The Dinner took place in the Havana Lounge in Bremen. After welcome speeches by Club President Ulf-Brün Drechsel and special guest Prof. Dr. Wiebke Ahrndt (Director of the Overseas Museum in Bremen), it was time to cut the turkey.
From October 27 to November 2, 2025, Bremen’s renowned annual international Festival for Border-Crossing Literature called Globale took place. We had the honor of being invited to the opening night, a festive event in the Town Hall.
Afterwards, we listened to a reading of excerpts from David Safier’s book Die Liebe sucht in Zimmer (Love in Search for a Room) by the famous actress Anna Thalbach, intermingled with Uni Bremen’s Prof. Dr. Karen Struve interviewing the author to explain the complex and captivating story of his book. Our students were able to obtain a signed copy afterwards.
During the subsequent festive reception, our Dickinson students met several interesting people, including a group of Ukrainian students from Odesa, who were attending a research week at the Research Centre for East European Studies at the University of Bremen and who invited our students for a joint dinner the next evening.
Many fascinating events, readings, and talks followed throughout the week, including, on Oct 29, a talk by Dr. Oxana Matiychuk with the title “Literature in/From the War: A Report from Chernivtsi,” which was introduced by Prof. Dr. Susanne Schattenberg, head of the Research Center for Eastern Europe.
On Nov 1, a discussion was held between Heike Paul and Marcel Dirsus (author of How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive) on: “Looking West: On the Current Situation in the United States.”
Marcel Dirsus (left), interviewed by Heike Paul
The same day, a reading (with interview) of Dmitrij Kapitelman’s Russische Spezialitäten (Russian Specialties) explored the heartbreaking attempt of a Ukrainian German from Kyiv, who grew up in Leipzig, to convince his own mother—who lives safely in Germany and has been taken in by Russian propaganda—that it is Putin who is attacking Ukraine, not the other way around.
German Ukrainian author Dmitrij Kapitelman (right), interviewed by Klaas Anders
This wonderful literature festival has been founded and run for a long time by Libuše Černa. Last year, she handed over to a young team, led by Tatjana Vogel and Daniel Schmidt, who was an exchange student from the University of Bremen at Dickinson College a few years ago.
During our Orientationweek, our students also had the change to participate in an exclusive tour through the Haus der Bürgerschaft, organized by the International Office of the University of Bremen.
from left to right: Alex, Kate and Haley
On 9th September 1966, the Haus der Bürgerschaft was inaugurated as the seat of the Bremen Parliament (Bremische Bürgerschaft). The state parliament of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen still meets here today and passes or amends laws for Bremen and Bremerhaven. (Source)
During the tour, our students learned more about the architecture and history of the building, as well as about Bremen’s state parliament.
If you want to find out more about Bremen’s State Parliament, find more information about it here in English or in German.
We would like to thank the International Office for organizing this tour!
Last week Thursday, on October 9, we had the great honor to attend the Reception on the occasion of the German-American Mayors’ Conference in the Bremen City Hall.
Bremen City Hall
The “Mayors Round Table” takes place the second time, with the first Conference being held in June 2024 in the One World Trade Center in New York City. Around 20 mayors from the US and Germany attended the two-day conference, among them Mayor David Holt from Oklahoma City who is also the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor Reggie Burgess from North Charleston, with which Bremen plans to become sister cities in the near future, as well as mayors from Helena (MT), Palo Alto (CA), Chattanooga (TN), Los Angeles (CA), Tacoma (WA), Mountain View (CA), Berlin, Hannover, Heidelberg, Stuttgart and many more.
The reception began with welcome addresses by Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte (President of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen), Christina Beinhoff (Head of the Department of Culture and Society at the Federal Foreign Office) and Mayor David Holt (Oklahoma City, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors). It was followed by the Input “Solid Partnership in Demanding Times” by Matthias Magnor (CEO BLG LOGISTICS GROUP AG & Co. KG, Bremen) and Julian Bremer (Co-President & COO BLG Logistics, Inc., Northport, Alabama).
