FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM H.E. MR. ANDREAS KÜNNE, AMBASSADOR OF GERMANY
Andreas Künne, Ambassador of Germany to the Czech Republic
There is a German saying that you oftentimes leave a place with one eye laughing and one eye crying.
I believe that most diplomats can immediately relate to this. When it comes to leaving Prague, though, why should one eye be laughing? I had the privilege of serving in Prague for four years, and I know that I will deeply miss this beautiful city, the wonderful Czech countryside, and, most of all, my Czech friends.
As German ambassador to Czechia, things are not always as easy as they look. But then again, Central European complexity is what I grew up with, both in my native Germany and in my mother’s home country, Austria. Which is why I soon felt at home here, even though my mastery of the language was never more than sketchy at best. This feeling of being ‘if not at home then at least close to home’ tremendously helped through changes in government on both sides, coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, and jointly defining a way forward in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and, increasingly, Europe as a whole. We managed to bring our relations to a new level, as truly #GuteSousede.
Czech ingenuity and wit are world-famous, and rightly so.
Less well known is Czech modesty. This is simply a great country, where everything works, the infrastructure is good, the health system is a model for others, and where you can feel safe and secure. Most Czechs would not publicly agree with you on any of these points, but they would probably be secretly proud of their country, I assume. Maybe this could serve as a model for some of the rest of us?
Good neighbours know when it is time to leave. Prague will always have a special place in my heart. My wonderful team will manage the transition perfectly well, and I am certain that my successor will find our Czech friends and partners more than ready to continue our joint work on a partnership, even a friendship, that lies at the heart of Europe – Czech-German relations.
Děkuji a loučím se!
Andreas Künne
Ambassador of Germany to the Czech Republic (August 2021 – August 2025)