The Goethe-Institut (German: [ˈɡøːtə ʔɪnstiˌtuːt], GI, English: Goethe Institute) is a non-profit German cultural association operational worldwide with 159 institutes, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. Around 246,000 people take part in these German courses per year.
The Goethe-Institut fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German culture, society and politics. This includes the exchange of films, music, theatre, and literature. Goethe cultural societies, reading rooms, and examination and language centres have played a role in the cultural and educational policies of Germany for more than 60 years.[1]
It is named after German poet and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Goethe-Institut e.V. is autonomous and politically independent.[2]
Partners of the institute and its centres are public and private cultural institutions, the German federal states, local authorities and the world of commerce. Much of the Goethe-Institut's overall budget consists of annual grants from the German Foreign Office and the German Press Office. The relationship with the Foreign Office is governed by general agreement. Self-generated income and contributions from sponsors and patrons, partners and friends broaden the scope of the work of the Goethe-Institut.
1953: The first language courses run by the Goethe-Institut began in Bad Reichenhall. Due to growing demand, new centres of learning were opened in Murnau and Kochel, the focus of selection being on towns which were small and idyllic and which showed post-war Germany at its best. Lessons were taught from the first textbook developed by the Goethe-Institut, the now legendary "Schulz-Griesbach".
1953–55: The first foreign lectureships of what was the German Academy were taken on by the Goethe-Institut. Responsibilities include German tuition, teacher training and providing a programme of cultural events to accompany courses.
1959–60: On the initiative of the head of the arts sector of the Foreign Office, Dieter Sattler, the Goethe-Institut gradually took over all of the German cultural institutes abroad.
1968: Influenced by the student revolts of the late 1960s the Goethe-Institut readjusted its programme of cultural events to include socio-political topics and avant-garde art.
1970: Acting on behalf of the Foreign Office, Ralf Dahrendorf developed his "guiding principles for foreign cultural policy". Cultural work involving dialogue and partnership was declared the third pillar of German foreign policy. During the Willy Brandt era, the concept of "extended culture" formed the basis of activities at the Goethe-Institut.
1976: The Foreign Office and the Goethe-Institut signed a general agreement governing the status of the Goethe-Institut, henceforth an independent cultural organisation.
1980: A new plan regarding the location of institutes within Germany was drawn up. Places of instruction in small towns, mostly in Bavaria, were replaced by institutes in cities and university towns.
1989/90: The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a turning point for the Goethe-Institut. Its activities in the 1990s were centred on Eastern Europe. Numerous new institutes were set up as a result.
2001: The Goethe-Institut merged with Inter Nationes.
2004: The Goethe-Institut established the first Western information centre in Pyongyang, North Korea (closed in 2009).[3] The Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes also reverted to its original and official name, Goethe-Institut (GI).
2005: The Goethe-Institut was honoured with the Prince-of-Asturias Prize of Spain.
2007: For the first time in more than ten years, the German parliament increased the funds of the Goethe-Institut.
2010: Bruno Bozzetto created a new Goethe-Institut film named "Va Bene".
2014: A Myanmar Goethe-Institut opens.
Organization
The Goethe-Institut is mainly financed by the national government of Germany, and has around 1,000 employees and an overall budget of approximately 366 million euros at its disposal, more than half of which is generated from language course tuition and examination fees. The Goethe-Institut offers scholarships, including tuition waiver, to students from foreign countries, who want to become teachers of German. One of the selection criteria for these scholarships is social or financial need.
Old Goethe Institut building located on Tonalá Street in Colonia Roma in Mexico City (It has been remodelled.)
In Ghana, Togo and Cameroon, the Goethe-Institut opened its first African branches in 1961.[4]
In Khartoum, Sudan, the Goethe-Institut first opened its doors in 1963 as the fourth African branch. After this, a number of Sudanese college students showed interest in German scholarships and some later became part of the Sudanese community in Germany.
In Bangladesh, the Goethe-Institut opened at Gladstone House, 80 Motijheel Commercial Area in Dhaka in 1961. The Goethe-Institut Dhaka was relocated to its present premises in Dhanmondi (House No. 23, Road No. 02) in 1967.[5]
In Lebanon, the Goethe-Institut operates in Rue Gemmayze, one of Beirut's most renowned streets, facing the Collège du Sacré Cœur, with a remarkable number of students.
In Iran, the Goethe-Institut opened in Tehran in 1958, but was forced to close in 1981 in a diplomatic row between the host country and Germany. The institute continued some activities under the German embassy in Tehran as a "point for dialogue."
