Interview with BTU Alumnus Heiko Schwarz (Architecture)

Heiko Schwarz studied architecture at the BTU in the 1990s and worked as a development aid worker before becoming an officer at the German Foreign Office. He is now the Deputy Head of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Baku (Azerbaijan). The BTU President Gesine Grande had met him in December 2022 during her stay in Baku and we took the opportunity for a BTUAlumni interview.

Hello Heiko, how did it come about that you studied architecture at the BTU and what do you remember most fondly from that time?
From childhood on, I was enthusiastic about being creative. I especially enjoyed drawing, painting and designing. That's why there were only two career choices for me: either architect or children's book illustrator. Architecture seemed more tangible to me, because in the end there is ideally a building. At the BTU, I realized that the work of an architect means much more than sketching a design with a quick line. I learned about the other important aspects of architectural training: problem analysis, finding solutions, thinking in project steps, but also working in teams. What I remember most was the great fellowship between students across all faculties. I am still good friends with many of them, whether they studied environmental or civil engineering or electrical engineering. A second aspect was the "East-West-German-Mixture", which was still exotic at the time. When I came to Cottbus in 1992, the central allocation office for study places had sent many students from what were then still called the "old states" from West Germany to Brandenburg. I came from East Germany. But because we lived in mixed shared apartments from the beginning, the tiresome 90s "East-West" prejudices didn't even arise. People from Bielefeld, Potsdam, Koblenz, Augsburg and Halle lived in our self-organized student house "Chateau Schapeso" in Huberstraße.

How did you end up working in development cooperation just a few years after graduating, and how did your architecture degree help you? How did your studies also help you in your next positions at the Federal Foreign Office and the Embassy?
Going abroad was always part of my wife's and my life plan. We didn't want to play it safe in Germany, but wanted to share our own experiences and gain new ones in other parts of the world and cultures. Studying architecture became more important for working abroad than I could have imagined before. Not so much the elegant design, but thinking in project steps, problem analysis and solution development or project management experience. It was already clear to us during our studies that we wouldn't be learning how to design houses, but how to deal with a task in a structured way. Enriched with experience abroad and cultural encounters, the studies also became the basis for my decision to apply for the Foreign Service. The Foreign Office does not only need lawyers, political scientists and administrators. You will also find journalists, teachers and social scientists. A whole range of training and talents complements and enriches the various areas of work. As an architect, however, I still tend to belong to the exotics.

How did it come about that you became a diplomat in Baku? What additional qualifications did you have to obtain and what career steps did you have to take?
In my opinion, the most important qualification for diplomats is lifelong curiosity and interest in new contexts. In practical terms, you have to have a master's degree and go through a challenging selection process to be able to work in the Senior Foreign Service. Once you have mastered the selection process, you spend another year at the Foreign Service Academy. There I was taught the basics of economics, international law, law and consular affairs, as well as history and international politics. That was quite a pressure fuelling. In addition, there were rhetoric courses, business games on negotiation techniques, media seminars and much more. Last but not least, my English and French skills were polished up and I was introduced to the diplomatic challenges. After the training, you work alternately as an officer at headquarters or at a foreign mission. That, by the way, is another prerequisite: the willingness to live a life in three- or four-year stages until retirement age, in Berlin and in the rest of the world. But for me, that's also what makes this work so fascinating: sometimes you're responsible for politics in New York, then for the press in Nairobi or culture in Baku.

What are your tasks as a Permanent Representative and what fascinates you most about the job?
As a Permanent Representative, I have a whole bellyful of exciting tasks. I represent the Ambassador as "Chargé d'affaires" when he is not on duty. In addition, I take care of the economic and cultural sections of the Embassy in Baku with a great team. What fascinates me about our work as diplomats is the bridging role we play. In my opinion, you can only build international relations on the ground. In my work, I meet many interesting people from culture, business, politics, civil society in Baku and in the regions of Azerbaijan, hold conversations, try to understand connections and answer questions about Germany and Europe. In short: I explain Germany in Azerbaijan, and explain Azerbaijan in Germany. At the same time, the work remains exciting and surprising. For example, besides the daily work on the computer screen, I keep meeting new people with touching stories. On one day, refugees who are able to start their studies with German support; on another, female beekeepers who are just venturing into self-employment, also with support from Germany.

What do you find particularly beautiful about Azerbaijan?
For me, Azerbaijan is a country between Europe and Asia, between the Orient and the Occident, between the magnificent villas of old oil magnates, oriental architecture and post-Soviet heritage. It is not so easy to put it into categories, and that is what makes the country so appealing. From the first day I was touched by the friendliness and hospitality of the people. Above all: it is now a home for me and my family, even if only temporarily.