def14a
SCHEDULE 14A
(RULE 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a party other than the Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary proxy statement. |
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Confidential, for use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)). |
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Definitive proxy statement. |
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Definitive additional materials. |
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Soliciting material under Rule 14a-12. |
THE NEW GERMANY FUND, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of filing fee (check the appropriate box):
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No fee required. |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
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Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined): |
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Total fee paid: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
o Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and
identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing
by registration statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.
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Amount Previously Paid: |
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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Date Filed: |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE NEW
GERMANY FUND, INC.
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
June 27, 2011
To our Stockholders:
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
(the Meeting) of The New Germany Fund, Inc., a
Maryland corporation (the Fund), will be held at
11:00 a.m., New York time, on June 27, 2011 at the New
York Marriott East Side Hotel, 525 Lexington Avenue, New York,
New York 10017 for the following purposes:
1. To elect three (3) Class II Directors, each to
serve for a term of three years and until their successors are
elected and qualify.
2. To ratify the appointment by the Audit Committee and the
Board of Directors of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as independent auditors for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011.
3. To transact such other business as may properly come
before the Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof
including acting upon one stockholder proposal presented in the
Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice, if the proposal is
brought before the meeting by the proponent or his
representative that is qualified under state law to present the
proposal on his behalf.
Only holders of record of Common Stock at the close of business
on May 13, 2011 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at,
this Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof.
By Order of the Board of Directors
John Millette
Secretary
Dated: May 19, 2011
We urge you to mark, sign, date and mail the enclosed proxy
card in the postage-paid envelope provided or to record your
voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet so that you
will be represented at the Meeting. If you complete and sign the
proxy card (or tell us how you want to vote by voting by
telephone or via the Internet), we will vote it exactly as you
tell us. If you simply sign the proxy card, we will vote it in
accordance with the Boards recommendation on the
Proposals. Your prompt return of the enclosed proxy card (or
your voting by telephone or via the Internet) may prevent the
necessity and expense of further solicitations. If you have any
questions, please call The Altman Group, Inc.
(Altman), the Funds proxy solicitor, at 1200
Wall Street West,
3rd
Floor, Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071 or at the special
toll-free number we have set up for you
(1-800-845-1507),
or contact your financial advisor.
THE NEW
GERMANY FUND, INC.
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Annual
Meeting of Stockholders
June 27, 2011
This Proxy Statement is furnished by the Board of Directors of
The New Germany Fund, Inc. (the Board of Directors
or Board), a Maryland corporation (the
Fund), in connection with the solicitation of
proxies for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the
Meeting) to be held at 11:00 a.m., New York
time, on June 27, 2011 at the New York Marriott East Side
Hotel, 525 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017. The
purpose of the Meeting and the matters to be considered are set
forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
If the accompanying Proxy Card is executed properly and
returned, shares represented by it will be voted at the Meeting,
and any postponement or adjournment thereof, in accordance with
the instructions on the Proxy Card. However, if no instructions
are specified, shares will be voted FOR the election of three
(3) Class II directors of the Fund
(Directors) nominated by the Board
(Proposal 1), and FOR the ratification of the appointment
by the Audit Committee and the Board of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, an independent public accounting firm, as independent
auditors for the Fund (Proposal 2). A proxy may be revoked
at any time prior to the time it is voted by written notice to
the Secretary of the Fund, by submitting a subsequently executed
and dated proxy or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.
If a stockholder owns shares of the Fund in violation of
applicable law, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the Investment Company Act), the Fund may
determine that any vote attributable to such shares shall not be
counted, or that such shares will not be counted for quorum
purposes, or both. Under Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment
Company Act, the acquisition of more than 3% of the Funds
common stock by another fund (whether registered, private or
offshore) is unlawful. There is legal uncertainty about the
operation of Section 12(d)(1) and about the Funds
right under federal and state law to invalidate votes cast by
any person whose Fund shares are held in violation of law. The
Fund is prepared, if necessary, to seek judicial resolution of
the uncertainty in any particular case.
The close of business on May 13, 2011 has been fixed as the
record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to
notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting. On that date, the Fund
had 17,764,652.89 shares of Common Stock outstanding and
entitled to vote. Each share will be entitled to one vote on
each matter that comes before the Meeting. It is expected that
the Notice of Annual Meeting, this Proxy Statement and the form
of Proxy Card will first be mailed to stockholders on or about
May 19, 2011.
A quorum is necessary to hold a valid meeting. If stockholders
entitled to cast one-third of all votes entitled to be cast at
the Meeting are present in person or by proxy, a quorum will be
established. The Fund intends to treat properly executed proxies
that are marked abstain and broker non-votes
(defined below) as present for the purposes of determining
whether a quorum has been achieved at the Meeting. Under
Maryland law, abstentions do not constitute a vote
for or
against a matter and will be disregarded in
determining the votes cast on an issue. A
broker non-vote occurs when a broker holding shares
for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular matter
because the broker does not have discretionary voting power with
respect to that matter and has not received instructions from
the beneficial owner.
PROPOSAL 1:
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
The Funds charter (the Charter) provides that
the Board of Directors be divided into three classes of
Directors serving staggered three-year terms and until their
successors are elected and qualify. The term of office for
Directors in Class II expires at the 2011 Annual Meeting,
Class III at the next succeeding annual meeting and
Class I at the following succeeding annual meeting. Three
Class II nominees, Mr. John H. Cannon,
Mr. Joachim Wagner and Mr. Werner Walbröl, are
proposed in this Proxy Statement for election. If elected, each
of the three Class II nominees will serve a three-year term
of office until the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2014 and
until his respective successor is elected and qualifies.
Mr. John Bult, a Class II director, will not stand for
re-election pursuant to the Funds retirement policy.
Should any vacancy occur on the Board of Directors, the
remaining Directors would be able to fill that vacancy by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Directors in
office, even if the remaining Directors do not constitute a
quorum. Any Director elected by the Board to fill a vacancy
would hold office until the remainder of the full term of the
class of Directors in which the vacancy occurred and until a
successor is elected and qualifies. If the size of the Board is
increased, additional Directors will be apportioned among the
three classes to make all classes as nearly equal as possible.
Unless authority is withheld, it is the intention of the persons
named in the accompanying form of Proxy Card to vote each Proxy
Card for the election of our five nominees listed above. Each
nominee has indicated that he will continue to serve as a
Director if elected, but if any nominee should be unable to
serve, proxies will be voted for any other person determined by
the persons named in the form of Proxy Card in accordance with
their discretion. The Board of Directors has no reason to
believe that any of the above nominees will be unable to serve
as a Director.
Board
of Directors Information
The management of the business and affairs of the Fund is
overseen by the Board of Directors. Directors who are not
interested persons of the Fund as defined in the
1940 Act, are referred to as Independent Directors,
and Directors who are interested persons of the Fund
are referred to as Interested Directors. Certain
information concerning the Funds governance structure and
each Director is set forth below.
Experience, Skills, Attributes, and Qualifications of the
Funds Directors. The Nominating and
Governance Committee of the Funds Board, which is composed
entirely of Independent Directors, reviews the experience,
qualifications, attributes and skills of potential candidates
for nomination or election by the Board, and conducts a similar
review in connection with the proposed nomination of current
Directors for re-election by stockholders. When assessing a
candidate for nomination it is the policy of the Nominating and
Governance Committee to consider whether the individuals
background, skills, and experience will complement the
background, skills and experience of other nominees and will
contribute to the diversity of the Board. The Nominating and
Governance Committee assesses the effectiveness of this policy
as part of its annual self assessment.
2
Additional information concerning the Nominating and Governance
Committees consideration of nominees appears in the
description of the Committee following the table below.
The Board has concluded that, based on each Directors
experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an
individual basis and in combination with those of the other
Directors, that each Director is qualified and should continue
to serve as such. In determining that a particular Director was
and continues to be qualified to serve as a Director, the Board
has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in
isolation, was controlling. In addition, the Board has taken
into account the actual service and commitment of each Director
during his tenure (including the Directors participation
in Board and committee meetings, as well as his current and
prior leadership of standing and ad hoc committees) in
concluding that each should continue to serve. Information about
the specific experience, skills, attributes and qualifications
of each Director, which in each case led to the Boards
conclusion that the Director should serve (or continue to serve)
as a director of the Fund, is provided in the table following
the Risk Oversight section below.
