VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
The ceremony held at Semperoper was revived in 2006 at the initiative of the prominent German theatre and musical personality Hans-Joachim Frey (artistic director of Semperoper in 1997-2007 and currently director and chief conductor of the State Opera Theatre in Bremen).
The organising committee of the ceremony also includes representatives from the government of Saxony, the authorities of Dresden, the business community and the mass media.
The annual ceremony, usually held in January, is attended by about 2,200 prominent public and political figures, businessmen, artists and media people. A crowd of about 10,000 usually gathers in the square in front of Semperoper to watch the ceremony on the huge outdoor screens.
The Saxony Gratitude Order is awarded in three nominations: service in politics, sports and culture.
Among the former winners are the former German Foreign Minister Genscher, the last chairman of the GDR government, acting co-chairman of the Russian-German Public Forum Petersburg Dialogue Coordinating Committee L.De Mezier, German football star Frank Beckenbauer, actors Maximilian Shell, Muller-Stal and others.
