Zeitstrahl - Europanetzwerk Deutsch

Our History

In 1994, Dr. Klaus Kinkel (German Federal Foreign Minister 1993 – 1998) and Jacques Delors (President of the EU Commission 1995 – 1998) agreed that the promotion of German and French in the EU institutions is an important contribution to European multilingualism.

An intensive language course program was launched, initially known as "DeutschLand – Sprachkurse in Deutschland" and since 2011 until today as the "Europanetzwerk Deutsch".

Various language courses and events offer participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of German in a professional environment, to get to know Germany from different perspectives and to establish work contacts in the context of the EU.

EU course group in Pfalzgrafenweiler-Kälberbronn 1994 © Goethe-Institut, Markus Biechele & Alicia Padrós

1994

The first EU course in Germany

One of the first EU courses takes a group of EU officials to learn German to the small community of Pfalzgrafenweiler-Kälberbronn in Baden-Württemberg. Today, EU courses are held in major cities such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg.

1997
Learning German in Germany

In the 1990s, the focus of the EU courses was improving German language skills. In addition to intensive language lessons, the courses now have various European political and economic topics and include arranging contacts to German ministries and institutions as well as a high-quality cultural program.

Participants of the EU course in Wittenberg 1997 are still active alumni today.

Excursion to the Czech Republic as part of the cross-border EU course Dresden-Prague 2022 © Goethe-Institut, Ludwig Nachtmann

2000

Expansion of the target group

In the context of the upcoming EU enlargement in 2004 to include ten Central and Eastern European countries, the target group of the Europanetzwerk Deutsch was already extended to include ministerial officials from the expected future EU member states in 2000.

Participants of Europanetzwerk Deutsch during the lessons © Bernhard Ludewig

2004

Introduction of individual and group courses

With the 10th anniversary of the program, further formats are introduced: tailor-made individual courses for high-ranking EU officials as well as group courses for ministerial officials from the permanent representations of the EU member states and journalists to support discourse between politics and media.

Discussion group 60 years of the European Investment Bank in the service of Europe 2018 © Goethe-Institut, Carmen Klein

2006

Start of networking activities in Brussels and Luxembourg

At discussion panels and regular receptions in Brussels and Luxembourg alumni, partners and interested people come together to discuss political, economic or cultural topics of current relevance to the EU or Germany with high-ranking personalities from the EU setting.

Visit to the Federal Chancellery, Alumni Meeting 2023 © Bernhard Ludewig

2007

First alumni meeting in Berlin

Since 2007, former participants have been invited to alumni meetings. There is great pleasure in seeing each other again and new contacts are made in exclusive meetings. In Berlin, a visit to the international WDR Europe Forum is one of the highlights of the reunion.

Weekend German course group in the Ardennes 2022 © Europanetzwerk Deutsch

2009

Introduction of the weekend German courses

With the aim of improving the German language skills of our alumni from the EU institutions in the shortest possible time, weekend German courses have been held in Belgium and Luxembourg since 2009.

2009
Cooperation with College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin

The Goethe-Institut and the College of Europe have been cooperating since the early 1990s. Students from all over Europe are prepared for careers in the EU in Bruges and Natolin. The Europanetzwerk Deutsch is committed to promoting young talent with German courses and since 2009 has awarded an annual excellence prize in Bruges for the best performance in German in form of a language scholarship to Germany.

Award of the Excellence Prize in Bruges 2017

Reading and discussion with Robert Menasse at the Representation of the State of Hesse to the EU 2023 © Eric Berghen

2010

Cooperation with the federal states

There has been close cooperation with the federal states in Germany on EU courses for many years. Since 2010, this cooperation has also been intensified with the state representations in Brussels. The close cooperation enables numerous exciting projects, such as the reading by Robert Menasse from his EU novel "The Enlargement" in 2023, which the Goethe-Institut organized together with the Representation of the State of Hesse.