The Board believes that, collectively, the Directors have
balanced and diverse experience, qualifications, attributes, and
skills, which allow the Board to operate effectively in
governing the Fund and protecting the interests of shareholders.
Among other attributes common to all Directors are their
willingness and ability to commit the necessary time and
attention to their duties as Directors, their ability to review
critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided
to them (including information requested by the Directors), to
interact effectively with each other and with Deutsche
Investment Management Americas Inc., the funds investment
manager (the Investment Manager), Deutsche Asset
Management International GmbH (the Investment
Adviser) and other service providers, counsel and the
Funds independent registered public accounting firm, to
exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their
duties as Directors. References to the qualifications,
attributes and skills of Directors are pursuant to requirements
of the Securities and Exchange Commission, do not constitute
holding out of the Board or any Director as having special
expertise or experience and shall not be deemed to impose any
greater responsibility or liability on any Director or on the
Board by reason thereof.
Board Structure and Oversight
Function. The Board is responsible for
oversight of the Fund. The Fund has engaged the Investment
Manager and the Investment Adviser to manage the Fund on a
day-to-day
basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Investment
Manager and the Investment Adviser and the Funds other
service providers in the operations of each Fund in accordance
with the Funds investment objective and policies and
otherwise in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act
and other applicable Federal, state and other securities and
other laws, and the Funds charter and bylaws. The Board
meets in person at regularly scheduled meetings four times
throughout the year. In addition, the Directors may meet in
person or by telephone at special meetings or on an informal
basis at other times. The Directors also regularly meet outside
the presence of any representatives of the Investment Manager
and the Investment Adviser. As described below, the Board has
established five standing committees the Audit,
Nominating and Governance, Advisory, Valuation and Executive
Committees and may establish ad hoc committees or
working groups from time to time, to assist the Board in
fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. Each committee other
than the Executive Committee is composed exclusively of
Independent Directors. Each year the Directors evaluate the
performance of the Board and its committees. The
responsibilities of each committee, including its oversight
responsibilities, are described further below. The Independent
Directors have also engaged independent legal counsel, and may
from time to time engage consultants and other advisors, to
assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.
The Chairmans duties include setting the agenda for each
Board meeting in consultation with management, presiding at each
Board meeting, meeting with management between Board meetings,
3
and facilitating communication and coordination between the
Directors and management. Christian Strenger, the Chairman of
the Funds Board of Directors is an Interested Director as
defined in the 1940 Act because he is a member of the
Supervisory Board of a company that is affiliated with the
Investment Manager and the Investment Adviser and because of his
ownership of shares of the ultimate parent of the Investment
Manager and the Investment Adviser. The Directors believe that
it is appropriate for Mr. Strenger to serve as Chairman and
that his service benefits shareholders because of his extensive
knowledge of the investment management industry, the Deutsche
Bank organization and the Funds. In addition, the Directors note
that, although Mr. Strenger is an Interested Director as
defined in the 1940 Act, he is not involved in the management of
the Fund and is not an officer or director of the Investment
Manager or the Investment Adviser. The Independent Directors are
satisfied that they can act independently and effectively
without having an Independent Director serve as Chairman and
note that a key structural component for ensuring that they are
in a position to do so is for the Independent Directors to
constitute a substantial majority of the Board. Richard Karl
Goeltz, an Independent Director and Chairman of the Nominating
and Governance Committee, serves as Lead Independent Director
for the Fund and as such is available to act as liaison between
the Independent Directors and management and to consult with the
Chairman to the extent deemed appropriate.
Risk Oversight. The Fund is subject to
a number of risks, including investment, compliance and
operational risks.
Day-to-day
risk management with respect to the Fund resides with the
Investment Manager and the Investment Adviser or other service
providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to
supervision by the Investment Manager. The Board has charged the
Adviser and its affiliates with (i) identifying events or
circumstances the occurrence of which could have demonstrable
and material adverse effects on the Fund; (ii) to the
extent appropriate, reasonable or practicable, implementing
processes and controls reasonably designed to lessen the
possibility that such events or circumstances occur or to
mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do
occur; and (iii) creating and maintaining a system designed
to evaluate continuously, and to revise as appropriate, the
processes and controls described in (i) and (ii) above.
Risk oversight forms part of the Boards general oversight
of each Funds investment program and operations and is
addressed as part of various regular Board and committee
activities. Each of the Investment Manager, the Investment
Adviser, and the Funds other principal service providers
has an independent interest in risk management but the policies
and the methods by which one or more risk management functions
are carried out may differ from the Funds and each
others in the setting of priorities, the resources
available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. Oversight
of risk management is provided by the Board and the Audit
Committee. The Directors regularly receive reports from, among
others, management, the Funds Chief Compliance Officer,
its independent registered public accounting firm, counsel, and
internal auditors for the Investment Manager, as appropriate,
regarding risks faced by the Fund and the Investment
Managers risk management programs.
Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified, nor
can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their
occurrence or effects. The processes and controls employed to
address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and
some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Fund
or the Investment Manager, its affiliates or other service
providers. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such
as investment-related risks) to achieve the Funds goals.
4
Information
Regarding Directors and Officers
The following tables show certain information about the nominees
for election as Directors and about Directors whose terms will
continue, including beneficial ownership of Common Stock of the
Fund, and about all officers of the Fund. Most current Directors
resident in the United States own Fund shares. The Fund has
elected to be subject to the statutory calculation, notification
and publication requirements of the German Investment Tax Act
(Investmentsteuergesetz) (the Act) for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2010 and intends to elect to be
subject to the Act for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2011. Prior thereto, Directors who are German residents would
have been subject to adverse German tax consequences if they
owned shares of a fund organized outside of Germany, such as the
Fund, that was not subject to German regulation or tax
reporting. In light of the Funds election to be subject to
the Act, the Board of Directors encourages all Directors of the
Fund (including those who are German residents) to invest in the
Fund.
Nominees
Proposed for Election:
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Class II Directors
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(Term will Expire in 2011; Nominees for Term Expiring in
2014(1)
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Shares of
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Number of
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Common
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Principal Occupation(s)
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Portfolios
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Stock
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During Past
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in Fund
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Beneficially
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Length of
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Five Years or Longer
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Complex(2)
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Other Directorships Held by
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Owned at
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Position(s)
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Time
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and Other Relevant
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Overseen
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Director During Past Five
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March 31,
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Name,
Address(1)
& Age
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with Fund
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Served
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Qualifications*
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by Director
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Years(3)
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2011(4)
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Non-Interested Directors
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John H. Cannon, 69
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Director
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Since 1990
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Consultant (since 2002). Formerly, Vice President and Treasurer,
Venator Group/Footlocker, Inc. (footwear retailer)
(1982-2002).
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3
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Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
2004) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2004).(2)
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5,915
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Joachim Wagner, 64
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Director
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Since 2009
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Chief Financial Officer, RAG Beteiligungs AG/Evonik Industries
AG, Germany (mining holding company) (2006-2009). Formerly,
Chief Financial Officer, Degussa AG, Germany (chemical
manufacturer) (2001-2006). Mr. Wagner is also a member of the
Supervisory Board of a German retail bank and a member of the
advisory board of a private German bank.
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2
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Director of The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2009)(2)
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None
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5
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Class II Directors
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(Term will Expire in 2011; Nominees for Term Expiring in
2014(1)
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Shares of
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Number of
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Common
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Principal Occupation(s)
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Portfolios
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Stock
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During Past
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in Fund
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Beneficially
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Length of
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Five Years or Longer
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Complex(2)
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Other Directorships Held by
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Owned at
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Position(s)
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Time
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and Other Relevant
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Overseen
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Director During Past Five
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March 31,
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Name,
Address(1)
& Age
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with Fund
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Served
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Qualifications*
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by Director
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Years(3)
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2011(4)
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Werner Walbröl, 73
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Director
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Since 2004
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Delegate for North American Humboltt Universitat (Berlin).
Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, The European
American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (2004-2008); President and
Chief Executive Officer, The German American Chamber of
Commerce, Inc. (until 2003). Mr. Walbröl is also a Director
of The German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. President and
Director, German-American Partnership Program (student exchange
programs), and a Director of an independent testing and
assessment company.
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3
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Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
1990) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
1986).(2)
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1,885
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6
Directors
whose terms will continue:
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Class III Directors
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(Term will Expire in 2012)
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Shares of
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Number of
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Common
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Principal Occupation(s)
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Portfolios
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Stock
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During Past
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in Fund
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Beneficially
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Length of
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Five Years or Longer
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Complex(2)
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Owned at
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Position(s)
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Time
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and Other Relevant
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Overseen
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Other Directorships Held by
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March 31,
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Name,
Address(1)
& Age
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with Fund
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Served
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Qualifications*
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by Director
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Director During Past Five
Years(3)
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2011(4)
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Non-Interested Directors
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Ambassador
Richard R. Burt, 64
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Director
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Since 2004
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Managing Director, McLarty Associates (international strategic
advisory) (since 2007). Formerly, Chairman, Diligence, Inc.
(international information and risk management firm)
(2002-2007); Chairman of the Board, Weirton Steel Corp.
(1996-2004); Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting firm)
(1991-1994);
State Department Chief Negotiator in charge of negotiating the
Arms Treaty with Russia (1989-1991); U.S. Ambassador to the
Federal Republic of Germany (1985-1989). Mr. Burt is also
Director, IGT, Inc. (gaming technology) (since 1995), and HCL
Technologies Inc. (information technology and product
engineering) (since 1999) and member, Textron Inc. International
Advisory Council (aviation, automotive, industrial operations
and finance) (since 1996).
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3
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Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
2000) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2000).(2)
Director, UBS family of mutual funds (since 1995).
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1,572
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7
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Class III Directors
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(Term will Expire in 2012)
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Shares of
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Number of
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Common
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Principal Occupation(s)
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Portfolios
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Stock
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During Past
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in Fund
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Beneficially
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Length of
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Five Years or Longer
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Complex(2)
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Owned at
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Position(s)
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Time
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and Other Relevant
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Overseen
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Other Directorships Held by
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March 31,
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Name,
Address(1)
& Age
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with Fund
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Served
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Qualifications*
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by Director
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Director During Past Five
Years(3)
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2011(4)
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Dr. Franz Wilhelm Hopp, 68
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Director
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Since 1993
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Partner of Laplace Finanzconsulting GmbH (asset management).
Member of the Supervisory Board WAVE AG (asset management).
Former member of the Board of Management of KarstadtQuelle
Pension Trust e.V. (February
2007-September
2009).
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3
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Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
2008) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2008).(2)
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None
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Dr. Friedbert H. Malt, 69
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Director
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Since 2007
|
|
Vice Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of NOL
Neptune Orient Lines Ltd., Singapore (NOL) (since
2002). He currently is also a Director of NOL (since 2000) and
TÜV Rheinland of North America, Inc., a company offering
independent testing and assessment services. Formerly,
Dr. Malt was a Member of the Executive Board of DG Bank
(now DZ Bank), Frankfurt (until 2001).
|
|
3
|
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
2007) The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2007).(2)
|
|
300
|
Dr. Frank Trömel,
75(6)(7)
|
|
Director
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DELTON AG (strategic
management holding company operation in the pharmaceutical,
household products, logistics and power supply sectors)
(2000-2006). Member (since 2000) and Vice-President (2002-2006)
of the German Accounting Standards Board.
|
|
1
|
|
Formerly director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc.
(2005-2009) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (2005-2009).
|
|
None
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class I Directors
|
(Term will Expire in 2013)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
Common
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Portfolios
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During Past
|
|
in Fund
|
|
|
|
Beneficially
|
|
|
|
|
Length of
|
|
Five Years or Longer
|
|
Complex(2)
|
|
Other Directorships Held by
|
|
Owned at
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Time
|
|
and Other Relevant
|
|
Overseen
|
|
Director During Past Five
|
|
March 31,
|
Name,
Address(1)
& Age
|
|
with Fund
|
|
Served
|
|
Qualifications*
|
|
by Director
|
|
Years(3)
|
|
2011(4)
|
|
Non-Interested Directors
|
Detlef Bierbaum, 68
|
|
Director
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Consultant (since 2010). He is also Vice Chairman of the
Supervisory Board of Oppenheim KAG GmbH (asset management) and a
member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank Österreich
AG (private bank) for more than five years. Mr. Bierbaum
also serves as a member of the Board or Supervisory Board of a
number of non-U.S. investment companies and of companies in
diverse businesses including insurance, reinsurance, real
estate, and retailing. He is a former member of the Supervisory
Board of Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie KGaA (private bank) (2008
to March 2010) and was formerly a partner of that firm. He is
also a former member of the Supervisory Board of DWS Investment
GmbH (asset management) (2005-2008).
|
|
3
|
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
1990) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
1986).(2)
|
|
2,000
|
Richard Karl Goeltz, 68
|
|
Director
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Retired. Formerly, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of
American Express Co. (financial services) (1996-2000) and
previously served as chief financial officer of two other major
multi-national corporations. Mr. Goeltz is also a member of the
Council and Court of Governors of the London School of Economics
and Political Science, Trustee of the American Academy in Berlin
and of other charitable organizations.
|
|
3
|
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
2008) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
2008).(2)
Independent Non-Executive Director of Aviva plc (financial
services) and The Warnaco Group, Inc. (apparel). Formerly
director of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and Delta Air
Lines, Inc. (air transport).
|
|
12,104
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class I Directors
|
(Term will Expire in 2013)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
Common
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Portfolios
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During Past
|
|
in Fund
|
|
|
|
Beneficially
|
|
|
|
|
Length of
|
|
Five Years or Longer
|
|
Complex(2)
|
|
Other Directorships Held by
|
|
Owned at
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Time
|
|
and Other Relevant
|
|
Overseen
|
|
Director During Past Five
|
|
March 31,
|
Name,
Address(1)
& Age
|
|
with Fund
|
|
Served
|
|
Qualifications*
|
|
by Director
|
|
Years(3)
|
|
2011(4)
|
|
Robert H. Wadsworth, 71
|
|
Director
|
|
Since 1992
|
|
President, Robert H. Wadsworth Associates, Inc. (investment
management consulting firm) (1983 to present). Mr. Wadsworth
also has experience as an owner and chief executive officer of
various businesses serving the mutual fund industry, including a
registered broker-dealer and a registered transfer agent, and
has served as a senior executive officer of several mutual funds.
|
|
116(8)
|
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
1990) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
1986),(2)
as well as other funds in the Fund Complex as
indicated.(5)
|
|
5,942
|
Interested
Director(5)
|
Christian H.
Strenger(10),
67
|
|
Director and
Chairman
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Member of Supervisory Board (since 1999) and formerly Managing
Director (1991-1999) of DWS Investment GmbH (investment
management), a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG. Mr. Strenger is
also Member, Supervisory Board, Evonik Industries AG (chemical,
utility and property business), Fraport AG (international
airport business), Hermes Equity Ownership Services Ltd.
