The Point Alpha Prize

The Point Alpha Prize

 

To retain and uphold the memory of the peaceful reunification of Germany, the Board of Trustees of German Unity for merits in the service of German and European Unity in Peace and Freedom was founded in 2003. The award is named for the historical Point Alpha site. In 2005, the Point Alpha Prize was awarded for the first time at the former US observation post to George H.W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev and Helmut Kohl under whose political leadership the issue of German reunification was negotiated in 1989/90. The other laureates to date have included Vaclav Havel, the former Czech president and, representing the GDR citizens’ movement, Freya Klier, Dr. Ehrhart Neubert and Konrad Weiss. In 2010, former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was distinguished for his role in the CSCE process and, in 2011, the award went to Felipe Gonzalez, former Prime Minister of Spain, for his unconditional support of German reunification. 
 
All the laureates have made outstanding contributions to reunification, unity and peace. The members of the Board of Trustees agree that the historical process of the peaceful revolution of 1989 and the background circumstances of reunification should not be allowed to fade into obscurity. 

 

Die Preisträger des Point-Alpha-Preises

The prize is also expressly considered as forward-looking. Its intent is especially to provide young people with examples and role models, it seeks to inform, sensitize and motivate young people, it seeks to give them hope and courage. It wants to encourage young people to be vigilant, to get involved and to help create, so that unity and peace are permanently retained and reinforced, both in Germany and in all of Europe. Ms. Christine Lieberknecht, Prime Minister of Thuringia and President of the Board of Trustees said, “We want to jointly address the risk of losing our consciousness of the indispensable value of the unity and freedom of our homeland in a unified Europe.”

Members of the Board of Trustees of German Unity:

President:
Christine Lieberknecht, Prime Minister of the state of Thuringia
 
Vice-President:
Berthold Dücker, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Point Alpha Foundation
 
Secretary:
Dr. Norbert Kleinheyer, Association Director of the Savings Banks and Clearing House Association Hesse/Thuringia
 
Dr. Jürgen Aretz, Secretary of State Thuringia, retired
Dr. Walter Arnold, Secretary of State Hesse, retired, Member of the Landtag (state parliament) Hesse
Hans-Dieter Brenner, Chairman of the Board Helaba Niels Lund Chrestensen, President Chamber of Industry and Commerce Erfurt
Dr. Hans-Peter Häfner, former Member of the Landtag Thuringia
Bischop Dr. Martin Hein, Protestant Church Kurhessen-Waldeck
Michael Inacker, Metro AG
Dr.Fritz-Helmut Karrass, Chief Finance President. retired 
Johann-Michael Möller, MDR-Radio Broadcast Director
Dr. Gerhard Schuchardt, Science Minister Thuringia, retired
Prof. Dr. Rudolf Seiters, Federal Minister, retired
Dr. Henning Voscherau, First Mayor of Hamburg, retired
Bischop Dr. Joachim Wanke, Catholic Bishopric Erfurt
Gunter Weißgerber, member of the German Bundestag (Parliament), retired
Prof. Dr. Michael Wolffsohn, University of the Federal Armed Forces, Munich
Dr. Wolfgang Hamberger, Mayor of Fulda, retired ; co-opted for the Point Alpha Foundation
 
Donations account for the Board of Trustees German Unity
Wartburgsparkasse
BLZ (Bank Sort Code): 840 550 50
Account No. 191000