Mayor Bovenschulte giving his welcome address
Afterwards, we had the chance to meet and talk to many Mayors and guests during the reception.
Some impressions from our students:
“I really loved getting to meet so many different people from both Germany and the US. Getting to speak with people from professions in differing spaces all coming together to connect under one roof was so special. Everyone had a different reason for being at the event but they each knew the value of the connection between two countries coming to work together.” – Haley ’27
“To attend the mayors conference was such a privilege. Having the chance to enter into Bremen’s beautiful Rathaus building is, in and of itself, something special, but being given the opportunity to chat with various U.S. mayors, Bremen’s own mayor (or Bürgermeister, true to the German title), and a range of other well-connected businesses people left me feeling both very lucky and surprised. Surprised that a group of three Dickinson College students had gotten access to such a high-profile event and made so many connections, all within the first week of arriving in Bremen.” – Alex ’27
“The conference was a great opportunity for meeting the “who’s who” of Bremen’s business and politics. It was also the perfect cure to my homesickness, getting to hear tons of American accents around me and speak with them about home.” – Kate ’27
Further Information
If you want to find out more about the conference, Sat1 Regional (German TV Broadcaster) documented the Conference with a short video:
“The round table of mayors from the United States and Germany, taking place in Bremen on 9 and 10 October, serves as a reciprocal invitation following the inaugural round table of mayors that took place in New York on 14 June 2024. There are around 200 German-American town twinnings, representing the largest number of such partnerships outside the European Union.
The round table forms part of the Urban Diplomacy Exchange programme implemented by Engagement Global, on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office and the German Association of Cities. Its objective is to strengthen German-American town twinnings, intensify the exchange of ideas on current urban challenges and deepen the bonds of transatlantic friendship. During the round table in Bremen, mayors will exchange views on topics including housing and urbanisation, innovation and digitisation, and smart solutions for large-scale gatherings and sporting events.” Source: Federal Foreign Office of Germany
Last week, we welcomed our new Dickinson-in-Bremen students Alex, Haley and Kate in Bremen.
We started off our Orientation Week with a delicious dinner in the “Ratskeller” in the historic center of Bremen as well as a tour through Bremen by former Dickinson-in-Bremen student Grear, who studied abroad in Bremen during the Spring in 2024 and is now doing his master in Germany. He came to visit us in Bremen to help our new students get to know the city and show them his favorite spots. Thank you, Grear!
from left to right: Academic Director Dr. Janine Ludwig, Haley, Kate, Program Coordinator Antonia Gabler, Alex, former DiB Student Grear.
Our new students will attend our Dickinson-in-Bremen Orientationweek this week, before they start their classes at Uni Bremen next week.
We can’t wait to spend the next semester(s) with you in Bremen!
Mid-June, Dickinson-in-Bremen Alumnus Liam Pauli ’19 came to visit us in Bremen. Together with our current Dickinson-in-Bremen students, we had a delicious dinner as well as “Kaffee und Kuchen” (coffee and cake) with amazing cakes.
enjoying our wonderful dinner
Our students and Liam shared their experiences and favorite moments and places in Bremen, and Liam also provided our students with valuable insights on how it feels returning home after a semester abroad, as well as on possibilities after graduation.
We had coffee and delicious cakes during “Kaffee und Kuchen”
Thank you so much for visiting us, Liam, it was a pleasure to have you here and we are looking forward to your next visit!
It’s hard to believe, but unfortunately, our students’ time in Bremen is already over and it is time to say “goodbye”. We hope that you enjoyed your time here and wish you all the best for your future. And if you ever get homesick for Germany in the future, you are always welcome to visit us in Bremen!
Our very yummy farewell dinner that we had mid-July
Tuesday started with a visit of the University of Bremen Law Faculty, which recently moved into their new building Forum am Domshof in the city center. Two professors and former judge President Jones got a chance to have a chat about their specialties and the different legal systems of our two countries.