(governance advisory) and TUI AG (travel business).
|
|
3
|
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since
1990) and The European Equity Fund, Inc. (since
1986).(2)
|
|
1,000
|
|
|
|
* |
|
The information above includes each Directors principal
occupation during the last five years and other information
relating to the experience, attributes and skills relevant to
each Directors qualifications to serve as a Director,
which led (together with the Directors current and prior
experience as a Director of other SEC reporting companies, if
any, as indicated elsewhere in the table) to the conclusion that
each Director should serve as a Director for the Fund. |
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Officers(9)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beneficially
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
|
|
Owned at
|
|
|
with
|
|
Time
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
March 31,
|
Name,
Address(1)
& Age
|
|
Fund
|
|
Served
|
|
During Past Five Years
|
|
2011(4)
|
|
W. Douglas Beck, CFA,
44(10)(11)
|
|
President and
Chief Executive
Officer
|
|
Since 2011
|
|
Managing
Director(13),
Deutsche Asset Management and Head of Product Management, US
for DWS Investments (since 2006). Formerly, Executive
Director, Head of Product Management and President of the UBS
Funds at UBS Global Asset Management (2002-2006).
|
|
None
|
Paul H. Schubert,
48(10)(12)
|
|
Treasurer and
Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
Since 2004
|
|
Managing
Director(13),
Deutsche Asset Management (since 2004). Formerly, Executive
Director, Head of Mutual Fund Services and Treasurer for UBS
Family of Funds at UBS Global Asset Management (1998-2004).
|
|
None
|
Rita Rubin,
40(10)(14)
|
|
Chief Legal
Officer
|
|
Since 2008
|
|
Director and Senior
Counsel(13)(15),
Deutsche Asset Management (since 2007). Formerly, Vice
President, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (2004-2007).
|
|
None
|
Alexis Kuchinsky,
35(14)
|
|
Chief Compliance
Officer
|
|
Since 2009
|
|
Vice President, Deutsche Asset Management (since 2002); Head of
Compliance Program Oversight of Deutsche Asset Management.
|
|
None
|
John Caruso,
46(10)(14)
|
|
Anti-Money
Laundering
Compliance Officer
|
|
Since 2010
|
|
Managing
Director(13),
Deutsche Asset Management.
|
|
None
|
Rainer Vermehren,
43(10)(16)
|
|
Vice President
|
|
Since 2010
|
|
Director(13),
DWS Investment GmbH (since 2007). Fund Manager, DWS Investment
GmbH (since 1997).
|
|
None
|
John Millette,
48(10)(17)(18)
|
|
Secretary
|
|
Since 2011
|
|
Director(13),
Deutsche Asset Management (since 2002).
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The mailing address of all directors with respect to Fund
operations is
c/o Deutsche
Investment Management Americas Inc., 345 Park Avenue,
NYC20-2799, New York, New York 10154. |
|
(2) |
|
The Fund Complex includes The Central Europe and Russia
Fund, Inc. and The New Germany Fund, Inc., which are other
closed-end registered investment companies for which Deutsche
Investment Management Americas Inc. acts as manager. It also
includes 113 other open- and closed-end funds advised by
wholly-owned entities of the Deutsche Bank Group in the
United States. |
|
(3) |
|
Directorships are only for companies that file reports with the
SEC. |
|
(4) |
|
As of March 31, 2011, all Directors, Nominees for election
and Executive Officers as a group (19 persons) owned
33,807 shares, which constitutes less than 1% of the
outstanding Common Stock of the Fund. Share numbers in this
Proxy Statement have been rounded to the nearest whole share. |
11
|
|
|
(5) |
|
Indicates Interested Person, as defined in the
Investment Company Act. Mr. Strenger is an
interested Director because of his affiliation with
DWS-Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wertpapiersparen mbH
(DWS), a majority-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank
AG, and because of his ownership of Deutsche Bank AG shares.
Prior to April 2010, Mr. Bierbaum was
interested because of his prior relationships with
Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie KGaA, which executed portfolio
securities transactions for the Fund and certain affiliated
persons, and because of his former ownership of Deutsche Bank AG
shares. John Bult, a Class II Director, is not standing for
re-election pursuant to the Funds retirement policy. Until
the effective date of his resignation, Mr. Bult is an
interested Director because of his affiliation with
PaineWebber International, an affiliate of UBS Securities LLC, a
registered broker-dealer. |
|
(6) |
|
Dr. Frank Trömel, a Class III director, is not
standing for re-election pursuant to the Funds retirement
policy. |
|
(7) |
|
Dr. Trömels son has been employed since
March 1, 2002 by an indirect subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG. |
|
(8) |
|
Mr. Wadsworth oversees all 116 funds in the
Fund Complex. |
|
(9) |
|
Each also serving as an officer of The New Germany Fund, Inc.
and The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. The officers of the
Fund are elected annually by the Board of Directors at its
meeting following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Each of
Mr. Schubert, Mr. Millette, Mr. Caruso and
Ms. Rubin also serve as officers of the other Funds in the
Fund Complex. |
|
(10) |
|
Indicates ownership of securities of Deutsche Bank AG either
directly or through Deutsche Banks deferred compensation
plan. |
|
(11) |
|
Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154. |
|
(12) |
|
Address: 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311. |
|
(13) |
|
Executive title, not a board directorship. |
|
(14) |
|
Address: 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005. |
|
(15) |
|
Prior to February 1, 2011, Vice President and Counsel. |
|
(16) |
|
Address: Mainzer Landstrasse
178-190,
Frankfurt am Main, Germany. |
|
(17) |
|
Since January 3, 2011. From July 14, 2006 to
January 3, 2011 served as Assistant Secretary to the Fund.
From January 30, 2006 to July 14, 2006 served as
Secretary to the Fund. |
|
(18) |
|
Address: One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108. |
12
The following table contains additional information with respect
to the beneficial ownership of equity securities by each
Director or Nominee in the Fund and, on an aggregated basis, in
any registered investment companies overseen by the Director or
Nominee within the same Family of Investment Companies as the
Fund:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate Dollar
|
|
|
|
|
Range of Equity
|
|
|
|
|
Securities in All
|
|
|
|
|
Funds
|
|
|
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
Director or Nominee
|
|
|
Equity Securities
|
|
in Family of
|
|
|
in the
|
|
Investment
|
Name of Director or Nominee
|
|
Fund(1)
|
|
Companies(1),(2)
|
|
Detlef Bierbaum
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
John Bult
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
Ambassador Richard R. Burt
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
John H. Cannon
|
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
|
Over$100,000
|
Richard Karl Goeltz
|
|
Over $100,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
Dr. Franz Wilhelm Hopp
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
Dr. Friedbert Malt
|
|
$1-$10,000
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
Christian H. Strenger
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
Dr. Frank Trömel
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
Robert H. Wadsworth
|
|
Over $100,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
Joachim Wagner
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
Werner Walbröl
|
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Valuation date is March 31, 2011. The Fund has elected to
be subject to the statutory calculation, notification and
publication requirements of the German Investment Tax Act
(Investmentsteuergesetz) (the Act) for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2010 and intends to elect to be
subject to the Act for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2011. Prior thereto, Directors who are German residents would
have been subject to adverse German tax consequences if they
owned shares of a fund organized outside of Germany, such as the
Fund, that was not subject to German regulation or tax
reporting. In light of the Funds election to be subject to
the Act, the Board of Directors encourages all Directors of the
Fund (including those who are German residents) to invest in the
Fund. |
|
(2) |
|
The Family of Investment Companies consists of the Fund, The
European Equity Fund, Inc. and The Central Europe and Russia
Fund, Inc., which are closed-end funds that share the same
investment adviser and manager and hold themselves out as
related companies. |
The Board of Directors presently has five standing committees
including an audit committee (the Audit Committee),
an advisory committee (the Advisory Committee), an
executive committee (the Executive Committee), a
nominating and governance committee (the Nominating
Committee) and a valuation committee (the Valuation
Committee).
The Audit Committee, currently comprising Messrs. Burt,
Cannon (Chair), Goeltz, Wadsworth, Wagner and Walbröl and
Drs. Malt and Trömel, operates pursuant to a written
charter. The Audit Committee charter is currently available on
the Funds website, www.dws-investments.com. The Audit
Committees organization and responsibilities are contained
in the Audit Committee Report, which is included in this Proxy
Statement, and in its written charter. The members of the Audit
Committee are independent as required by the
independence standards of
Rule 10A-3
under the
13
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Board of Directors has
determined that each member of the Audit Committee is
financially literate and has determined that
Messrs. Cannon, Goeltz, Wadsworth and Wagner meet the
requirements for an audit committee financial expert under the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC). Although the Board has determined that all
four meet the requirements for an audit committee financial
expert, their responsibilities are the same as those of the
other audit committee members. Messrs. Cannon, Goeltz,
Wadsworth and Wagner are not auditors or accountants, do not
perform field work and are not full-time employees.
