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Traces of Germany in Lebanon© Goethe-Institut Libanon

Traces of Germany in Lebanon

For centuries, Lebanon stood on the sidelines of world history, but at the same time, it was an important point of transit and a land of great allure for many: crusaders and pilgrims, novelists and salespeople, jewel thieves and marriage scammers, terrorists, engineers and artists from Germany. Germans and their inventions helped laying the cornerstone for the country’s modern infrastructure and its booming music and film industry. 

What do Kaiser Wilhelm II, the author Karl May and the Red Army Faction terrorists have in common? They all came to Lebanon and made their mark on the land of cedars. The project shines a light on the history of German-Lebanese interactions and shows that encounters between Lebanese and German people are not a new thing, but part of a shared past.

Traces of Germany in Lebanon© Goethe-Institut Libanon

For centuries, Lebanon stood on the sidelines of world history, but at the same time, it was an important point of transit and a land of great allure for many: crusaders and pilgrims, novelists and salespeople, jewel thieves and marriage scammers, terrorists, engineers and artists from Germany. Germans and their inventions helped laying the cornerstone for the country’s modern infrastructure and its booming music and film industry. 

What do Kaiser Wilhelm II, the author Karl May and the Red Army Faction terrorists have in common? They all came to Lebanon and made their mark on the land of cedars. The project shines a light on the history of German-Lebanese interactions and shows that encounters between Lebanese and German people are not a new thing, but part of a shared past.

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