A newspaper advertisement caught the attention of the German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Dr Philipp Ackermann, as the ad, intended to invite parents to a “mega gathering of India’s leading boarding schools”, used a picture of Bellevue Palace, an 18th-century German palace and the current seat of the German president rather than using a picture of an actual boarding school.
After finding that ad in a Delhi newspaper, Ackermann pointed out the error and shared on a post via his social media account on X (formerly Twitter). He said the purported building in the ad is not a boarding school but the “seat of the German President in Berlin”.
While sharing a picture of the advertisement, Ackermann wrote on X, “Dear Indian parents – I found this in today’s newspaper. But this building is no boarding school! It is the seat of the German President in Berlin. Our Rashtrapati Bhavan as it were. There are good boarding schools also in Germany – but here, no child will be admitted.”
This post by the German ambassador gained a lot of traction from internet users, and many came forward and commented on his post. “Unfortunately such things are common in India. I observed that most of real estate agents show pics of white people/kids on their property catalogues and videos. Though these all properties are based in India and only Indians will buy & live there. It’s about lies & inferiority,” wrote an X user.
“Such a shameful act of organisers. Misleading the kids and parents right from the start. Must say sorry to the Germans govt and especially to the very polite Mr. Ackermann @MEAIndia,” wrote another X user.
“So true. I am wondering, how come they are advertising German President House as a Boarding School in Delhi. They shall be informed for the correct information and to make changes accordingly,’ quipped another X user.
According to the official website of Berlin, Bellevue Palace was built in 1786 for Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia and is located on the banks of the Spree. The present building is a reconstructed version from 1959, and only one room from Carl Gotthard Langhans is original.
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