The SEC has determined that an audit committee member who is
designated as an audit committee financial expert will not be
deemed to be an expert for any purpose as a result
of being identified as an audit committee financial expert. The
Audit Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2010.
The Advisory Committee, currently comprising
Messrs. Cannon, Goeltz and Wadsworth (Chair) and
Dr. Trömel, makes recommendations to the full Board
with respect to the Management Agreement between the Fund and
Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc., and the Investment
Advisory Agreement between the Fund and Deutsche Asset
Management International GmbH. The Advisory Committee met twice
during the past fiscal year, in connection with the annual
continuance of those agreements.
The Executive Committee, currently comprising Messrs. Burt,
Cannon, Goeltz, Strenger, Wadsworth and Walbröl, has the
authority to act for the Board on all matters between meetings
of the Board subject to any limitations under applicable state
law. During the past fiscal year the Executive Committee did not
meet.
The Valuation Committee, currently comprising
Messrs. Cannon, Wadsworth (Chair) and Walbröl and
Dr. Trömel, reviews the Funds valuation
procedures and makes recommendations with respect thereto and,
to the extent required by such procedures, determines the fair
value of the Funds securities or other assets. During the
past fiscal year, the Valuation Committee met once.
The Nominating and Governance Committee is currently comprised
of Messrs. Burt, Cannon, Goeltz (Chair), Wadsworth and
Walbröl and Dr. Trömel. The Board has determined
that each of the members of the Nominating and Governance
Committee is not an interested person as the term is
defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act.
Generally, the Nominating and Governance Committee identifies,
evaluates and selects and nominates, or recommends to the Board
of Directors, candidates for the Board or any committee of the
Board, and also advises the Board regarding governance matters
generally and confirms that the Board and Audit Committee
undertake annual self-evaluations. To be eligible for nomination
as a Director a person must, at the time of such persons
nomination, have Relevant Experience and Country Knowledge and
must not have any Conflict of Interest, as those terms are
defined in the Funds Bylaws. The relevant portions of the
Funds Bylaws describing these requirements are included as
Annex A. The Nominating and Governance Committee may also
take into account additional factors listed in the Nominating
and Governance Committee Charter, which generally relate to the
nominees industry knowledge, business experience,
education, ethical reputation, special skills, ability to work
well in group settings and the ability to qualify as an
independent director. When assessing a candidate for
nomination, the Nominating and Governance Committee considers
whether the individuals background, skills and experience
will complement the background, skills and experience of other
nominees and will contribute to the diversity of the Board.
The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee
candidates properly submitted by stockholders in accordance with
applicable law, the Funds Charter or Bylaws, resolutions
of the Board and the qualifications and procedures set forth in
the Nominating and
14
Governance Committee Charter, which is currently available on
the Funds website, www.dws-investments.com. A stockholder
or group of stockholders seeking to submit a nominee candidate
(i) must have beneficially owned at least 5% of the
Funds common stock for at least two years, (ii) may
submit only one nominee candidate for any particular meeting of
stockholders, and (iii) may submit a nominee candidate for
only an annual meeting or other meeting of stockholders at which
directors will be elected. The stockholder or group of
stockholders must provide notice of the proposed nominee
pursuant to the requirements found in the Funds Bylaws.
Generally, this notice must be received not less than
90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first
anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the
preceding years annual meeting. Such notice shall include
the specific information required by the Funds Bylaws. The
relevant portions describing these requirements are included as
Annex C. The Nominating and Governance Committee will
evaluate nominee candidates properly submitted by stockholders
on the same basis as it considers and evaluates candidates
recommended by other sources. The Nominating and Governance
Committee met three times during the past fiscal year.
All members on each of the five committees of the Board are not
interested persons as the term is defined in the
Investment Company Act, with the exception of Mr. Strenger,
who is a member of the Executive Committee.
During the past fiscal year, the Board of Directors had four
regular meetings. Each incumbent Director who served as a
Director during the past fiscal year attended at least 75% of
the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and meetings of
Board Committees on which that Director served. The Board has a
policy that encourages Directors to attend the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, to the extent that travel to the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders is reasonable for that Director. One Director
attended the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
To communicate with the Board of Directors or an individual
Director of the Fund, a stockholder must send a written
communication to the Funds principal office at 345 Park
Avenue, NYC20-2799, New York, New York 10154
(c/o The
New Germany Fund, Inc.), addressed to (i) the Board of
Directors of the Fund or an individual Director, and
(ii) the Secretary of the Fund. The Secretary of the Fund
will direct the correspondence to the appropriate parties.
The Fund pays each of its Directors who is not an interested
person of the Fund, of the investment adviser or of the manager
an annual fee of $6,000 plus $750 for each Board and Committee
meeting attended. Each such Director who is also a Director of
The European Equity Fund, Inc. or The Central Europe and Russia
Fund, Inc. also receives the same annual and per-meeting fees
for services as a Director of each such fund. These compensation
arrangements were effective as of January 1, 2010. Each of
the Fund, The European Equity Fund, Inc. and The Central Europe
and Russia Fund, Inc. reimburses the Directors (except for those
employed by the Deutsche Bank Group) for travel expenses in
connection with Board meetings. Effective January 1, 2011,
the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives a $1,000 retainer.
These three funds, together with 118 other open- and closed-end
funds advised by wholly owned entities of the Deutsche Bank
Group in the United States, represent the entire
Fund Complex within the meaning of the applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC.
15
The following table sets forth (a) the aggregate
compensation from the Fund for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2010, and (b) the total compensation from
each fund in the Fund Complex that includes the Fund, for
the 2010 fiscal year of each such fund, (i) for each
Director who is not an interested person of the Fund, and
(ii) for all such Directors as a group:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Total Compensation
|
|
Name of Director
|
|
from Fund
|
|
|
from Fund Complex
|
|
|
Detlef Bierbaum
|
|
$
|
6,524
|
|
|
$
|
15,298
|
|
Ambassador Richard R. Burt
|
|
$
|
10,834
|
|
|
$
|
33,000
|
|
John H. Cannon
|
|
$
|
13,334
|
|
|
$
|
40,500
|
|
Richard Karl Goeltz
|
|
$
|
12,583
|
|
|
$
|
31,000
|
|
Dr. Franz Wilhelm Hopp
|
|
$
|
8,250
|
|
|
$
|
18,750
|
|
Dr. Friedbert H. Malt
|
|
$
|
11,250
|
|
|
$
|
32,750
|
|
Dr. Frank Trömel
|
|
$
|
16,500
|
|
|
$
|
37,500
|
|
Robert H. Wadsworth
|
|
$
|
12,583
|
|
|
$
|
37,500
|
|
Joachim Wagner
|
|
$
|
12,000
|
|
|
$
|
24,000
|
|
Werner Walbröl
|
|
$
|
11,333
|
|
|
$
|
34,500
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
115,191
|
|
|
$
|
283,798
|
|
No compensation is paid by the Fund to Directors who are
interested persons of the Fund or of any entity of the Deutsche
Bank Group or to officers. Mr. Bierbaum was an interested
person of the Fund until April 2010 and, as such, received
partial compensation from the Fund Complex during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.
THE BOARD
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
PROPOSAL 1.
Required Vote. Provided a quorum has been
established, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
entitled to be cast at the Meeting is required for the election
of each Director. For purposes of the election of Directors,
abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a
vote against a Director.
PROPOSAL 2:
RATIFICATION
OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The Audit Committee has approved PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (the
Firm or PwC), an independent registered
public accounting firm, as independent auditors for the Fund for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011. A majority of
members of the Board of Directors, including a majority of the
members of the Board of Directors who are not
interested Directors (as defined in the Investment
Company Act) of the Fund, have ratified the appointment of PwC
as the Funds independent auditors for that fiscal year.
