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Legacy of a Lifetime
Remembering Our Generous Benefactors, Drs. Hazel and Rolf-Rüdiger Stroth
With a deep sense of gratitude, FIS recently accepted an ex- traordinary testamentary gift from Drs. Hazel and Rolf-Rudiger Stroth. It is a great privilege and singu- lar responsibility for the school to be charged by the Stroths’ generosity with carrying on their work for, and devotion to the cause, of international cooperation and understanding.
The Stroths built bridges across the canyons of national differences and cultural misunderstanding, a commitment that grew from their own experiences in leaving the familiarity of their birthplace and native culture to build new lives in Frankfurt. Rolf’s home in German Silesia was left behind the Iron Curtain and became part of Poland after World War II. Hazel was born, raised, and educated in North Dakota. They chose to make Frankfurt their home and immersed themselves in building a sense of community and shared purpose among Germans, Americans, and other nationalities, the number of which grew rapidly from the early nineteen sixties.
When Hazel and Rolf first became involved with FIS in the early nineteen sixties, Frankfurt was not the center of international business and finance that it is today. But the Stroths were dedicated to establishing a culture of openness, understanding and opportunity, both economic and cultural, which would help Frankfurt thrive and grow. In his legal practice, Rolf advised foreign companies interested in doing business in the area. Through organizations such as the Atlantic Bridge and Steuben Schurz, Rolf worked for improvements to the regional political and business climate. As the legal advisor to the American Chamber of Commerce, he learned about Frankfurt International School and served as the school’s legal
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