Bienvenue sur les pages du Ministère fédéral des Affaires étrangères
Dr. Klaus Otto Schmidt, Consul général
In 1985, the Heads of State and Government of the then « European Community » (later the EU) opted for the « Ode to Joy » as the European anthem. More precisely, it is the instrumental version of the main theme « Ode to Joy » from the last movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
This year the 250th birthday of the German composer gets celebrated worldwide: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra hosts a three-day Beethovenfest in March, Anne-Sophie Mutter will perform in June and we are planning a small European Beethoven birthday serenade in December. This recital marks the end of the German EU Presidency on Canada's West Coast in the second half of 2020.
German Unity Day marks the 30th anniversary of reunification. On this occasion, we want to question the role of Germany in a changing Europe together with our European neighbors. In the early 1990s, Canadian
newspapers also talked a lot about the new German « assertiveness ». Will one come to the same conclusion thirty years later?
Berlin's « small » Tegel Airport has a lot of friends worldwide. One appreciates the short distances and the quick connection to the city center. The first scheduled flight to Tegel was carried out by Air France on January 2, 1960, exactly 60 years ago. With the opening of the new Berlin Airport « Berlin- Brandenburg Willy Brandt », now scheduled for October 31, 2020, the end for « Tegel » could come. What a pity.
With best wishes for a happy new year 2020,
Dr. Klaus Schmidt
Consul General
Curriculum Vitae
Consul General Dr. jur. Klaus Schmidt
Born November 27, 1956 in Würzburg
Married, two children
| 1976 - 1981 | Law Studies |
| 1981 | 1st State Exam |
| 1981 - 1984 | Practical Training |
| 1984 | 2nd State Exam |
| 1991 | PhD (Dr. jur. utriusque) |
| 1985 - 2003 | Press and Information Office |
Assignments and Entry to the Foreign Office | |
| 1987 - 1988 | Press Section |
| 1991 - 1995 | Head of Press and Information Department, Visa and Consular Section |
| 2003 - 2005 | Head of Division K 01 |
| 2005 - 2008 | Political Section |
| 2008 - 2011 | Head of Division 603 and 608 |
| 2011 | Head of Cultural Section |
| 2012 - 2015 | Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Economic Section |
| 2015 - 2018 | Consul General German Consulate General Chengdu, China |
| since 8/2018 | Consul General |