Alumni meeting in Berlin 2014 © Bernhard Ludewig

2014

20 years Europanetzwerk Deutsch

The 20th anniversary of the Europanetzwerk Deutsch is celebrated with the production of an image film at the alumni meeting in Berlin. In addition, Klaus Kinkel, former Federal Foreign Minister and founder of the program, speaks at the event "More than 20 years Europanetzwerk Deutsch - what's next?" at the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU in 2016.

2015
The EU Council Presidency and Europanetzwerk Deutsch

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates every six months between the EU member states. The Europanetzwerk Deutsch takes this as an opportunity to make the host country of the current EU Council Presidency more tangible throughout various formats.

EU Council Presidency course with EU officials in Bulgaria 2017

2016
At the interface of art and politics

Since 2016, the German Bundestag's Liaison Office in Brussels and the Europanetzwerk Deutsch have been organizing visits to exhibitions that were previously shown in the German Bundestag. The Art Advisory Council of the German Bundestag awards commissions to contemporary artists who combine art and politics. In conversation with the artists, alumni discuss their observations and interpretations of individual works.

Exhibition visit at the German Bundestag's Liaison Office in Brussels 2023

25th anniversary in Brussels © Eric Berghen

2019

25 years of Language. Contacts. Culture.

The Europanetzwerk Deutsch celebrates its 25th anniversary with high-ranking guests from the EU institutions and alumni from numerous EU member states at the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Brussels. Participants discuss the role of the German language in Europe and their personal experiences in Germany in panel discussions.

2019
Cross-border cooperation

Germany borders nine countries - a potential that courses offered by the Europanetzwerk Deutsch exploit to make the special features of cross-border cooperation between Germany and its neighboring countries tangible for alumni. The special EU course "Saar-Lor-Lux" focuses on cross-border cooperation in the Greater Region - between Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg - which is relevant for the European Union. Many EU courses in Germany also include excursions to neighboring countries.

Cross-border language trip with EU officials to the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Poland 2019

2020
Europanetzwerk Digital

"Europanetzwerk Digital" enables our alumni to discuss with experts from politics, economy and society in digital discussion groups or online group courses to refresh their German language skills. In this way, it is also possible to exchange ideas with European colleagues on current topics in virtual space.

The participants of the 2023 digital alumni meeting took part from 26 different countries.

2020

Special project
Europa. Deine Sprachen.

On the occasion of the European Trio Presidency Germany-Portugal-Slovenia, the Europanetzwerk Deutsch examined the role of multilingualism in Europe. Under the title “Europa. Deine Sprachen.” various events took place under this topic in 2020 and 2021.

2021
Release of the 1st episode of the podcast kurz & bündig

The podcast "kurz & bündig" starts 2021. The 15-minute episodes are ideal for learners who want to refresh their German on their own. Discussions with experts introduce listeners to current topics from politics, civil society and science. Learning materials for individual practice and a self-study course complement this digital format.

The podcast <i>kurz & bündig</i> can be listened on all common platforms. — The podcast *kurz & bündig* can be listened on all common platforms.

2021

Guests of Europanetzwerk Deutsch ...

By inviting writers, artists and philosophers, Europanetzwerk Deutsch aims to represent the widest possible spectrum of Germany's cultural diversity. In addition to readings with relevant authors from German-speaking countries, our alumni were able to meet the German photographer Herlinde Koelbl live and in hybrid form in Brussels and view her work "Angela Merkel. Portraits 1991 - 2021" at first hand.

2022
Expansion of the target group

Since 2022, ministry officials from the new candidate countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Kosovo have also been invited to visit events of Europanetzwerk Deutsch or apply for our courses.

Many different perspectives from Europe come together at the courses and events of the Europanetzwerk Deutsch.

2024

30 years Europanetzwerk Deutsch

The motto of our anniversary year is "The Future of Europe". In addition to our popular formats, we will make 2024 to an outstanding year with special events.