Begun in 1982 as the Multiplikatoren Seminar (Multiplier Seminar) and co-sponsored by the German Marshall Fund and the Armed Forces Office of the German Defense Ministry, the annual Manfred Wörner Seminar brings together 30 young Americans and Germans to examine German and European security policy and to discuss U.S.–German and U.S.–European security interests.  The Seminar serves to deepen understanding between participants from both countries and offers an excellent opportunity to broaden professional networks.

The ten-day program takes place each year in three German cities — Bonn, Cologne, and Berlin — and in Brussels, Belgium, and consists of meetings with experts on security and defense in both the German–American and European–American framework.  Participants are drawn from a diverse range of professional and educational backgrounds and, once selected, pay a $700 fee to attend the Seminar. All other program expenses, including travel, accomodations, and meals, are paid by the German government.

In 2011, participants of seminar included representatives from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, the German Bundestag, and Airbus on the German side and representatives from the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the U.S. Navy, the National Security Council, the International Rescue Committee, and Lockheed Martin on the American side.

The group’s program included briefings by senior representatives of the German Ministry of Defense, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. In addition, participants met with Egon Ramms, Commander of NATO’s Joint Forces Command in Brunssum, and Hans Ulrich Klose, Member of the German Bundestag and Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Call for Applications 2012 

The German Marshall Fund invites individual applications for the 2012 Manfred Wörner Seminar (MWS) from Americans between 25 and 35 years of age at the time of travel who have a background in security and defense policies. For American candidates interested in participating in the 2012 program, the deadline for applications is Thursday, January 26, 2012.

Candidates typically come from national and local governments, the media, business, academia, and the nonprofit sector. Because the Manfred Wörner Seminar is intended to expand the community of Americans and Germans interested in and knowledgeable about transatlantic relations, preference is given to individuals who have not yet traveled — or have not traveled extensively — to Europe.

American participants are selected by GMF in cooperation with the Naval Attaché of the German Embassy in Washington, DC.  Applications should include:

• Cover letter indicating how the candidate learned of the Seminar and how the candidate would contribute to and benefit from the program.
• Current résumé with full contact information. Please include your e-mail address.
• Additional personal information (a template will be provided).
• A passport photo or headshot for the seminar brochure (color or black & white).
• Formal letters of recommendation are not required, but are welcome.

Once selected, participants pay a $700 fee to attend the seminar. All other expenses are paid by the German Government, the U.S. Embassy in Germany, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Please see the attached file for detailed information about the application process.

German candidates interested in the Seminar should contact:

Streitkräfteamt
Informations und Medienzentrale der Bundeswehr
Abteilung I 4 (1) Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Sachgebiet Seminare
Alte Heerstraße 90
53757 Sankt Augustin
T +49 2241 15-2956
F +49 2241 15-2960
SKA-Seminare@bundeswehr.org

For more information or to apply as an American candidate, please contact:

Anne Marie Brogan

MWS Fellows: On the Road 

Check back here as the 2012 Manfred Wörner Seminar Fellows travel throughout Europe this summer. Blog posts, articles and reflections will be shared here to give readers an inside look into the program, their experiences, and insights.