extraordinary career has taken him to every part of the globe and enabled him to meet with people at every level of government and society. Some colleagues have become very good friends; Otto Schily fits into that group. The Leo Baeck Institute is proud to have Dr. Kissinger present its highest honor to our special guest.

Ernst Cramer and Leo Baeck Institute have been virtually inseparable since the Institute was founded 50 years ago. Mr. Cramer's illustrious career as a journalist and remarkably astute analyst of international relations have earned him great respect on two continents. As editor of *Die Welt am Sonntag*, and as Chairman of Axel Springer Foundation, Ernst Cramer has consistently advocated for his belief in the need for greater tolerance in a difficult and constantly changing world. He is a long-time friend and colleague of Minister Schily, of Dr. Kissinger, and of Leo Baeck Institute.

LEO BACK INSTITUTE
50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER

Monday November 21, 2005 Harmonie Club
Cocktails 6:00 pm / Dinner 7:00 pm / Black Tie Optional

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