On 22 June, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in Hamburg, Dr Ulf-E Lange, celebrated the 30th anniversary of his appointment to the office. To mark the occasion, representatives of the Hamburg city government, the local consular corps and business elite, members of the Estonian community in Hamburg and representatives of the Estonian Embassy in Berlin gathered at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg for a concert by Kristjan Järvi and the Baltic Sea Philharmonic followed by a reception.
Dr. Ulf-E. Lange, the honorary consul, made a vow during his speech that he would save his reflections on the accomplishments of the past 30 years of effort for another occasion. The Honorary Consul, however, demonstrated that he was an incredibly knowledgeable authority on Estonian and Nordic Midsummer traditions, completely in keeping with the topic of the “Midnight Sun” concert program that came before the reception.
The Honorary Consul was recognized by the Estonian Ambassador to Germany, Mr. Alar Streimann, for his significant contribution to the growth of the two countries’ bilateral ties. The ambassador continued by praising Dr. Ulf-E. Lange for his decades of hard labor as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in Hamburg and for his steadfast support of the advancement of commercial, cultural, and academic exchanges. However, the Honorary Consul’s commitment and relentless efforts over the course of more than 30 years on behalf of the Estonian community in Hamburg merit particular praise and gratitude.
The City Councilor for Finance, Mrs. Bettina Lenz, extended the deepest appreciation to the Honorary Consul on behalf of the Hamburg City Government and Senate.
On March 22, 1993, Dr. Ulf-E Lange received the Honorary Consul’s Patent No. 30, which was authorized by H.E. Trivimi Velliste, the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time. For his work fostering ties between Estonia and Germany, Dr. Ulf-E. Lange received the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, IV Class, in 2007. The Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Andres Tsahkna, wrote the Honorary Consul a warm note of appreciation in honor of today’s anniversary.
The Estonian Enterprise Foundation (EAS), which opened its doors in Hamburg in 2003, also commemorated its 20th anniversary at the same time as the Honorary Consul.
Happy Anniversary!
Photo: Stephan Wallocha
