From left to right: Sven Herrmann (company Fielmann), Magdalena Erdmann, Consul of Poland, Krysztof Penderecki (composer), Klaus Francke (Chairman of "Save the St. Nikolai Church") and Andreas Eckel (sponsoring company of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival) planting a lime tree near St. Nikolai Church.

On August 14, Sven Herrmann, representative of the company Fielmann, one of the leading opticians in Germany, handed over a lime tree to the famous Polish composer Krysztof Penderecki. The planting took place within the framework of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and in presence of Magdalena Erdmann, Consul of Poland. The tree was set near the St. Nikolai Church. This historical place was chosen because of the very good collaboration between the Memorial and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland. The Memorial-Centre presents an exhibition of the Historical Museum of Warsaw about the situation in Poland during World War II.

Penderecki is a fool for trees. In his garden near Cracow he has already planted about 1,500 domestic and exotic trees. This is a homage to his German grandfather, who was a forest ranger. The company Fielmann is also planting trees every year for every employee. Moreover, the optician is very engaged in environmental protection. 

In his farewell speech, the French Consul-General Jean-Pierre Tutin said, "I am leaving with Hamburg in my heart." (Photo by Jutta Höflich)

On the roof of the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic, the "tricolor", the French flag, was waving, as usual when the French community in Hamburg celebrates the July 14 (Bastille Day) or the yearly charity ball of the club "Hambourg Accueil e.V.". But, in spite of chansons and champagne, the spirits in the Blue Saloon were not as high as they used to be. After four and a half years, it was time for the popular French Consul-General Jean-Pierre Tutin, who invited guests to the French national celebration for the last time, to say goodbye.

In light of the great time he spent in town (he had deepened the collaboration between the sister cities Hamburg and Marseille, as well as between the air craft industry in the region of the "Midi-Pyrénées" and the Hanseatic city), he reminisced. As personal highlights, he named a walk over the frozen Alster Lake last winter, and the match the FC St. Pauli made sure it played in the first division of the German football league.