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GEGENÜBER Reading Recommendation Heidi's Dream – The Fall of the Wall

In the late 1980s, East Berlin was buzzing with a palpable sense of change, but nothing could have prepared its residents for the historic events of the night of November 9th. When the border to West Berlin opened unexpectedly, it was a moment of shock and celebration. In our latest GEGENÜBER article, Berlin native Heidi offers a personal and captivating account of that unforgettable night—a powerful reflection on a turning point in history. Don’t miss her unique perspective, only in GEGENÜBER.

Heidi and Doris together at the Brandenburg Gate 1989 und 2024 Heidi Baier

Goethe-Institut USA

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The Goethe-Institut USA is Germany's offical cultural center with convenient and effective online German courses and internationally recognized language certificates.

As the international market leader for German courses, we bring you unparalleled expertise and a commitment to delivering top-notch language education.

  • online group, individual and business courses for all levels
  • professional and highly trained instructors
  • state-of-the-art, interactive, and fun teaching methods

Find out more about German courses

Sapere Aude

Sapere Aude

To commemorate the 300th anniversary of Immanuel Kant's birth, the Goethe-Institut hosted an essay competition inviting young people to reflect on the relevance of the Enlightenment in today's world. The winning essays delve into the profound ideas of the Enlightenment and Kantian philosophy, applying them to some of the most pressing issues and debates of our time. We warmly invite you to explore these thought-provoking pieces in our online magazine, Gegenüber.

Sapere Aude © Goethe-Institut/Canva

Double Exposure

What constitutes a society based on solidarity? Is there a right to solidarity? Is solidarity a duty? To whom is solidarity practiced?

Double Exposure is a series of talks and discussions, podcasts and on demand film streamings that focuses on the question of what the idea of solidarity means in different contexts.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE Banner © Goethe-Institut

In the Spotlight

Our Focal Points

Achtung Buch! #12
 "Identitti", by Mithu Sanyal

Watch Marie-Pierre's take on Mithu Sanyal's novel Identitti in the newest episode of our Booktube series, Achtung Buch!

Achtung Buch! #12 Identitti, by Mithu Sanyal © Astra House

The latest music from Germany
 Popcast #11/2024

Listen to the latest tracks from Germany. This month with Ebow, G. Rag and many more!

Popcast 11/2024 @ Nikolas Petros Androbik

Street Art in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.
 #artbits

Urban public spaces are canvases for street art. They reveal the political and social discourse of the city. The #artbits bloggers collect photos of street art from Germany and North America, from Berlin, Mexico City, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Artbits Photo (detail): © Verena Hütter

German Series in the USA
 Binge Fever!

Television “Made in Germany” is having a golden moment with the rise of international streaming services. In this dossier, we highlight binge-worthy German serials and fill you in on where to watch them in the USA.

Animated Binge Fever Illustration of a hand holding a remote control © Colourbox / Image editing Goethe-Institut Los Angeles

Translator Prizes

The Goethe-Institut USA awards two translator prizes annually: The Helen & Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize honors an outstanding literary translation from German into English published in the USA the previous year. The Gutekunst Prize of the Friends of Goethe identifies outstanding young translators.

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Hände halten ein Smartphone vor einer Hausfassade © Goethe-Institut London, Foto: Gosia Cabaj

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