December 2006
Interview with Eric Nelson
MUNICH FOUND recently had the pleasure of being visited by the new American Consul General, Eric Nelson. Mr. Nelson acknowledged the significant changes in the services provided by the Consulate over the years, especially since the military left Munich in the mid-1990s. Fostering and expanding business relations between Bavaria and the United States will continue to be a principal goal of the Consulate as well as vigorously passing on the present and future importance of German-American friendship to new generations. Improving communications between the Consulate and the American community living or travelling in Bavaria is a major challenge that he and his team are looking forward to addressing. A new travel registration program is an attempt to meet this challenge. Every American living or traveling outside of the US is encouraged to register at
travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs
so that he or she can be reached, particularly in case of an emergency. The Consulate has also launched a quarterly e-mail newsletter for Americans who are interested in receiving it. Mr. Nelson may be just the person to bring an enthusiastic style to his job that will be appreciated across political divides.
MUNICH FOUND:
Were you pleased to hear about your assignment to the consulate in Munich?
ERIC NELSON: Most certainly. There are many jobs you can have in the State Department. My favorite is working at a consulate. I like working in a team and, here in Munich, I have the opportunity and the challenge to develop a group with its own projects and interests
The embassy is responsible for the day-to-day bilateral relations between the German and American governments. Our work at the consulates is more people to people. That is why it appeals to me.
One of the attractions of being in Munich, besides it being a great city to live in, is the good fortune to be able to work closely with the Bavarian-American Center, and its affiliated organizations, the Bavarian American Academy and the Amerika Haus Verein. The importance of passing on the past, present and future relevance of German-American friendship to our children and grandchildren cannot be stressed enough.
MF:
Germans are fond of complaining about the difficulty of obtaining US visas. Do you think that the complaints are legitimate?
EN: Perhaps not to the degree now that they were a couple of years ago. I suspect that some of the complaints you may have heard about the frustrations of obtaining American visas were a consequence of quickly putting increased security measures in place shortly after 9/11. Since then, each visa applicant must apply in person. In spite of this, many people want to visit the United States. And remember that most Germans do not need a visa to visit America. We are presently processing approximately 1,000 visas per month, and successful applicants receive their visas in just a few days. Though there can be snags, we continue to do our best to eliminate them. Any complaints should be directed to
consmunich@state.gov.
MF:
What do you see as being the most important part of your job here in Munich?
EN: Secretary Rice has told us on more than one occasion to get out and engage people in all spheres of German-american relations, including politics, business, security and culture. We want to support and broaden the dialogue. This is a major goal of our efforts in Bavaria. It means increasing the contacts between Germans and Americans and among Americans in Germany. It also means maintaining and establishing new partnerships between German and American cultural and educational institutions. Cultural exchanges, such as the Wayne State junior year abroad program and various high school student exchange programs, are examples. European attempts to develop and promote a standardized a system of higher education credits similar to those in the United States and Great Britain should make this easier. Of course, I also encourage even greater trade and business activity between America and Germany. BMW in Spartanburg, South Carolina, exports more cars than any other automotive company in America. That's good for America and good for Germany.
Before we close, let me mention a new service the State Department has put in place. If you direct your browser to
travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs, you can record information about your residence in Germany or about any upcoming trip you are planning. The Department of State can use this information to assist you in case of an emergency.
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