Lazarus Union Vice President Bernd Höhle was appointed to the European Senate – Award for medium-sized business for Prime Minister Weil, Member of State Parliament, and Freiherr von Stetten, Member of the German Bundestag .
On September 20th 2018 more than 200 guests from the world of the middle class, politics, science and society took part in the ceremony when the two award winners, the Prime Minister of the Federal State of Germany Lower Saxony Stephan Weil, Member of the State Parliament and Chairman of the parliamentary circle for the middle-class of the German parliamentary group CDU/CSU, Christian Freiherr von Stetten, Member of the German Bundestag, got the German Elite award for medium-sized businesses 2018 in the atrium of the “Deutsche Bank” in Berlin. The European Senate of the “Wir Eigentümerunternehmer-Gruppe” awarded the dignity of a senator of economy to Bernd Höhle (Vice President of the Lazarus Union).
On this day the German EIite award for medium-sized businesses was awarded for the 25th time and is one of the oldest and most renowned awards of the middle-class for personalities from the German world of politics. During the solemn ceremony taking place at the atrium of the “Deutsche Bank, Unter den Linden”, the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Peter Altmeier, delivered the honorific speech for Christian von Stetten, the German Chancellor ret. Gerhard Schröder for Prime Minister Stephan Weil. Prof. Dr. h.c. Roland Berger, deputy chairman of the foundation council of “Wir Eigentümerunternehmer” held the ceremonial speech for the 25th anniversary of the awarding.
In his laudation the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmeier pointed out the importance of the middle class. He praised both award winners: “Only the middle class makes the market economy grow. It especially represents classic economic elements like personal initiative, motivation, inventiveness, creativity, willingness to accept responsibility and risks. Politicians have to place the necessary conditions with measured judgement. Today’s winners represent both.”
The German Chancellor ret. Gerhard Schröder pointed out the personality of Stephan Weil: “I know that he was special properties – like stability, intransigence, diligence, will to power, but also reliability”. These are properties the electorate of Lower Saxony appreciates. Also the middle-class entrepreneurs: “He listens and solves problems. He tries to place the right conditions for economy. With success: The unemployment rate has not been so low since the reunification”.
“In recognition of their merits on behalf of the German and European Middle-class” the said European Senate awarded the dignity of an honorary senator to the Prime Minister Stephan Weil, Member of the State Parliament, and to the Chairman of the parliamentary circle for the middle-class of the German parliamentary group CDU/CSU, Christian Freiherr von Stetten, Member of the German Bundestag. Bernd Höhle was recently awarded the dignity of a senator. Moreover he was appointed to the European Senate of the “Wir Eigentümerunternehmer-Gruppe”, which includes the “Union MIttelständischer Unternehmen e.V. (UMU)”, das “Europäische Wirtschaftsforum e.V. (EWiF)“ and the „Bundesverband Deutscher Mittelstand e.V. (BM)“.
Since 1994 politicians who notably support the middle-class economy and a self-determined enterprises in German have been awarded with the German Elite award for medium-sized businesses. Until now the prize was awarded to the German Chancellor ret. Gerhard Schröder, the Federal President Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Group chairman of the EU-Parliament Manfred Weber and the Federal Chairman Christian Lindner.
A number of other European and German Middle-class associations support the awarding of the German Elite award for medium-sized businesses to Prime Minister Weil and Freiherr von Stetten. These associations combined represent more than 1 million small and medium-sized companies and freelancers: German Association of the Automotive Industry (Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe), European Small Business Alliance (Bruxelles), Federal Association of the Services Industry (Bundesverband der Dienstleistungswirtschaft) and German Tax Consultants Association (Deutscher Steuerberaterverband)
Pictures-Copyright: Andreas Amann, Berlin
