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When in 1949, on May 23rd, the new Basic Law (Grundgesetz)
was ratified as the new order for a new Germany hopes were high
that unity and rights and freedoms would be from then on
protected for all its citizens, regardless of origin, colour or
religion.
 This hope has largely become a reality, as the German Consul
General of Toronto pointed out at a celebration in the well
appointed Mercedes dealership downtown. He could welcome many
representatives from the local political scene, including 7
Members of Parliament and Ministers, as well as Mr. Monte
Kwinter, Head of the Investment and Trade Council, who delivered
Premier Dalton McGuinty’s best wishes.
| Ministers of
Baden-Wuerttemberg and Ontario |
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| Tanja Gönner, Minister of
the Environment Baden-Württemberg |
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| Prof. Dr. Peter Frankenberg,
Minister for Science, Research and Art -
Baden-Württemberg |
Monte Kwinter, Chair
Investment & Trade Council, Ministry of International
Trade and Investment |
Also present were several officials from Baden Württemberg, who
were here to renew their friendship and many business
relationships with Ontario which have been ongoing since
 1990.
Then, in front of Toronto City Hall, and now a Jazz Band played,
which was a bit of a surprise for some local Germans in the
past, but now they are apparently totally used to it. The many
representatives of the German-Canadian community in and around
Toronto, including Kitchener, included members of academia from
3 universities as well as leading individuals of
 cultural
organizations. They each enjoyed a nice few hours celebrating in
pleasant surroundings.
The event was generously sponsored by Mercedes, Kuehne and
Nagel, Dr. Oetker, with a birthday cake of course, and the
German Wine Institute.
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| The cutting of the birthday
cake |
| The many representatives of
the German-Canadian community |
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Mrs. Wettlaufer, Helene
Schramek, Sybille, Reiner Walter and Toni Baumann |
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| Werner & Angela Schlüter and
Helene Schramek |
Mrs. & Mr. Wayne Wettlaufer |
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| Brigitte Brandt-Weizel, Otto
Rosenmeier, Melissa Brandt-Weizel & Ida Brandt-Kühn |
Mr. & Mrs. Toni Bergmeier |
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| Sybille with Catrin Stibbe |
Eva Wazda, Sybille, Rolf A.
Piro |
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| Ruth & Ernst Friedel |
Sybille with Pia Kleber |
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| Toni Bergmeier, Tony
Ruprecht and Dr. John C. Hui |
Helmut Gschösser |
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| Sonja
Griegoschewski, Director of the Goethe Institut Toronto |
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