Wolfgang Schäuble
On the evening of June 20, 2017, the trustees of the American Academy in Berlin awarded the 2017 Henry A. Kissinger Prize to Germany’s Federal Minister of Finance, Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble. The laudation for Dr.Schäuble was delivered by former US Secretary of Treasury Lawrence H. Summers.
The prize, which is awarded annually to a renowned figure in the field of international diplomacy, recognizes Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble for his outstanding achievements through nearly five decades of public service. His contributions to contemporary German politics have guided the nation through unification, advanced the European idea, and vigorously promoted the European-American partnership. His principled leadership in the German federal government and parliament has earned him esteem across party lines. And his intellectual rigor and moral integrity have helped to define the contours of the German character on the world stage.
As a committed transatlanticist, Minister Schäuble has consistently urged partners to pursue sustainable solutions to global challenges, from immigration and data protection to financial regulation and international security. Throughout, he has personified the spirit of the indefatigable statesman whose dedication to the promotion of human dignity, belief in the rule of law, and elevation of public debate has exemplified the values of the liberal democratic tradition. In so doing, he has become one of the transatlantic community’s most indispensable figures.
