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 60 Years of the Goethe-Institut London

© Michael Friedel

A lot happened in the 1960s: Beatlemania was taking over, skirts were getting shorter, hair was getting longer, and flares were getting wider.

In 1962, the Goethe-Institut London opened its doors in South Kensington to become the first home for Germany’s cultural institute in the UK. Since then, we’ve grown to become the hub of ideas, support, education and exchange that exists today - building a community of cultural collaborators and forging innovative connections along the way.

Much like the fashion trends, our role and our work has continued to shift and adapt. As we celebrate our past, we’re already thinking about our future – what will the next 60 years look like for the Goethe-Institut London?

60 Years Anniversary Voices

Our colleagues, friends and visitors share their favourite memories of the Goethe-Institut London and how they envision our future. 

B&W Photo of people at the Institut in 1980 Michael Friedel

60 Years Memories

As we celebrate sixty years at 50 Princes Gate, we look back on all of the fond memories made inside our walls. Here you can find memories of our partners, colleagues and friends who we have had the pleasure of sharing culture with over the years. 

Impressions of our Anniversary Events

On 2 December, we held a festive reception and party at the institute. Here we we would like to share some impressions of these events with you:
 

  • The foyer with festive ligthing Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    The foyer with festive ligthing

  • Dr. Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte, Director of the Goethe-Institut London and the Secreteray General of the Goethe-Institut, Johannes Ebert Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Dr. Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte, Director of the Goethe-Institut London and the Secreteray General of the Goethe-Institut, Johannes Ebert

  • Johannes Ebert, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, and Miguel Berger, Germany's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Johannes Ebert, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, and Miguel Berger, Germany's Ambassador to the United Kingdom

  • Johannes Ebert, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Johannes Ebert, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut

  • Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council Goethe-Institut London |Photo: Pau Ros

    Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council

  • Dr. Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte, Director of the Goethe-Institut London Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Dr. Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte, Director of the Goethe-Institut London

  • Gilon, the robot of the Goethe-Institut London Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Gilon, the robot of the Goethe-Institut London

  • The logo of our 60th anniversary Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    The logo of our 60th anniversary

  • The photo wall Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    The photo wall

  • Party on the dancefloor Goethe-Institut London | Photo: Pau Ros

    Party on the dancefloor

Anniversary Events

To mark our anniversary, we put together a full programme of special events featuring a variety of voices, ideas and opportunities to share your stories with us.

Goethe-Institut 60s Party

We wanted to celebrate our 60th anniversary not only amongst staff and partners but with those of you who have made and continue to make the Goethe-Institut London what it is today. We invited you to a 60s-themed anniversary party at the institute and partied with our guests on the dance floor until the early hours.    

Air and Dreams: Proposals on the Imagination of Matter

An exhibition by students of the Royal College of Art, curated by Ines Weizman and Blanca Valdes, was on show on the night of our anniversary party. This project brought together artists, film-makers, interior designers and architectural researchers to imagine and reflect on artistic interiors, sites of refuge and imagination. Working across different generations, practices and media, the group used the residency apartment on the top floor of the London Goethe-Institut as a site of experimentation.
 

Goethe Annual Lectures 2022

As part of the Goethe-Institut London's 60th anniversary celebrations, we hosted three Goethe Annual Lectures this year featuring author Mithu Sanyal, academic Mercedes Bunz and musician Matthew Herbert.

A woman in a climbing frame © GuidoSchiefer

#GAL2022
 POLITICS – WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

The author, cultural scientist, and journalist Mithu Sanyal explored the pitfalls and promises of a politics of love in times of ever-growing divisions. What can politics informed by love look like?
A portrait of a woman outside © King's College London

#GAL2022
 THE CULTURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Mercedes Bunz, Professor in Digital Culture and Society, discussed the particular power of AI systems in her Goethe Annual Lecture 2022. Using work from contemporary artists, her talk revealed the human misunderstanding regarding AI.
Man sitting in a music studio © Manuel Vasquez

#GAL2022
 HEARING BEYOND

Through a series of extraordinary sound recordings, musician Matthew Herbert pushed us to hear further than we had thought possible in the final Goethe Annual Lecture 2022. His talk asked us how systemic listening can lead to meaningful action.

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