Based principally on representations from the Firm, the Fund
knows of no direct financial or material indirect financial
interest of such Firm in the Fund. That Firm, or a predecessor
firm, has served as the independent auditors for the Fund since
inception.
Neither our Charter nor Bylaws require that the stockholders
ratify the appointment of PwC as our independent auditors. We
are doing so because we believe it is a matter of good corporate
practice. If the stockholders do not ratify the appointment, the
Audit Committee and the Board of Directors will reconsider
whether or not to retain PwC, but may retain such independent
auditors. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit
Committee and the Board of Directors in their
16
discretion may change the appointment at any time during the
year if they determine that such change would be in the best
interests of the Fund and its stockholders. It is intended that
the persons named in the accompanying form of proxy will vote
for PwC. A representative of PwC will be present at the Meeting
and will have the opportunity to make a statement and is
expected to be available to answer appropriate questions
concerning the Funds financial statements.
THE BOARD
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
PROPOSAL 2.
Required Vote. Provided a quorum has been
established, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
cast at the Meeting is required for the ratification of the
appointment by the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors of
PwC as independent auditors for the Fund for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2011. For purposes of Proposal 2
abstentions will have no effect on the result of the vote.
Information
With Respect to the Funds Independent Auditors
The following table shows fees paid to PwC by the Fund during
the Funds two most recent fiscal years: (i) for audit
and non-audit services provided to the Fund, and (ii) for
engagements for non-audit services pre-approved by the Audit
Committee for the Funds manager and investment adviser and
certain entities controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with the manager and investment adviser that provide
ongoing services to the Fund (collectively, the Adviser
Entities), which engagements relate directly to the
operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The Audit
Committee of each board will review, at least annually, whether
PwCs receipt of non-audit fees from the Fund, the
Funds manager, the Funds Investment adviser and all
Adviser Entities is compatible with maintaining PwCs
independence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees(1)
|
|
Audit Related
Fees(2)
|
|
Tax
Fees(3)
|
|
All Other
Fees(4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adviser
|
|
|
|
Adviser
|
|
|
|
Adviser
|
Fiscal Year
|
|
Fund
|
|
Fund
|
|
Entities
|
|
Fund
|
|
Entities
|
|
Fund
|
|
Entities
|
|
2010
|
|
$
|
63,000
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
7,500
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
2009
|
|
$
|
63,000
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
2,000
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Audit Fees are the aggregate fees billed for
professional services for the audit of the Funds annual
financial statements and services provided in connection with
statutory and regulatory filings or engagements. |
|
(2) |
|
Audit Related Fees are the aggregate fees billed for
assurance and related services reasonably related to the
performance of the audit or review of financial statements and
are not reported under Audit Fees. |
|
(3) |
|
Tax Fees are the aggregate fees billed for
professional services for tax compliance and tax planning. |
|
(4) |
|
All Other Fees are the aggregate fees billed for
products and services other than Audit Fees,
Audit Related Fees and Tax Fees. |
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and
Procedures. Generally, the Audit Committee must
pre-approve (i) all services to be performed for the Fund
by the Funds independent auditors and (ii) all
non-audit services to be performed by the Funds
independent auditors for the Funds investment adviser or
any Adviser Entities with respect to operations and financial
reporting of the Fund. Any member of the Audit Committee may
pre-approve any audit or non-audit services to be performed by
the independent auditors, provided that any such approvals are
presented to the Audit
17
Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The auditors shall
report to the Audit Committee at each of its regular meetings
all audit or non-audit services to the Fund and all non-audit
services to the Adviser Entities that relate directly to the
Funds operations and financial reporting initiated since
the last such report was rendered, including a general
description of the services and projected fees and the means by
which such services were approved by the Audit Committee.
All Non-Audit Fees. The table below shows the
aggregate non-audit fees billed by PwC for services rendered to
the Fund and to the Adviser Entities that provide ongoing
services to the Fund, whether or not such engagements relate
directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund,
for the two most recent fiscal years for the Fund. The aggregate
non-audit fees in fiscal year 2009 were paid for by the
Investment Manager for work performed on its behalf.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
|
Fiscal Year
|
|
Non-Audit Fees
|
|
2010
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
2009
|
|
$
|
100,000
|
|
Audit
Committee Report
The purposes of the Audit Committee are: (1) to assist the
Board of Directors in its oversight of (i) the integrity of
the Funds financial statements; (ii) the Funds
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
(iii) the independent auditors qualifications and
independence; and (iv) the retention and performance of the
independent auditors; and (2) to prepare this report. The
Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in its oversight
of the Funds policies and practices with respect to
accounting, financial reporting, internal control over financial
reporting, independent audits, and risk management. The Audit
Committee regularly discusses the Funds most significant
risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and
control such exposures. Each Member of the Audit Committee is
independent, as required by the independence
standards of
Rule 10A-3
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Audit Committee
operates pursuant to a written charter. As set forth in the
Audit Committee Charter, management of the Fund and applicable
service providers are responsible for the preparation,
presentation and integrity of the Funds financial
statements and for the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting. Management and applicable service providers
are responsible for maintaining appropriate accounting and
financial reporting principles and policies and internal control
over financial reporting and other procedures that provide for
compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and
regulations. The independent auditors are responsible for
planning and carrying out a proper audit of the Funds
annual financial statements and expressing an opinion as to
their conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
In the performance of its oversight function, the Audit
Committee has considered and discussed the audited financial
statements with management and the independent auditors of the
Fund. The Audit Committee has also discussed with the
independent auditors the matters required to be discussed by
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, Communication
with Audit Committees, as currently in effect. The Audit
Committee has also considered whether the provision of any
non-audit services not pre-approved by the Audit Committee
provided by the Funds independent auditors to the
Funds investment adviser, manager or to any entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control with the
Funds investment adviser or manager that provides ongoing
services to the Fund is compatible with maintaining the
auditors independence. During the past fiscal year, no
non-audit services that were not pre-approved by the Audit
Committee were provided by the Funds independent auditors.
Finally, the Audit Committee has received the written
disclosures and the letter from the independent auditors
required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1,
18
Independence Discussions with Audit Committees, as
currently in effect, and has discussed with the auditors their
independence.
The members of the Audit Committee are not full-time employees
of the Fund and are not performing the functions of auditors or
accountants. As such, it is not the duty or responsibility of
the Audit Committee or its members to conduct field
work or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or
procedures or to set auditor independence standards. Members of
the Audit Committee necessarily rely on the information provided
to them by management and the independent auditors. Accordingly,
the Audit Committees considerations and discussions
referred to above do not assure that the audit of the
Funds financial statements has been carried out in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, that the
financial statements are presented in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles or that the Funds auditors
are in fact independent.
Based upon the reports and discussions described in this report,
and subject to the limitations on the role and responsibilities
of the Audit Committee referred to above and in the Charter, the
Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors of the
Fund that the audited financial statements of the Fund be
included in the Funds annual report to stockholders for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.
Submitted by the Audit Committee
of the Funds Board of Directors
John H. Cannon, Chair
Richard R. Burt
Richard Karl Goeltz
Dr. Friedbert Malt
Dr. Frank Trömel
Robert H. Wadsworth
Joachim Wagner
Werner Walbröl
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
As of May 13, 2011, no person, to the knowledge of
management, owned of record or beneficially more than 5% of the
outstanding Common Stock of the Fund, other than as set forth
below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount and
|
|
Percent of
|
|
|
Nature of
|
|
Outstanding
|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Beneficial Ownership
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
1607 Capital Partners,
LLC(1)
|
|
2,720,800 shares
|
|
|
14.71
|
%
|
4991 Lake Brook Dr., Suite 125, Glen Allen, VA 23060
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lazard Asset Management
LLC(2)
|
|
4,122,030 shares
|
|
|
22.28
|
%
|
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
This information is based exclusively on information provided by
such entity on Schedule 13G/A filed with respect to the
Fund on February 14, 2011. |
|
(2) |
|
This information is based exclusively on information provided by
such entity on Schedule 13D/A filed with respect to the
Fund on January 11 , 2011. |
19
SECTION 16(a)
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Based on a review of reports filed by the Funds directors
and executive officers, the investment adviser, officers and
directors of the investment adviser, affiliated persons of the
investment adviser and beneficial holders of 10% or more of the
Funds outstanding stock, and written representations by
the Reporting Persons that no year-end reports were required for
such persons, all filings required by Section 16(a) of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2010 were timely except a late Form 3 was
filed on behalf of both Rainer Vermehren and John Caruso,
officers of the Fund. The late Form 3s did not relate to
any transactions in Fund shares. In addition, a late Form 4
was filed on behalf of Robert Wadsworth, a Director of the Fund.
