It is the first time that we are staging a spring conference jointly with an academic institution, namely the Burch Center of Berkeley University and its Director Alan Auerbach. I am very pleased about this “joint venture” and would like to thank Alan for his cooperation. Another innovation: this year’s spring conference is being held at the Bundesbank’s training centre here in Eltville.
I am sure that the somewhat longer route to Eltville will prove to be both interesting and productive. The inventor of printing, Johannes Gutenberg, is said to have operated one of the very first printing presses in Eltville. So this is an ideal place for communicating important messages. The topic which we have chosen for this year’s conference is by no means new.