John F. Kennedy photo

Remarks at a Reception in Wiesbaden

June 25, 1963

Mr. Minister-President, ladies and gentlemen:

I want to express my very warm appreciation for a very generous welcome which your fellow townsmen have given me and the citizens of this town, the citizens of Hesse, have given to thousands of my countrymen who have lived among you for so many years. The President-Minister was generous in his reference to that relationship, but it is not easy to have 160,000 people, 160,000 Americans, living among you year in and year out. And the fact that that relationship has been so harmonious and so happy on the part of citizens of the United States indicates how generous has been your welcome to them and what a great effort you have made to make them feel at home.

I appreciate the Wine. I was given on my birthday, May 29th, a keg of brandy which was laid, or whatever you do to brandy, in 1917. And we sent it back to the Archives for further aging! We'll drink the wine.

And may I say that when I leave the office of the White House, whenever that may be, I am going to leave an envelope in the desk for my successor. And it will say, "To be opened only in saddest moments." So it will have only the words written, "Go visit Germany."

Note: The President spoke in the Kurhaus. His opening words referred to Dr. Georg August 7.inn, Minister-President of Hesse, who gave the reception honoring the President.

APP Note: This is Public Papers of the Presidents, John F. Kennedy: 1963, document #266a

John F. Kennedy, Remarks at a Reception in Wiesbaden Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/236834

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