ADDRESS
OF INVESTMENT ADVISER AND MANAGER
The principal office of Deutsche Asset Management International
GmbH, the Funds investment adviser, is located at Mainzer
Landstrasse
178-190,
D-60327 Frankfurt am Main, Federal Republic of Germany. The
corporate office of Deutsche Investment Management Americas
Inc., the Funds manager, is located at 345 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10154.
OTHER
MATTERS
No business other than as set forth herein is expected to come
before the Meeting, but should any other matter requiring a vote
of stockholders properly come before the Meeting, including any
question as to an adjournment of the Meeting, the persons named
in the enclosed Proxy Card will vote thereon according to their
discretion. Abstentions and broker non-votes shall have no
effect on the outcome of a vote to adjourn the Meeting.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
In order for stockholder proposals otherwise satisfying the
eligibility requirements of SEC
Rule 14a-8
to be considered for inclusion in the Funds proxy
statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting, the proposals must be
received at The New Germany Fund, Inc.,
c/o Deutsche
Investment Management Americas, 345 Park Avenue, NYC20-2799, New
York, New York 10154, Attention: Secretary, on or before
January 20, 2012.
In addition, the Funds Bylaws currently provide that if a
stockholder desires to bring business (including director
nominations) before the 2012 Annual Meeting that is or is not
the subject of a proposal timely submitted for inclusion in the
Funds proxy statement, written notice of such business as
prescribed in the Bylaws must be delivered to the Funds
Secretary, at the principal executive offices of the Fund,
between January 20, 2012 and February 19, 2012. For
additional requirements, the stockholder may refer to the
Bylaws, a current copy of which may be obtained without charge
upon request from the Funds Secretary. If the Fund does
not receive timely notice pursuant to the Bylaws, the proposal
may be excluded from consideration at the meeting, regardless of
any earlier notice provided in accordance with SEC
Rule 14a-8.
PROXY
COSTS AND SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
The cost of preparing, assembling and mailing material in
connection with this solicitation will be borne by the Fund. In
addition to the use of mails, proxies may be solicited
personally by regular employees of the Fund or the manager or by
telephone, telegraph or Internet. Brokerage houses, banks and
other fiduciaries may be requested to forward proxy solicitation
materials to their principals to obtain authorization for the
execution of proxies, and they will be reimbursed by the Fund
for
out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in this connection. The Fund has also made
arrangements
20
with Altman to assist in the solicitation of proxies, if called
upon by the Fund, at an estimated fee of $5,600 plus
reimbursement of normal expenses (the exact cost will depend on
the amount and types of services rendered). If the stockholders
record votes by telephone or through the Internet, the proxy
solicitor will use procedures designed to authenticate
stockholders identities, to allow stockholders to
authorize the voting of their shares in accordance with their
instructions and to allow stockholders to confirm that their
instructions have been recorded properly.
If a stockholder wishes to participate in the Meeting, but does
not wish to give a proxy by telephone or via the Internet, the
stockholder may still submit the Proxy Card(s) originally sent
with this Proxy Statement or attend the Meeting in person.
Should stockholders require additional information regarding the
proxy or replacement Proxy Card(s), they may call Altman
toll-free at
1-800-845-1507.
Any proxy given by a stockholder is revocable until voted at the
Meeting.
As the Meeting date approaches, certain stockholders of the
Funds may receive a telephone call from a representative of
Altman if their votes have not yet been received.
One Proxy Statement may be delivered to two or more stockholders
of the Fund who share an address, unless the Fund has received
instructions to the contrary. To request a separate copy of the
Proxy Statement, which will be delivered upon written or oral
request, or for instructions as to how to request a single copy
if multiple copies are received, stockholders should call
800-349-4281
or write to the Fund at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10154.
ANNUAL
REPORT DELIVERY
The Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its annual
report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and the
most recent semi-annual report, if any, to any stockholder upon
request. Such requests should be directed by mail to The New
Germany Fund, Inc.,
c/o Deutsche
Investment Management Americas, 345 Park Avenue, NYC20-2799, New
York, New York 10154 or by telephone to
1-800-437-6269.
Annual reports are also available on the Funds web site:
www.germanyfund.com.
John Millette
Secretary
Dated: May 19, 2011
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS PROXY STATEMENT OR
THE PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED TO EXECUTE AND TO DELIVER A PROXY
CARD, PLEASE CONTACT ALTMAN AT
1-800-845-1507.
STOCKHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING
AND WHO WISH TO HAVE THEIR SHARES VOTED ARE REQUESTED TO
DATE AND TO SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND TO RETURN IT IN THE
ENCLOSED ENVELOPE, OR TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE
ENCLOSED PROXY CARD FOR VOTING BY TELEPHONE OR THROUGH THE
INTERNET.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY
MATERIALS FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 27,
2011:
The Notice of Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card are
available at
http://www.proxyonline.com/docs/gf2011.pdf
21
ANNEX A
THE NEW
GERMANY FUND, INC.
EXCERPTS OF BYLAWS
Article II
Section 13. Advance
Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and Other
Stockholder Proposals. (a) Annual Meetings of
Stockholders. (1) Nominations of persons
for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of
business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an
annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the
Corporations notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) by any
stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record
both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this
Section 13(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is
entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice
procedures set forth in this Section 13(a).
(2) For nominations or other business to be properly
brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to
clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 13,
the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing
to the Secretary of the Corporation and such other business must
otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To
be timely, a stockholders notice shall be delivered to the
Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation
not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to
the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for
the preceding years annual meeting; provided, however,
that in the event that the date of mailing of the notice for the
annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days
from the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice
for the preceding years annual meeting, notice by the
stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than
the 120th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice
for such annual meeting and not later than the close of business
on the later of the 90th day prior to the date of mailing
of the notice for such annual meeting or the tenth day following
the day on which disclosure of the date of mailing of the notice
for such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public
announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual
meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a
stockholders notice as described above. Such
stockholders notice shall set forth (i) as to each
person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or
reelection as a director, (A) the name, age, business
address and residence address of such person, (B) the class
and number of shares of stock of the Corporation that are
beneficially owned by such person, (C) all other
information relating to such person that is required to be
disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors
in an election contest (even if an election contest is not
involved), or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to
Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the
Exchange Act or pursuant to the Investment Company Act and the
rules thereunder (including such persons written consent
to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to
serving as a director if elected), and (D) a statement
specifying which of clauses (1)-(7) of the definition of
Relevant Experience and Country Knowledge in
Article III, Section 3 of the Bylaws the person being
nominated satisfies, information relating to such person
sufficient to support a determination that the person satisfies
the specified clause or clauses of the definition and a
representation that the person does not have a Conflict of
Interest as defined in Article III, Section 3 of
the Bylaws; (ii) as to any other business that the
stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description
of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any
material interest in such business of such stockholder
(including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder therefrom)
and of each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the
proposal is made; and (iii) as to the stockholder giving
the notice and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf
the nomination or proposal is made,
A-1
(x) the name and address of such stockholder, as they
appear on the Corporations stock ledgers and a current
name and address, if different, and of such beneficial owner,
and (y) the class and number of shares of each class of
stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially and of
record by such stockholder and owned beneficially by such
beneficial owner.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of
this Section 13 to the contrary, in the event the Board of
Directors increases or decreases the maximum or minimum number
of directors in accordance with Article III, Section 2
of these Bylaws, and there is no public announcement of such
action at least 100 days prior to the first anniversary of
the date of mailing of the preceding years annual meeting,
a stockholders notice required by this Section 13(a)
shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to
nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it
shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive
offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business
on the tenth day following the day on which such public
announcement is first made by the Corporation.