In Pakistan, the Goethe-Institut has two branches. The Goethe-Institut Karachi is located at Brunton Road, Civil Lines, near the Chief Minister's Residence. It is located in an old bungalow. The Lahore chapter of the Goethe-Institut is named "Annemarie Schimmel Haus", in honour of the well-known German Orientalist and scholar, who wrote extensively on Islam and Sufism. The Annemarie-Schimmel-Haus shares its premises with the Alliance française Lahore (AF), and together they organise joint cultural events.[6]
The institutes in India are called Max Mueller Bhavans, in honour of the German philologist and IndologistMax Müller. They are situated in Chennai,[7]Coimbatore,[8] Pune, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore (Bengaluru).
In Indonesia, there are two Goethe-Instituts: in Jakarta and Bandung, and a Goethe-Zentrum in Surabaya.
In Kenya, there is a Goethe-Institut, also known as the German Cultural Centre, in the headquarters of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake building. The Goethe-Institut is adjacent to the Alliance Française in Nairobi.[11]
In the Philippines, a Goethe-Institut is currently located at Makati City where it was moved from its former location in Quezon City.
In the US, there are several Goethe-Instituts including the Goethe-Institut, New York and the Goethe-Institut Washington.
In Nigeria, there is a Goethe-Institut learning centre for those who are studying German at the University and those who want to learn the language. The centre is located on Lagos Island, Lagos.
The institute has developed a series of exams for learners of German as a foreign language (Deutsch als Fremdsprache, DaF) at all levels: A1 up to C2. These can be taken both in Germany and abroad and have been adapted to fit into the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard for European language testing. There is also one exam, the Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom, which is at a higher level than the highest CEFR level.[14] Below is a table of the basic Goethe-Institut exams as they fit into the scheme:[15]
Goethe-Zertifikat B2 (Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf)
600–800
B1
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (Zertifikat Deutsch)
350–650
A2
Goethe-Zertifikat A2/ Fit In Deutsch 2
200–350
A1
Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1/Fit In Deutsch 1
80–200
In 2000, the Goethe-Institut helped to found the Society for Academic Test Development (Gesellschaft für Akademische Testentwicklung e.V.). The resulting TestDaF exams are run by the TestDaF-Institut in Hagen. The tests are supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and are aimed at people who would like to study at German universities, academics and scientists. The TestDaF can be taken in Germany as well as in 65 other countries.
The two US-related annually granted awards for literature translations from German into English are: the renowned Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize, and the Gutekunst Prize of the Friends of Goethe New York which is open to college students and to all translators under the age of 35 who, at the time the prize is awarded, have not yet published.[17]
Once a year, the Goethe-Institut awards the Goethe Medal, an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It honours foreign personalities who have performed outstanding service for the German language and international cultural relations. The Goethe Medal was established by the executive committee of the Goethe-Institut in 1954 and acknowledged as an official decoration by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1975.
Goethe-Institut Award for New Translation
The Society of Authors and the Goethe-Institut, London administer the biennial Goethe-Institut Award for New Translation.
^""Kyoto ist ja die Stadt der Kunst und der Bildung"" (in German).
^ ab""Deutsche Künstlerresidenzen im Ausland"" (in German).
^"Kunst@Kamogawa ～ヴィラ鴨川で、ドイツのアートに親しもう！～" (in Japanese).
^"ドイツアート Bar Creators@Kamogawa" (PDF) (in Japanese).
^"Alexander Krex: Das Berghain in Kyoto, Zeit Online" (in German).
^ abcPataczek, Anna (25 July 2013). "Deutsch lernen mit Schnäpschen". Der Tagesspiegel. Berlin. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
^Barmé, Geremie R. (2000). In the Red: On Contemporary Chinese Culture. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 110. ISBN978-0-231-50245-0.
^"Pressemitteilungen – 2019 – Goethe-Institut". www.goethe.de. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
Further reading
"Rede: Grundsteinlegung für das Goethe-Institut Senegal". Der Bundespräsident (in German). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goethe-Institut.
