OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
10545 Main Street, Clarence, N.Y. 14031(U.S.A.)
(716) 759-6078 FAX (716)759-7925
To the Director
Volksbank Rhein-Wupper eG
Leverkusen, G e r m a n y
Ladies and Gentlemen,
esteemed Frau Christiane Herzog!
The Order of Alexander the Great for Art andScience sends our congratulations on the occasion of the grandopening of the Exhibition "Beflügelnd helfen", organized tosupport the important work of the Mukoviszidose-Stiftung.
We appreciate the engagement of Frau ChristianeHerzog to help her fellow men and women who suffer from this illness.As we know from history, most illnesses can eventually be cured. Butthe cure will not just happen by itself: it will take a determinedeffort by doctors and medical researchers, to use new ways of lookingat the problem at hand and finding a new solution.
Let me give you an example; the Vice Grandmasterof the Alexander-Order, Dr. Wilson Greatbatch, is the inventor of theimplantable heart pacemaker. By education, he was not a doctor -- hewas an electrical engineer. In his young days, he knew of people whowere ill with irregular heart-beat. Being an engineer, he understoodhow the heart works, and he knew that he could find a way to helpthese people. So he worked on his research in an old barn behind hishouse, with his own savings -- there was no big company financing hisresearch. He had to overcome many technical and medical problems andcomplications, but we all know the happy end. Finally, hisimplantable pacemaker worked and since that time, this invention hassaved and prolonged the lives of millions of peopleworldwide.
With this little story I like to encourage theyoung medical researchers in Germany to continue their research tofind a cure for mukoviszidose; with persistence, they will one daysucceed.
But for their work, money is also required, and inthis respect we value the engagement of Frau Christiane Herzog andthe Leverkusener sculptor Kurt Arentz, who offered his artistictalents to support this good cause.
Ladies and gentlemen:
at this exhibition you will get to see and enjoysome of his most famous portait-bust of the leading personalities inEurope and America, as well as some of his wonderful sculptures ofbulls, horses and other wild animals. But Kurt Arentz is not only agreat artist; he is also a great friend of America. His decades-longengagement to support friendly relations between Europe and Americais valued by many of his friends and admirers.
Ronald Reagan and George Bush, both members of theAlexander-Order, know him well as the "Presidential Sculptor" andtheir bronze portraits from the hand of Kurt Arentz are in thecollections of their Presidential Libraries in California and Texas.As guests of President Bush, my visit with Kurt Arentz and his wifeTherese to the Grand Opening of the magnificent George BushPresidential Library a year ago, combined with the presentation ofhis bronze portrait "First Lady Barbara Bush" will always remain inmy memory as a unique and inspiring event.
Ladies and gentlemen: you have come here today tosupport a good cause. We also like to take a part in this worthwhileinitiative by ordering one exemplaire of the graphic PEGASUS for ourart collection.
We hope that you will enjoy this art exhibitionand will get a chance to meet the and to talk to Kurt Arentzpersonally. As Salvador Dali once said, "It is not enough to like anartist; one must also possess some of his art!" Today, you have achance to acquire a fine work of art - graphic or a sculpture -- andat the same time, support a good cause.
Thank you and God bless you.
Respectfully Yours,
Consul B. John Zavrel
Director
Buffalo, New York
November 18, 1998
Copyright 1999 Museum of European Art