(b) Special Meetings of
Stockholders. Only such business shall be
conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have
been brought before the meeting pursuant to the
Corporations notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for
election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special
meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected
(i) pursuant to the Corporations notice of meeting,
(ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or
(iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined
that directors shall be elected at such special meeting, by any
stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record
both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this
Section 13 and at the time of the special meeting, who is
entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice
procedures set forth in this Section 13. In the event the
Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the
purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of
Directors, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons
(as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in
the Corporations notice of meeting, if the
stockholders notice required by paragraph (a)(2) of this
Section 13 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the
principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than
the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later
than the close of business on the later of the 90th day
prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day
on which public announcement is first made of the date of the
special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of
Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the
public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a
special meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a
stockholders notice as described above.
(c) General. (1) Only such
persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set
forth in this Section 13 and Article III,
Section 3 of these Bylaws shall be eligible to serve as
directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting
of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in
accordance with the procedures set forth in this
Section 13. The chairman of the meeting shall have the
power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business
proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed,
as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth
in this Section 13 and, if any proposed nomination or
business is not in compliance with this Section 13, to
declare that such defective nomination or proposal be
disregarded.
(2) For purposes of this Section 13, (a) the
date of mailing of the notice shall mean the date of
the proxy statement for the solicitation of proxies for election
of directors and (b) public announcement shall
mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow
Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable news service
or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation
with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the
Exchange Act or the Investment Company Act.
A-2
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 13, a stockholder shall also comply with all
applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and
the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this
Section 13. Nothing in this Section 13 shall be deemed
to affect any right of stockholders to request inclusion of
proposals in, nor the right of the Corporation to omit a
proposal from, the Corporations proxy statement pursuant
to
Rule 14a-8
(or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act.
Article III
Section 3. Qualifications. Directors
need not be stockholders. Each Director shall hold office until
the earlier of: (a) the expiration of his term and his or
her successor shall have been elected and qualifies,
(b) his or her death, (c) his or her resignation, or
(d) his or her removal. To be eligible for nomination as a
director a person must, at the time of such persons
nomination by the Board of Directors, (a) have Relevant
Experience and Country Knowledge (as defined below),
(b) not have any Conflict of Interest (as defined below)
and (c) not be over 72 years of age; provided that
clause (c) shall not apply to any person who was a Director
on October 15, 1999 or to any person whom the Nominating
Committee (or in the absence of such a Committee, the Board of
Directors) determines to except from that clause on the basis
that the persons prior public or government service or
other broad-based activities in the business community make it
essential that the Corporation continue to receive the benefit
of the persons services as a Director. The determination
described in the previous sentence shall be made on or before
the time of nomination. Whether a proposed nominee satisfies the
foregoing qualifications shall be determined by the Nominating
Committee or, in the absence of such a Committee, by the Board
of Directors, each in its sole discretion.
Relevant Experience and Country Knowledge means
experience in business, investment, economic or political
matters of Germany or the United States through service for 10
of the past 20 years (except where a shorter period is
noted) in one or more of the following principal occupations:
(1) senior executive officer or partner of a financial or
industrial business headquartered in Germany that has annual
revenues of at least the equivalent of US $500 million,
(2) senior executive officer or partner of a financial or
industrial business headquartered in the United States that has
annual revenues of at least the equivalent of US
$500 million and whose management responsibilities include
supervision of European business operations,
(3) director (or the equivalent) for 5 of the past
10 years of one or more investment businesses or vehicles
(including this Corporation) a principal focus of which is
investment in Germany and that have at least the equivalent of
US $250 million in combined total assets of their own,
(4) senior executive officer or partner of an investment
management business having at least the equivalent of US
$500 million in securities of German companies or
securities principally traded in Germany under discretionary
management for others,
(5) senior executive officer or partner (a) of a
business consulting, accounting or law firm having at least 100
professionals and (b) whose principal responsibility
involves or involved providing services involving European
matters for financial or industrial businesses, investment
businesses or vehicles or investment management businesses as
described in (1)-(4) above,
A-3
(6) senior official (including ambassador or minister) in
the national government, a government agency or the central bank
of Germany or the United States, in a major supranational agency
or organization of which Germany or the United States is a
member, or in a leading international trade organization
relating to Germany or the United States, in each case in the
area of finance, economics, trade or foreign relations, or
(7) current director or senior officer (without regard to
years of service) of an investment manager or adviser of the
Corporation, or of any entity controlling or under common
control with an investment manager or adviser of the Corporation.
For purposes of clauses (1)-(5) of the preceding sentence and
clauses (1)-(2) of the next paragraph, the term financial
or industrial business includes a financial or industrial
business unit within a larger enterprise; the term
investment businesses or vehicles includes an
investment business unit or investment vehicle within a larger
enterprise; the term investment management business
includes an investment management business unit within a larger
enterprise; and the term investment vehicle includes
an investment vehicle within a larger enterprise; but in each
case only to the extent the unit satisfies the revenue, asset
and other requirements specified for the business or vehicle in
clauses (1)-(5) of the preceding sentence or clauses (1)-(2) of
the next paragraph.
Conflict of Interest means the presence of a
conflict with the interests of the Corporation or its operations
through any of the following:
(1) current position as a director, officer, partner or
employee of another investment vehicle a significant
(i.e., 25% or more of total assets) focus of which is
securities of German companies or securities principally traded
in German markets and that does not have the same investment
adviser as the Corporation or an investment adviser affiliated
with an investment adviser of the Corporation,
(2) current position as a director, officer, partner or
employee of the sponsor or equivalent of an investment vehicle
described in the previous point, or
(3) current position as an official of a governmental
agency or self-regulatory body having responsibility for
regulating the Corporation or the markets in which it proposes
to invest.
A-4
PROXY
THE NEW GERMANY FUND, INC.
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors.
The undersigned stockholder of The New Germany Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the
Fund), hereby appoints John Millette and Rita Rubin, or
either of them, as proxies
for the undersigned, with full power of substitution in each of them, to attend the Annual Meeting
of the Stockholders of the Fund to be held at 11:00 a.m., New York time, on June 27, 2011 at the
New York Marriott East Side Hotel, 525 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, and any
adjournment or postponement thereof, to cast on behalf of the undersigned all votes that the
undersigned is entitled to cast at such meeting, and otherwise to represent the undersigned at the
meeting with all powers possessed by the undersigned if personally present at the meeting. The
undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and of
the accompanying Proxy Statement, the terms of each of which are incorporated by reference herein,
and revokes any proxy heretofore given with respect to such meeting.
The votes entitled to be cast by the undersigned will be cast as instructed below. If this
Proxy is executed but no instruction is given, the votes entitled to be cast by the undersigned
will be cast For each of the nominees for director and For Proposal 2, as described in the
Proxy Statement and in the discretion of the Proxy holder on any other matter that may properly
come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote For the Class II nominees below
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1. FOR each of the nominees
for director listed below. o
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
as to all listed nominees. o
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FOR all nominees except as marked to the
contrary below. o |
(Instructions: To withhold authority for any individual nominee, strike a line through the
nominees name in the list below.)
Mr. John H. Cannon
Mr. Joachim Wagner
Mr. Werner Walbröl
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote For Proposal 2 below
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2.
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To ratify the appointment by the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent public accounting firm, as independent auditors for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011
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FOR o AGAINST o ABSTAIN o
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3.
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To vote and otherwise represent the undersigned on any other matter that may properly come
before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the discretion of the Proxy
holder. |
Please sign here exactly as name appears on the records of the Fund and date. If the shares
are held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as an attorney, executor, administrator,
trustee, guardian, officer of a corporation or other entity or in another representative capacity,
please give the full title under signature(s).
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Signature |
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Signature, if held jointly |
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Dated:
, 2011 |