Official website
Yearbook App 2013 (in German)
List of locations from the Goethe-Institut web site (in German and English)
Learning German with the Goethe-Institut
Learning German in Germany – German courses and exams – Goethe-Institut in Germany
TestDaF website
January 12, 2023
goethe, institut, german, ˈɡøːtə, ʔɪnstiˌtuːt, english, goethe, institute, profit, german, cultural, association, operational, worldwide, with, institutes, promoting, study, german, language, abroad, encouraging, international, cultural, exchange, relations, a. The Goethe Institut German ˈɡoːte ʔɪnstiˌtuːt GI English Goethe Institute is a non profit German cultural association operational worldwide with 159 institutes promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations Around 246 000 people take part in these German courses per year Goethe InstitutHeadquarters in MunichFounded1951 72 years ago 1951 FounderGovernment of GermanyTypeCultural institutionLocationMunich Bavaria GermanyArea servedWorldwideProductGerman cultural and language educationKey peopleProf Dr Carola Lentz President Johannes Ebert Secretary General Rainer Pollack Business Director Websitewww wbr goethe wbr de wbr en wbr index wbr htmlGoethe Institut Kuala Lumpur It has since moved to an office building on the same road next to the American embassy Goethe Institut Prague Goethe Institut Oslo The Goethe Institut Philippinen in Makati City Philippines Library of the Goethe Institut Philippines Osterfest 2019 Goethe Sprachlernzentrum Shenyang The Goethe Institut fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German culture society and politics This includes the exchange of films music theatre and literature Goethe cultural societies reading rooms and examination and language centres have played a role in the cultural and educational policies of Germany for more than 60 years 1 It is named after German poet and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe The Goethe Institut e V is autonomous and politically independent 2 Partners of the institute and its centres are public and private cultural institutions the German federal states local authorities and the world of commerce Much of the Goethe Institut s overall budget consists of annual grants from the German Foreign Office and the German Press Office The relationship with the Foreign Office is governed by general agreement Self generated income and contributions from sponsors and patrons partners and friends broaden the scope of the work of the Goethe Institut Contents 1 History 2 Organization 3 Locations by country 4 Distance education 5 Examinations 6 Awards and Residency programs 6 1 Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator s Prize 6 2 Goethe Medal 6 3 Goethe Institut Award for New Translation 6 4 Villa Kamogawa artist residency programme 7 Notable students 8 Recognition 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External linksHistory Edit1951 The government of the German Federal republic replaced the Deutsche Akademie with the Goethe Institut 1952 The first Goethe Institut opened in Athens 1953 The first language courses run by the Goethe Institut began in Bad Reichenhall Due to growing demand new centres of learning were opened in Murnau and Kochel the focus of selection being on towns which were small and idyllic and which showed post war Germany at its best Lessons were taught from the first textbook developed by the Goethe Institut the now legendary Schulz Griesbach 1953 55 The first foreign lectureships of what was the German Academy were taken on by the Goethe Institut Responsibilities include German tuition teacher training and providing a programme of cultural events to accompany courses 1959 60 On the initiative of the head of the arts sector of the Foreign Office Dieter Sattler the Goethe Institut gradually took over all of the German cultural institutes abroad 1968 Influenced by the student revolts of the late 1960s the Goethe Institut readjusted its programme of cultural events to include socio political topics and avant garde art 1970 Acting on behalf of the Foreign Office Ralf Dahrendorf developed his guiding principles for foreign cultural policy Cultural work involving dialogue and partnership was declared the third pillar of German foreign policy During the Willy Brandt era the concept of extended culture formed the basis of activities at the Goethe Institut 1976 The Foreign Office and the Goethe Institut signed a general agreement governing the status of the Goethe Institut henceforth an independent cultural organisation 1980 A new plan regarding the location of institutes within Germany was drawn up Places of instruction in small towns mostly in Bavaria were replaced by institutes in cities and university towns 1989 90 The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a turning point for the Goethe Institut Its activities in the 1990s were centred on Eastern Europe Numerous new institutes were set up as a result 2001 The Goethe Institut merged with Inter Nationes 2004 The Goethe Institut established the first Western information centre in Pyongyang North Korea closed in 2009 3 The Goethe Institut Inter Nationes also reverted to its original and official name Goethe Institut GI 2005 The Goethe Institut was honoured with the Prince of Asturias Prize of Spain 2007 For the first time in more than ten years the German parliament increased the funds of the Goethe Institut 2010 Bruno Bozzetto created a new Goethe