AGP Study Trip to Germany September 2021 |
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AlabamaGermany Partnership Study Trip 2019
Visit with Airbus in Hamburg, Germany
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AlabamaGermany Partnership is organizing a study trip to Germany from September 19 to September 24, 2021. The delegation is limited to 20 participants. A FEW SEATS LEFT!
The trip starts in Munich, continues to Erlangen, Selb, and ends up in Esslingen/Stuttgart.
During the trip, we will explore German engineering, automotive engineering trends, and the role of R&D and apprenticeship with Siemens Training Center, IHK Nürenberg, and Rausch & Pausch. We will receive a briefing from the Alabama Dept. of Commerce’s European Office Director, about the status of the European market and the office’s activities. And last but not least, we will learn about engineering programs, industry activities, and student exchange programs at Esslingen University for Applied Science, the University of Stuttgart, and the FKFS Research Institute for Automotive.
In addition, the group will experience German culture through several planned cultural activities, while our receptions/dinners will provide networking and business development opportunities.
Please e-mail or call the AGP office at (205) 341-7880, if you are interested in learning more about the study trip before we sell out.
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We would love to hear from you!
Will you please help us by sharing your thoughts about AlabamaGermany Partnership, and how we can better support and engage you in 2021 and going forward?
Your participation in the feedback is voluntary, anonymous, and will take a maximum of five minutes of your time.
If you have any questions or comments about this survey, please get in touch with us at director@alabamagermany.org. We look forward to your feedback!
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Dankeschön to our PATRON Members: |
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Please join us for our monthly AGP Stammtisch:
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Carrigan's Beer Garden, Birmingham
What does "Stammtisch" mean? A Stammtisch is an informal group meeting held regularly and the usually large table around which the group meets. A Stammtisch is not a structured meeting, but rather a friendly and casual get-together.
This is a great opportunity for German expats to meet and for other German-speaking/practicing to improve your German. Speaking German is encouraged but not required.
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AGP Webinar - German Heritage and Traditions in Cullman |
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Col. Johann G. Cullmann & Weihnachtpyramide |
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Drew Green, Cullman County Museum |
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Join us for a conversation with Drew Green about German heritage and traditions in Cullman:
Tuesday, August 17
3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
ZOOM Webinar
Drew is the director of the Cullman County Museum and an officer in the Friends of Frankweiler Club. We will talk about the rich German heritage in Cullman, including the German founder of the town. Drew will also tell us about the organization “Friend of Frankweiler” and last but not least, we will talk about the German Weihnacht Pyramide (the Christmas Pyramid) – the largest in the U.S. This will be a great talk about German heritage and traditions right here in Alabama. Join us!
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AGP Young Professionals Social Hour |
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Join the AGP Young Professionals (age 21 to 39) for Social Hour:
Thursday, August 19, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. CST
Oak Mountain Brewing Company, Pelham
Join them for a social hour at Pelham's newly opened brewery.
The Oak Mountain Brewing Company (OMBC) has a 15-barrel brewhouse with a variety of fermentation tanks. OMBC is striving to create great, quality accessible beers while cultivating an authentic atmosphere for beer-lovers to gather. They are home to classic flavors, as well as experimentally fun beers. Come out to socialize and network.
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AGP German Beer and Sausage Sampling with Networking |
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Join us for German beer and sausage sampling with networking:
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Rolf's Deli & Sausages, Northport
Join us for networking at the German butcher - Rolf's in Northport! We get to see his new expansion to the deli and he will host a sampling of three German beers and three sausages, plus a beer of your choice with a pretzel bun and sausage dip (all included in the fee). Rolf will describe the characteristics of German beer, food, and culture.
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German Company Visit with Gerhardi Inc.
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By Tine Hoffmeister, AlabamaGermany Partnership |
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Gerhardi Inc. is located in Montgomery and hosted its grand opening in July 2019, after a $41.6 million investment. The German company announced its plans to open its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Alabama back in 2016.
The company was excited to launch operations at the state-of-the-art injection molding, electroplating, and assembly plant in Alabama's capital city. The only German company in the area. Gerhardi's products include radiator grilles, injection-molded handles, chrome trim, and a lot of know-how. They are known for their innovation in developing and producing superior interior and exterior plastic automotive parts.