Afterwards, the newest Dickinson Chair on the University of Bremen campus was inaugurated. Exactly ten years after the unveiling of the first three “Dickinson Chairs” on campus, this is the first chair at the new Forum at Domshof campus. The “Dickinson Chairs” in Bremen symbolize the enduring partnership between the institutions.
In the afternoon, President Jones and his wife Beth were given an exclusive tour at the late medieval Town Hall, together with Consul General Jason Chue (Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Hamburg) and former College President Bill Durden and his wife Elke, among others
The exclusive tour was given by Dr. Annette Lang (Head of Division International Cooperation and Development Cooperation at the Senate Chancellery of Bremen and former head of the International Office at University of Bremen).
During the visit at the town hall, the group also had a special meeting with Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte who warmly expressed his personal dedication to the transatlantic partnership.
In the evening, the sixth Dickinson College Public Lecture took place at the Schütting, the16th-century house of the Chamber of Commerce at the market square of Bremen. Almost 100 people attended the festive event.
The evening began with greetings by Eduard Dubbers-Albrecht (Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce Bremen) and Ulf-Brün Drechsel (President of the Carl Schurz German-American Club), followed by welcome addresses delivered by Prof. Dr. Jutta Günther (Rector of the University of Bremen) and Jason Chue (Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Hamburg).
Then, Dr. Ludwig spoke with President Jones about the new US Administration. At the end of the insightful interview, the guests had the possibility to ask questions to President Jones, and many seized this opportunity.
The event was concluded with a reception during which students & alumni engaged in stimulating conversations with experienced transatlanticists & representatives and made many new contacts.
Monday morning started with a short visit to the Dickinson Room on campus, before President Jones and his wife received a special tour through the Bremen Drop Tower, at Uni Bremen’s ZARM institute.
ZARM is an institute within the faculty of Production Engineering, and the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity. More than 100 scientists conduct cutting-edge research using experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to explore fundamental scientific questions as well as to develop innovative technologies for space missions and microgravity experiments.
The ZARM Drop Tower enables short-term microgravity experiments. A capsule can be dropped and has a free fall in zero gravity. ZARM cooperates, among others, with NASA. This drop tower is unique in Europe.
After a joint lunch at Bellini, it was time to head to the SFG Building on the University Campus, where the Alumni Reception took place.
We welcomed more than 70 people in total: 55 to 60 alumni from Dickinson and the University of Bremen, current Dickinson-in-Germany students, current and former Bremen partners and program officials as well as friends of the program attend the event in person. Several former Dickinson-in-Bremen students traveled to Bremen for the celebrations from other parts of Germany, where they now live; one flew in from the United States.
An additional 22 people joined us virtually from around the world and did not let the, in some cases, very early times due to time differences dissuade them from celebrating with us.
We also welcomed many guests of honor: Prof. Jürgen Timm and his wife, former rector of the university, Klaus Wedemeier, former mayor of Bremen, Bill Durden and his wife Elke, former president of Dickinson, and the current president John E. Jones and his wife Beth. Besides, former program directors and coordinators, many teachers of Uni Bremen and from Dickinson’s German Departments, and people involved in the International Office or the Rectorate who have supported the program.
The celebrations started with five short welcome speeches by current and former directors and college/university presidents.
Afterwards, we (re)connected and engaged in conversation with alumni who are “live” in Bremen and alumni who joined us virtually. Alumni shared anecdotes and their favorite moments of their time in Bremen or at Dickinson, and we cherished the special moments and life-long connections that were formed during this formative period.
The range of alumni attending the event covered the entire program history, with both the very first student participating in the exchange in 1985 and our current Dickinson-in-Bremen students, as well as the University of Bremen students that have just returned days ago from their exchange year at Dickinson, being present.
Afterwards, we held our coffee and cake reception outside in the backyard, while we started the virtual screening of our anniversary movie inside and for our guests in the zoom. The approximately 30min long movie presented a beautiful bag of memories with pictures, videos and impressions from student adventures over the years.
