ok, so I got up in the morning, running to the american consulate after getting an appointment last week (hotline ‚Ǩ2.16/minute, ‘oh yes, I have one place left on monday at 10:30‘).
arrived there in time, waiting crowd there in front of the desk. got a little nervous because I thought I will miss my appointment. Later I found out that everyone had got this ‘one place left at 10:30′ appointment. everything went smooth, had to leave my passport there and will get it back in time before the flight (well, hopefully).
oh and almost forgot, when I approached the waiting desk the women from the consulate looked at me and said “hey I saw you at the stadthalle [doing takewondo]“. so I guess being 1.90m and have red hair just HAS TO give you sometimes the “celebrity experience” … 
edit: the passport arrived one day later (with the most incredible visa sticker in it I have ever seen, relief,¬†colered¬†and partly gold), so I am free to go …. 