Institut film named Va Bene 2014 A Myanmar Goethe Institut opens Organization EditThe Goethe Institut is mainly financed by the national government of Germany and has around 1 000 employees and an overall budget of approximately 366 million euros at its disposal more than half of which is generated from language course tuition and examination fees The Goethe Institut offers scholarships including tuition waiver to students from foreign countries who want to become teachers of German One of the selection criteria for these scholarships is social or financial need Locations by country EditMain article List of Goethe Institut locations Old Goethe Institut building located on Tonala Street in Colonia Roma in Mexico City It has been remodelled In Ghana Togo and Cameroon the Goethe Institut opened its first African branches in 1961 4 In Khartoum Sudan the Goethe Institut first opened its doors in 1963 as the fourth African branch After this a number of Sudanese college students showed interest in German scholarships and some later became part of the Sudanese community in Germany In Bangladesh the Goethe Institut opened at Gladstone House 80 Motijheel Commercial Area in Dhaka in 1961 The Goethe Institut Dhaka was relocated to its present premises in Dhanmondi House No 23 Road No 02 in 1967 5 In Lebanon the Goethe Institut operates in Rue Gemmayze one of Beirut s most renowned streets facing the College du Sacre Cœur with a remarkable number of students In Iran the Goethe Institut opened in Tehran in 1958 but was forced to close in 1981 in a diplomatic row between the host country and Germany The institute continued some activities under the German embassy in Tehran as a point for dialogue In Pakistan the Goethe Institut has two branches The Goethe Institut Karachi is located at Brunton Road Civil Lines near the Chief Minister s Residence It is located in an old bungalow The Lahore chapter of the Goethe Institut is named Annemarie Schimmel Haus in honour of the well known German Orientalist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islam and Sufism The Annemarie Schimmel Haus shares its premises with the Alliance francaise Lahore AF and together they organise joint cultural events 6 The institutes in India are called Max Mueller Bhavans in honour of the German philologist and Indologist Max Muller They are situated in Chennai 7 Coimbatore 8 Pune Mumbai New Delhi Kolkata and Bangalore Bengaluru In Indonesia there are two Goethe Instituts in Jakarta and Bandung and a Goethe Zentrum in Surabaya In Vietnam two branches of the institute are located in Hanoi 9 and in Ho Chi Minh City 10 In Kenya there is a Goethe Institut also known as the German Cultural Centre in the headquarters of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake building The Goethe Institut is adjacent to the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi 11 In the Philippines a Goethe Institut is currently located at Makati City where it was moved from its former location in Quezon City In the US there are several Goethe Instituts including the Goethe Institut New York and the Goethe Institut Washington In Nigeria there is a Goethe Institut learning centre for those who are studying German at the University and those who want to learn the language The centre is located on Lagos Island Lagos In Great Britain the Goethe Institut has a main presence in London s South Kensington area and other offices in Glasgow and in Kentish Town in North London In Greece the Goethe Insitut has branches in Athens and Thessaloniki Distance education EditThe Goethe Institut offers distance education 12 As a result of the COVID 19 pandemic when most governments imposed stay at home orders and or COVID 19 lockdowns Goethe Institut Singapur introduced a series of Blended Learning courses 13 Examinations EditThe institute has developed a series of exams for learners of German as a foreign language Deutsch als Fremdsprache DaF at all levels A1 up to C2 These can be taken both in Germany and abroad and have been adapted to fit into the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR the standard for European language testing There is also one exam the Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom which is at a higher level than the highest CEFR level 14 Below is a table of the basic Goethe Institut exams as they fit into the scheme 15 CEFR level Goethe Institut exam Instructional hours 45 minutes neededC2 Goethe Zertifikat C2 Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom 1 000C1 Goethe Zertifikat C1 Prufung Wirtschaftsdeutsch 800 1 000 both B2 Goethe Zertifikat B2 Zertifikat Deutsch fur den Beruf 600 800B1 Goethe Zertifikat B1 Zertifikat Deutsch 350 650A2 Goethe Zertifikat A2 Fit In Deutsch 2 200 350A1 Goethe Zertifikat A1 Start Deutsch 1 Fit In Deutsch 1 80 200In 2000 the Goethe Institut helped to found the Society for Academic Test Development Gesellschaft fur Akademische Testentwicklung e V The resulting TestDaF exams are run by the TestDaF Institut in Hagen The tests are supported by the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD and are aimed at people who would like to study at German universities academics and scientists The TestDaF can be taken in Germany as well as in 65 other countries In addition there is the Green Diploma to acquire and prove German as a foreign language teaching qualifications 16 Awards and Residency programs EditThe two US related annually granted awards