Last month, I had the pleasure of catching up with Tzahi Sella, CEO of Gerhardi Inc. We had not seen each other in person since the AGP Annual Celebration Dinner in 2020 in Huntsville, where the company was recognized for its $3,735,000 expansion announcement the prior year. Shortly after the AGP event the Covid-19 pandemic hit and Gerhardi were not spared for the challenges it brought with it. The decision was made to halt the production in Montgomery and outsource the orders to the headquarter in Germany and another German supplier in Alabama while still holding on to key employees. At the time of my visit, they were back producing with 2 shifts and 45 employees and getting ready to add another shift and another 20 employees. Like many other companies, Mr. Sella finds it hard to find good people to come work for them and continues to work with AIDT and come up with new ways to fill the gaps. Another challenge has been work visas for their German expats. Currently, 6 German are working in Montgomery in mid-level management.
The plant floor is lined up with large green state-of-the-art injection molding machines and assembly lines. For now, the company is focusing on injection molding. They are producing 1000 radiator grills per day for their main customer BMW that twice a week are shipped to Georgia and South Africa. Chrome plating is their core business but the electroplating area sits a bit off for itself and waiting to get busy. Mr. Sella explains that full use is needed for it to be worth starting the electroplating area back up but they expect it to run in the near future. All the equipment is German. The facility has its own in-house tool shop. The plant is 80,000 sq feet and sits on plenty of land to expand in the future.
When I leave Gerhardi Inc. it is with a sense of optimism that this still new company to Alabama (and the U.S.) is back on its feet and with much excitement for the future as they continue to develop and produce superior plastic parts for the interior and exterior of a future-oriented automotive industry.
Gerhardi was founded in 1796 in Lüdenscheid, Germany, and originally manufactured brass buckles. It modernized and focused on the production of automotive components in the early 1950s. The company is still headquartered in Lüdenscheid and employs approximately 1,000 workers at four production plants throughout Germany and one in the U.S.
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Dr. Barbara Fischer Education Award |
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By Dr. Traci O'Brien, Auburn University |
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Anja Werth, Auburn University
Dr. Barbara Fischer Education Award Recipient
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The Barbara Fischer Education Award was presented to Anja Werth of Auburn University at the AGP 23rd Annual Celebration Dinner in Birmingham in June. This award is presented to someone who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the Alabama-Germany relationship in the areas of education and culture and to the vision of the AlabamaGermany Partnership. The award was presented to Anja Werth by Dr. Traci O’Brien, Auburn University & AGP Board, and Executive Committee Member.
Last year, right before things in this part of the world started going crazy, I had the privilege of presenting this award to the 2020’s nominee – a good friend and colleague. This year, I have the honor of accepting this award on behalf of another colleague whom I very much value, and with whom I have worked closely for more than a decade, Frau Anja Werth, who couldn’t be here to accept the award. Though she is averse to all kinds of self-promotion, since she is not here, I get to tell you just a few things that make her a deserving recipient of this award before leaving the stage.
Speaking first in generalities, I will tell you that Frau Werth is a calm and personable teacher who connects to her students; it may seem like a paradox, but they are comfortable with her and they feel encouraged to achieve their best. Further, she can take the initiative in development projects, but she can also be a team player who does more than her fair share of teaching and service. Her international point-of-view and her interest in language learning (she herself has studied multiple languages, including Chinese) do not preclude an enthusiasm for her native language and culture; instead, students are intrigued by her openness and strive to emulate it. In my perspective as a colleague in German, the undergraduate director for German at Auburn, and department chair of World Languages, I can say that Frau. Werth is on the list of the top five teachers I have encountered in my over a twenty-year career.
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By Adam Jones, Alabama NewsCenter |
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A rendering shows the planned Smart Communities and Innovation Building on the University of Alabama campus. The building will house the Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP) Initiative, designed to meet the needs of the booming electric vehicle market. The initiative grew out of a relationship among UA, Alabama Power, and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International. (contributed)
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday that $16.5 million of bonds issued by the Alabama Public School and College Authority, authorized by the Alabama Legislature to fund capital improvements for the state’s education system, will allow for the construction of the Smart Communities and Innovation Building on the University of Alabama campus.
The name of the building and the scope of the project are subject to the approval of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.
