Symposium on 90th Birthday of John F. Kennedy
Event at John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies at Freie Universität Berlin on May 29, 2007
№ 099/2007 from May 23, 2007
John F. Kennedy giving a speech in front of the Henry Ford Building on June 23, 1963
On May 29, 2007 the previous U.S.-President John F. Kennedy would have turned 90 years old. For this occasion the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies of Freie Universität Berlin has organized an afternoon symposium with a film presentation. Faculty of the institute and guests will hold short lectures (in German and English) on the internal and external politics of the Kennedy term of office, on the Kennedy myth, and other themes.
During his famous visit to Berlin in June 1963, the American President John F. Kennedy also gave a speech at Freie Universität. Only days after his assassination on November 22, 1963, the America Institute of Freie Universität, that was in the process of being founded, was renamed John F. Kennedy Institute, thus giving recognition to the special services of the Kennedys toward the city of Berlin as well as the generous donations the U.S.A. made to Freie Universität Berlin during its foundation in 1948 and later.
Program:
| 16:00 | Begrüßung und Einführung: John F. Kennedy und Berlin (Andreas Etges) |
| 16:10 | Medien und Fernsehen Harald Wenzel: John F. Kennedy und das Fernsehen |
| 16:30 | Literatur und Kultur Catrin Gersdorf: „The Outright Gift“, Robert Frosts lyrisches Geschenk an John F. Kennedy Winfried Fluck: The Fallen Hero |
| 17:15 | Wirtschafts- und Sozialpolitik Carl-L. Holtfrerich: Das Neue an Kennedys Wirtschaftspolitik Petra Dolata-Kreutzkamp: Kennedy’s „Attack on Poverty“, Fighting Unemployment and Poverty |
| 18:00 | Außenpolitik Frank Unger: Das Janusgesicht von Kennedys Außenpolitik Peter Busch (King’s College London): „Fateful decisions“: Kennedy and the Vietnam War Reception |
| 19.00 | Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (Drew Associates, USA 1963, 52 Min.) Documentary film about a civil rights crisis in 1963 at the University of Alabama. Governor George Wallace intends to personally prevent two black students from enrolling at the state university. The film makers show crisis meetings at the White House and the simultaneously occuring events in Alabama. Introduction: Michael Hoenisch |
Time and Place:
Tuesday, May 29, 2007, John-F.-Kennedy Institute for North American Studies of Freie Universität Berlin, Lansstraße 7–9, 14195 Berlin, Room 340
Additional information is available from:
Dr. Andreas Etges, Dep. of History of the John. F. Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies, Telephone: 030 / 838-52874, Telephone Secr.: 030 / 838-52474, Email: etges@jfki.fu-berlin.de