The Shawn MacBride Prize 2011 – In praise of Peter Becker Laudatio by Otto Jaeckel*

MacBride Prize Ceremony of the International Peace Bureau. City Hall Potsdam, October 29, 2011

Dear Ms. Breines, dear Mr. Magnusson, dear Ms. Edwar,
dear Peter, Ladies and Gentlemen
When I saw Peter for the first time nearly 40 years ago I thought to myself: how can he be a politician of the Free Democratic Party, the German liberals – he looks like being a member of the band of Jimi Hendrix.
Only later on I got to know, that he is a very gifted musician indeed. At that time he played Jazz and Rock and Roll. This year I heard him play Chopin. This is typical of Peter. He sets himself always the most difficult goals and never gives up striving for the highest perfection. More