“We are deeply grateful to Gov. Ivey and our state elected officials for their leadership in boosting the university’s existing expertise and research innovation in the area of transportation, and are truly appreciative for the support from the board of trustees and the UA System Office in moving this transformative project forward,” said UA President Stuart R. Bell. “The Smart Communities and Innovation Building will be the only one of its kind in the United States and is a prime example of the type of partnerships necessary for innovation and workforce and economic development.”
UA will strengthen its long-standing relationship with Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International with the Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP) Initiative, designed to meet the needs of the booming electric vehicle market and support Alabama’s transportation network. The AMP Initiative will be housed in the Smart Communities and Innovation Building.
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Biden bids Merkel farewell: Friends — with disagreements |
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By Aamer Madhani, Alexandra Jaffe, and Frank Jordans, AP News |
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President Joe Biden meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, July 15, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Welcoming Angela Merkel to the White House for a final time, President Joe Biden renewed his concerns to the German chancellor Thursday about a major, nearly complete Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline but said they agreed Russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon.
The two discussed — though made no apparent headway — on differences over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline during a largely friendly farewell visit for Merkel as she nears the end of a political career that has spanned four American presidencies.
“On a personal note, I must tell you I will miss seeing you at our summits,” Biden said as he stood by Merkel, the second-longest serving chancellor in Germany’s history, at a late afternoon White House press conference. “I truly will.”
Merkel, who had a famously difficult relationship with former President Donald Trump, showed her ease and familiarity with Biden, who has long been a fixture in international politics, repeatedly referring to him as “Dear Joe.”
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Dankeschön to our SUSTAINING Members: |
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AATG Scholarship Recipients |
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By Chase Trautwein, President, AL Chapter of AATG |
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Congratulations to our German educators Katie Lightfoot, who is in the MA program at the University of Alabama, and Brandon Blevins of the University of North Alabama.
Both were recently awarded the Mit Deutsch in die Zukunft scholarship by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). This professional development program is hosted by the Herder Institute at the University of Leipzig in the coming fall.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch!
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Please help us welcome our new members:
CORPORATE/ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Alan Wood
Senior Vice President
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is an international service provider that plans, designs, and administers a full array of customized, cost-effective property/casualty insurance and risk management programs. The company also furnishes a broad range of risk management services including claims and information management, risk control consulting, and appraisals to help corporations and institutions reduce their cost of risk.
As an AGP member, you can connect with them through the AGP membership database.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS
Andrew Stevens
Guilherme Kleist
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Watch Five German Movies for Free |
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News from Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta
Relish the final month of summer 2021 by streaming five popular German films in the Sommerkino - Best of German Film Series curated by Goethe-Institut Boston!
This streaming service comes to you free of charge, courtesy of the Goethe-Institut's new Goethe on Demand platform. Each of the five films will be available for streaming for a whole week and all come with English subtitles.
Grab your popcorn and enjoy the show!
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National Historic Landmark - Sloss Furnance in Birmingham |
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Sloss Furnaces was once the largest manufacturer of pig iron in the world. It stands today just as it did in the late 19th century — a monument to the Industrial Revolution. With its web of pipes and towering stoves, this unique National Historic Landmark provides visitors a glimpse into Birmingham’s rich industrial heritage. It stands with pride and is a symbol of where the “Magic” began for Birmingham.
Sloss Furnaces operated from 1882-1970 making it the longest continually running blast furnace in Birmingham’s history. We invite you to come to visit and learn about the materials, the products, and the people who ran the furnaces and built the city.
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark began as a museum in 1983 providing visitors with a unique experience and valuable insight into Birmingham’s industrial past. We continually strive to create the best experience possible for all our visitors and guests. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your time here more enjoyable and educational.
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COVID-19 RELATED NEWS AND RESOURCES |
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NEWS:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions are in place for entry into Germany from a large number of countries. Those entering Germany from risk areas must complete a digital entry registration form, be tested for coronavirus, and, depending on the regulations of the Land in question, self-isolate. Please check for restrictions and registration here.
Key Information for Travelers to Germany from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visit CDC Website.
RESOURCES
We have collected a list of resources that can provide information and assistance during these challenging times. You can find them on our website under Helpful Resources.
AlabamaGermany Partnership:
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AlabamaGermany Partnership 1900 International Parkway Drive, Suite 105
Birmingham, AL 35245 www.AlabamaGermany.org
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