35th Annual German National Day Celebration (1)

The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner; Members of Parliament; Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Brisbane, Professor Michael Rosemann and Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Mayors and Councillors; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you to Marbie of the Wamba Wamba Nation for leading us in the acknowledgement of Country, and to the Queensland Youth Orchestras and German Youth Choir for their rousing performances of the Australian and German National Anthems.

I too, would like to begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people with us this evening.

In the past 18 months, Graeme and I have had the pleasure of receiving calls at Government House from no fewer than two Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Germany (Dr Markus Ederer and his successor, Ms Beate Grzeski), as well as the German Consul General, Mr Felix Schwartz and, on each occasion, Professor Michael Rosemann in his very active role as Germany’s Honorary Consul here in Brisbane.

That frequent interaction at the diplomatic level is an indication of the deep trade and cultural ties that have now existed between Queensland and Germany for more than 70 years, and it is those ties that led to a very fruitful program of meetings for Graeme and me in Berlin, two years ago, as part of my very first international visit as a representative of Queensland.

That enduring connection also led to the very kind invitation from Professor Rosemann for us to join you for tonight’s celebration of that momentous day in 1990 when Germany was finally and formally reunited as a nation after being divided for almost three decades. We are delighted to be here.

The long-term impact of most events is rarely seen at the time when they occur, but, on the 9^th of November 1989, as the Berlin Wall fell and families and friends were joyfully reunited, it was clear to every German – indeed to the world – that this was a pivotal moment with the potential to reshape history.

Looking back, it's easy for us to think of reunification as inevitable once the Wall had fallen, but at the time, such an outcome was by no means assured – in fact, for many, it was unthinkable because the Soviet Union was still a potent political force, and many countries were not convinced that a unified Germany would be in Europe’s best interest.

But, as the American novelist Kurt Vonnegut once famously said: History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.

And the world was surprised yet again, because, within a year of the fall of the Wall, through courageous, visionary leaders, and a great deal of deft diplomacy and political skill, a pathway to the new Federal Republic of Germany had been forged, with Germany emerging as a united and democratic nation that would go on to become a key player in European and global affairs.

The new, unified Germany may have been challenged initially by the painful legacy of three decades of division and the costs and consequences of reunification, but what finally emerged from the crumbling concrete blocks of the Berlin Wall was a nation which has since succeeded in tearing down many more walls on its way to becoming the major world power it is today.

Germany now not only excels in engineering, manufacturing, infrastructure and logistics, but leads the world in innovative research, renewable energy and sustainability – and does all of that while continuing its proud reputation for cultural leadership, excellence in education and vocational training, and for the quality of life it offers its 86 million people.

It is an achievement worthy of celebration, and on behalf of all Queenslanders, I extend my very best wishes to you all as you celebrate 35 years of reunification.