Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C.

Frohes Neues Jahr & Happy New Year 🎉 From all of us at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., we’d like to extend our best wishes as we bid farewell to this year and welcome 2025!

We are deeply saddened by the passing of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. His unwavering commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights has left an indelible mark on the world. Germany fondly remembers his pivotal role in strengthening transatlantic relations. Our thoughts are with his family and the American people during this time.

As expected, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has dissolved parliament today and confirmed that new elections will take place on 23 February 2025. 🗳️ Information on voting for Germans living abroad: https://ow.ly/5leI50UxhCU

Germany is protecting its democracy from extremists. Today, the German Bundestag voted by a large majority to secure the independence and functionality of the Federal Constitutional Court through a constitutional amendment. The amendment enshrines important structural features of the Court in the Basic Law, Germany's constitution - such as the number of judges, the length of their single term of office, and their maximum age. It also protects the autonomy of the Court's internal procedures, so that only the judges can decide on the order in which they work on cases. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that the Court's decisions "have ensured that people in Germany can rely on certain things: that their fundamental rights apply, that the separation of powers works, and that concentration of power and abuse of power are prevented."

90% of Germany's liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports came from the US in the first half of 2024. In response to Russia's war on Ukraine, we have not only completely divested from Russian fossil fuels. We are also building LNG infrastructure in record time. #WeInvestInFreedom

Die Bundestagswahl 2025 rückt näher! Voraussichtlich am 23. Februar 2025 öffnen in Deutschland die Wahllokale. Auch wenn Sie dauerhaft im Ausland leben, können Sie an der Wahl teilnehmen – mit Briefwahl. 🗳️ Vergessen Sie bitte nicht, sich rechtzeitig dafür anzumelden - denn: Ihre Stimme zählt! 👉 Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier: https://ow.ly/fVom50UsTr2

Today, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke on the phone with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The conversation focused on the security policy challenges in Europe. They agreed that the Russian war against #Ukraine has gone on for far too long and that it is important to get on the path to a fair, just and sustainable peace as soon as possible. The Chancellor reiterated that Germany will continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia's war of aggression for as long as necessary.

Germany and the U.S. deepen their collaboration in computational neuroscience! Understanding the human brain is key to unlocking better prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, enhancing learning strategies, and developing groundbreaking technologies like artificial intelligence. 🇩🇪🇺🇸 Since 2009, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) have joined forces to drive progress in computational neuroscience—an interdisciplinary field combining computer science, biology, physics, engineering, and behavioral sciences. Over 90 German-American research collaborations have already pushed the boundaries of what we know about the brain's structure and function. Today’s signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks the next chapter of this vital partnership, ensuring support for joint research projects over the next five years. Together, we will continue to generate new expertise, foster innovation, and strengthen international collaboration in brain research. #GermanAmericanPartnership #BrainResearch #ComputationalNeuroscience #Innovation #ScienceDiplomacy

What's going on in Germany? 🤔 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a vote of confidence in the German parliament, paving the way for early elections. What does this mean for the German government in the coming weeks? We broke it down for you. ➡️ If you are a German citizen in the US, find more information on how to vote here: https://ow.ly/lzJx50UsQZQ

Honoring the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift 🇩🇪✈️🇺🇸 This week, many participated in the annual commemoration at Dare County Regional Airport in Manteo, NC, orchestrated by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation. The Berlin Airlift was a lifeline for the people of Berlin, delivering tons of essential supplies and candy to children from June 1948 to September 1949. It was also a powerful beacon of hope in era of a divided Germany. We are extremely grateful to the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation for their dedication in preserving this incredible chapter of history and for continuing to foster German-American exchange. T #BerlinAirlift75 Despite weather challenges, they were able to still bring excitement and joy to the children with an improvised candy drop from the cockpit of the historic "Spirit of Freedom" aircraft. A huge thank you to