Message Board

... thank you very much for your wonderful work and accomplishments

Rainer Silbereisen

Thanks and good luck!

Thomas Hanke, Handelsblatt

Thank you for the excellent day of discussion and splendid farewell reception on 25 November, which I was privileged to attend. It was very useful and refreshing to examine sustainability in such a cross-cutting way. Thanks for all the work of the Foundation over the years to promote mutual learning and dialogue. I’m glad to hear about the various forms of follow-up including the annual lecture series – it still feels important that Britons and Germans talk to each other, now and in the future, whatever specific form this takes.

Philip Gray
Environmental Performance Officer
Northamptonshire County Council

It was an excellent report, very nice event and discussion, and good party, which proved that,
maybe, just, a German joke might even be, sort of, a laughing matter.............!

Paul Flather

It was a pleasure to be involved in this project, for many reasons. You and the whole AGF as an organization had a crucial role, not only in making this event possible, but also in turning it into a major success.

Kai Konrad

Die Stiftung hat Hervorragendes geleistet: Sie hat unseren Blick füreinander geschärft, in den Ländern – insbesondere in den Regierungen – den Horizont erweitert und die Basis für strategische Entscheidungen verbessert. Mal hat das eine, mal das andere Land von den „lessons learnt“ stärker profitiert.
Die heutige Veranstaltung bezeugt einmal mehr die erfolgreiche Kommunikation der Ergebnisse in die Politik und die Gesellschaft beider Länder.
Roter Faden der Arbeit war stets die gelungene Zusammenarbeit deutscher und britischer Experten,...
Die Leistungen der Deutsch-Britischen Stiftung können gar nicht hoch genug bewertet werden. Ihre Arbeit war wichtig für die Integration Großbritanniens in die Europäische Union. Sie war wichtig für ein besseres gegenseitiges Kennenlernen unserer beiden Länder.
Vermutlich haben Sie Ihre Arbeit zu gut erledigt, die ursprüngliche Aufgabenstellung zu gut erfüllt und Politik und Wirtschaft zu gut beraten. Denn der Wermutstropfen am heutigen Abend ist, dass die Zeit der Stiftung zu Ende geht. Sie haben dies selbst in die Wege geleitet. Mit dem Schlussakkord ist Ihnen in den letzten vier Jahren etwas ganz Besonderes gelungen: Mit Ihrer Initiative „Nachhaltiges Wachstum für Europa“ haben sie der Arbeit der Stiftung den immer drängenderen Fragen entsprechend eine nachdrückliche europäische und globale Perspektive gegeben.

Prof. Dr. Frieder Meyer-Krahmer, Staatssekretärs im Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung

Many successes and achievements to be applauded and celebrated; sorry though to see another gap appearing in bilateral support for original and creative thinking and research

Alan Reid, Centre for Research in Education and the Environment, University of Bath

Let us celebrate the fantastic success story that has been the AGF over the last three decades, and let us take away from this evening a little personal commitment to keeping the thinking, the enthusiasm, the spirit and the interest value of the AGF's work alive over the coming years.

HE Sir Michael Arthur, British Ambassador in Berlin

It is obviously sad news when such a successful initiative as the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society decides to bring its activities to an end. However, I believe it is more important to reflect on what it has achieved since it was founded in 1973.
The Foundation has published much useful material, but I suspect that the greatest beneficiaries of its work have been the people who have contributed to its studies and those who have taken part in its discussions. I have no doubt that this experience will influence their decisions as they reach positions of greater responsibility. They are the all important opinion formers, and it is their opinions which will influence the development of industrial societies in the future. I am glad to have this opportunity to join my Co-Patron, President Köhler, in expressing my appreciation to all those who have worked for the Foundation over the last 36 years.

HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

It was a sad day but it was handled beautifully.

Bob Worcester

Many congratulations on the final event. A first rate conference and publications, and a very cheerful final evening.

Derek Osborn

Your contribution to the study of Industrial Society over the years has been really significant ... As someone who regrets the lack of opportunity to use my German I do regret that we never managed to get a tripartite seminar together with the French.

Ann Kenrick, Franco-British Council

Many thanks and all the best for the future to everyone at AGF. I am very sorry to see the AGF depart but it has made a tremendous contribution to policy debate, research and bilateral relations. I especially value all the support it has given to the British German Environment Forum over the years. Warmest wishes and alles Gute.

Ian Christie

Dear Ray, I’m so sorry that I can’t come to your closing event. I have really appreciated all the support which the Foundation has given to the Centre and to me personally – and in particular for your own help. The Foundation has played a really important role. Richard

Professor Lord Layard, LSE Centre for Economic Performance

I was saddened to hear that the Anglo-German Foundation was being wound up – but I want to express my personal thanks for all the advice and assistance received from the Foundation over the years. In particular I want to single out assistance received from Dr Hans Wiener in helping to finance visits by myself and my postgraduate students to Federal and Länder Finance Ministries.

