German Consul General Till Knorn of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in New York, visited Kutztown University for a tour of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center Monday, March 24. Knorn was accompanied by Anton Klix, Consul of the Political Department, for the tour.
The tour included a visit to the farm, a tour of the galleries and archives at the Delight E. Breidegam Building. Over lunch, Consul General Knorn and Klix met with representatives of Kutztown University and the Borough of Kutztown to discuss the status of German American transatlantic educational and cultural partnerships.
They also discussed future opportunities for collaboration between the consulate, the university and the borough. Attending the meeting were Kutztown University President Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson; Kutztown Mayor Jim Schlegel; Kutztown University Trustee and Government Relations Liaison Sandy Green; Heritage Center director Patrick Donmoyer; Freyberger Professor of Pennsylvania German Studies Dr. William Donner; and assistant director of International Education and Global Engagement Peter Rodenberg.
Consul General Knorn was appointed to his new role in August 2024; his diplomatic work includes “explaining Germany, understanding America and fostering successful discussions and exchange – that’s our mission here in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Bermuda.” Kutztown University has regularly collaborated with the Consulate General, hosting numerous visits and collaborative public events since 2019, and looks forward to continuing efforts to foster German American friendship.
The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center is an open-air folklife museum and research center dedicated to preserving and celebrating Pennsylvania German folk culture, history and language in a unique educational setting at Kutztown University. The Heritage Center engages the university community and the public with seasonal cultural programming, historic buildings and exhibitions, a world-class research library collection, as well as conferences, online-educational resources, lectures and classes in Pennsylvania Dutch language.