for literature translations from German into English are the renowned Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator s Prize and the Gutekunst Prize of the Friends of Goethe New York which is open to college students and to all translators under the age of 35 who at the time the prize is awarded have not yet published 17 Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator s Prize Edit Main article Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator s Prize Goethe Medal Edit Main article Goethe Medal Once a year the Goethe Institut awards the Goethe Medal an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany It honours foreign personalities who have performed outstanding service for the German language and international cultural relations The Goethe Medal was established by the executive committee of the Goethe Institut in 1954 and acknowledged as an official decoration by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1975 Goethe Institut Award for New Translation Edit The Society of Authors and the Goethe Institut London administer the biennial Goethe Institut Award for New Translation Villa Kamogawa artist residency programme Edit Goethe Institut Villa Kamogawa Japanese ゲーテ インスティトゥート ヴィラ鴨川 is a German artist in residence institution in Kyoto Japan Established in 2011 with an opening ceremony conducted by Christian Wulff President of Germany 18 19 20 it is located on the banks of the Kamo River in close vicinity to Kyoto Imperial Palace Villa Kamogawa is the site one of the three major German arts residency programmes abroad together with Rome s Villa Massimo and Villa Aurora in Los Angeles 21 22 It hosts three groups of four artists a year Former fellows include Doris Dorrie 22 23 Jorg Koopmann 24 and Stefan Goldmann 25 Notable students EditAvi Primor born 1935 Israeli publicist and former diplomat 26 Jorge Mario Bergoglio born 1936 Pope Francis 26 Ian Kershaw born 1943 English historian Sanmao 1943 1991 Taiwanese author 27 Renee Fleming born 1959 American opera singer 26 Auma Obama born 1960 journalistRecognition EditIn 2005 along with the Alliance francaise the Societa Dante Alighieri the British Council the Instituto Cervantes and the Instituto Camoes the Goethe Institut was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for achievements in communications and the humanities In 2007 it received a special Konrad Duden Prize for its work in the field of German language 28 See also EditGerman American Partnership Program German Americans German Australian Hallo aus Berlin Cultural Diplomacy Public diplomacy British Council European Union National Institutes for CultureReferences Edit Goethe Institut looks back on 60 years of cultural exchange 29 August 2011 Deutsche Welle accessed 9 May 2012 Das Goethe Institut PDF Bundestag Berlin Bundestag Wissenschaftliche Dienste 2006 Retrieved 25 May 2019 Goethe Institut to close center in North Korea on censorship claim 26 November 2009 Deutsche Welle accessed 9 May 2012 1 Archived 14 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine About us Goethe Institut Bangladesh www goethe de Retrieved 27 September 2019 Goethe Institut to start Tiruchi centre next year The Hindu 10 September 2010 Archived from the original on 19 September 2010 Retrieved 11 May 2012 GOETHE INSTITUT MAX MUELLER BHAVAN CHENNAI Goethe de GOETHE CENTRES Goethe de Goethe Institut Hanoi Goethe de Goethe Institut Ho Chi Minh City Goethe de Contact and opening hours Goethe Institut Kenia www goethe de Retrieved 20 February 2018 John George Deutsche Sprache Goethe Institut Goethe de Retrieved 26 May 2015 Standard German Courses A1 C2 Goethe Institut Singapur Retrieved 12 June 2020 Goethe Institut launches Tiruchi Centre The Hindu 20 January 2011 Archived from the original on 25 January 2011 Retrieved 11 May 2012 Deutschprufungen Unsere Prufungen Goethe Institut Goethe de Retrieved 26 May 2015 The Green diploma training programme Goethe Institut Libanon www goethe de Retrieved 27 September 2019 Gutekunst Prize of the Friends of Goethe New York Goethe Institut New York Retrieved 25 May 2019 Die mit dem Wulff tanzen Nun hat auch Asien eine Kunstlerresidenz in German Wullf eroffnet deutsche Kunstlerresidenz in Japan in German Villa Kamogawa opening in German Kyoto ist ja die Stadt der Kunst und der Bildung in German a b Deutsche Kunstlerresidenzen im Ausland in German Kunst Kamogawa ヴィラ鴨川で ドイツのアートに親しもう in Japanese ドイツアート Bar Creators Kamogawa PDF in Japanese Alexander Krex Das Berghain in Kyoto Zeit Online in German a b c Pataczek Anna 25 July 2013 Deutsch lernen mit Schnapschen Der Tagesspiegel Berlin Retrieved 30 April 2019 Barme Geremie R 2000 In the Red On Contemporary Chinese Culture New York Columbia University Press p 110 ISBN 978 0 231 50245 0 Pressemitteilungen 2019 Goethe Institut www goethe de Retrieved 27 September 2019 Further reading Edit Rede Grundsteinlegung fur das Goethe Institut Senegal Der Bundesprasident in German 22 February 2022 Retrieved 1 December 2022 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goethe Institut Official website Yearbook App 2013 in German List of locations from the Goethe Institut web site in German and English Learning German with the Goethe Institut Learning German in Germany German courses and exams Goethe Institut in Germany TestDaF website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Goethe Institut amp oldid 1132023531, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