Des McConaghy

Lieber Ray,
herzlichen Glückwunsch zu dem guten Erfolg des Seminars in Berlin. Es war eine würdige und gelungene Abschlussveranstaltung der Stiftung. Um so mehr hätte ich gerne an dem Seminar in London auch teilgenommen. Ich wünsche von Herzen einen ähnlichen Erfog wie in Berlin. Herzliche Grüsse und die besten Wünsche

Jürgen Ruhfus

The AGF has a lot to be proud of and its departure leaves a big gap in the British-German institutional landscape!

Prof. Simon Green

AGF has been a good friend to academe over the years. Thank you for the support we have received. Best wishes for the future.

Randall Smith

...thanks for your help linking us up with helpful academics etc in Germany...We used their insights to help develop the content of Power in People’s Hands – which highlights leading edge innovations in public services from around the world. Sorry to hear the work of the foundation is coming to an end.

Tom Shirley, Cabinet Office

May I express appreciation to you and to all at the Foundation for the admirable work that has been done over three and a half decades: I myself came to know your massive efforts through the Konigswinter Conferences and Steering Committee and am sorry to see a closure.

Michael Kaser

Leider war ich aus persoenlichen Gruenden verhindert an der Tagung/Abschiedsveranstaltung der Deutsch-Britischen Stiftung teilzunehmen.
Was ich sehr bedauere, da ich ja ein sehr frueher "Teilnehmer" von Tagungen, Veranstaltungen ect. pp. der Stiftung war (ex-WSI Angehoeriger, der u.a.
auch im UK im Rahmen der Stiftung "predigte").
Ich moechte Ihnen und den Beschaeftigten der Deutsch-Britischen Stiftung für die Arbeit herzlich danken und wuenschen Ihnen alles Gute für die Zukunft.

Dr. Detlef Perner

Dear Ray,
you did a fantastic job. It was a great conference.

Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker

Leider ist Edmonton ein bisschen sehr weit weg, und ich kann im Moment eine so lange Reise nicht einplanen. Ich werde aber am 29.10. in Gedanken bei Euch sein.

Britta Baron

Congratulations on the success of the "Endveranstaltung" last week which I found a fascinating experience.

Keith Tanner

Ray et al, can’t make it, I am afraid. I will be at a conference in Perth, Australia. I hope it is a great success. Best Wishes

Andy Mullineux

Mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge habe ich von der nun endgültigen Auflösung der Anglo-German Foundation gelesen: Das lachende Auge sieht voller Bewunderung die vielen Projekte, die vielen Initiativen, die von Ihnen so erfolgreich unterstützt und ermöglich wurden; das weinende Auge blickt zurück auf die enge Verbindung unserer Häuser, auf eine stets vertrauensvolle und erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit, für die ich mich ausdrücklich und ganz herzlich bei Ihnen bedanke.

Dr. Georg Schütte, Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung

Mit dieser Veranstaltung beendet die Deutsch-Britische Stiftung nach 36-jahrigem Wirken ihre Tätigkeit. Ich möchte deshalb den heutigen Tag nutzen, den Kuratoren und Mitarbeitem der Deutsch-Britischen Stiftung flir das Studium der Industriegesellschaft für die in den letzten dreieinhalb Jahrzehnten geleistete Arbeit Dank und Anerkennung auszusprechen.

Bundespräsident Horst Köhler

With this event the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society concludes its 36 years of activity. And so I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation to the trustees and employees of the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society for all the work they have accomplished over the past three and a half decades.

HE Horst Köhler,
President of the Federal Republic of Germany

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Contact

Ann Pfeiffer will continue to deal with financial and administrative matters until at least the end of February 2010. She can be contacted at:

Anglo-German Foundation
34 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8DZ
UK

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7823 1123
Fax: +44 (0)20 7823 2324
Email: ap( at )agf.org.uk

Emails to Ray Cunningham and Annette Birkholz at their Anglo-German Foundation email addresses will be forwarded at least until the end of February 2010.

Legacy

The Anglo-German Foundation Lecture Series (2010-2015)

The Trustees of the Foundation have made a grant to the British Academy to establish a lecture series to commemorate and continue the work of the Foundation. It is anticipated that the first lecture will be held in the autumn of 2010. If you would like to receive an invitation, please send an email or visit the British Academy website.

The Anglo-German Foundation

1973-2009

To download the 'AGF Lifetime Report'

please click here >>>

AGF Publications Catalogue

Online version

Hard copies are stored in two archives at the German Historical Institute Library (London) and at the Centre of British Studies (Berlin)