Quelle: Druck-Ausgabe: 4. Juni 1989, DER SPIEGEL 23/1989; Online: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/briefe-an-gorbatschow-a-2e965ab4-0002-0001-0000-000013492821
Wie dieser Brief beim SPIEGEL landete, weiß ich nicht. Ich habe ihn als Schüler:innen-Sprecher des Humboldt-Gymnasiums (Köln) per Papier-Post nach Moskau gesendet. Übersetzungs-Hilfe hatte unser Englisch-Lehrer, mein früherer Klassen-Lehrer Herr Mevenkamp, geleistet.
Der Text lautete:
»Dear Mr. Gorbatschow,
In May 1989 this year's »Abitur« students will finish their thirteen-year-long schooling. To mark this festive occasion it has been a tradition at our school to publish an »Abitur« magazine. And it has always been a leading personality who contributes some introductory remarks to this magazine.
Our school, the Humboldt-Gymnasium, looks back on a tradition of more than 150 years. It is named after Alexander von Humboldt, and in consideration of his life and works it has dedicated itself to education in science and classical arts.
Nowadays, two further aspects are emphasized: on the one hand the understanding and handling of new technologies (computer science for example), on the other hand the Humboldt-Gymnasium is one school among a very few with a special branch for musical practice and theory and for ballet. This provides the opportunity to receive a solid musical education alongside with a sound scholastic one. A lot of our students have won prizes in contests at home and abroad.
This year we would like you — following Erich Honecker, Pope John Paul II, Hans Dietrich Genscher and Ulf Merbold in the previous years — to send us a message of greeting. The »Abitur council« of our school has chosen you because of our genuine admiration for your political and personal behaviour.
We would appreciate it very much if you were so kind as to grant our request.
Wishing you all the very best for 1989 we remain
Yours faithfully
On behalf of the »1989er Abiturientia«
KÖLN MARK BENECKE
Mein Leben nach dem Tod
Biografie von Mark
Jacob –
Der Papagei von Alexander von Humboldt
Der Tod: Un_Sterblich
Humboldt-Forum Berlin