60 years

For 60 years now, the Goethe-Institut has been a place for modern learning opportunities, innovative information and library services and versatile cultural exchange in Addis Abeba.
Since the beginning, the Goethe-Institut Ethiopia has been an open meeting place for cultural professionals and civil society in Ethiopia and beyond!

The History of the Goethe-Institut in Ethiopia
From the Memories of Staff Members.

Learn more

1962

The original idea to open a Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba came from Ethiopians who had studied in Germany and were looking for a place where they could get together and practice their German. At the roundabout in Arat Kilo, the Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba found its first location. At the roundabout in Arat Kilo, the Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba found its first location. In June 1962 the Goethe-Institut was opened, in the presence of Emperor Haile Selassie.

1964
Visit by Federal President Heinrich Lübke

In autumn 1964, the first visit of a German head of state to Ethiopia took place. As an important part of the programme, the Federal President and his wife visited the Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba.

1970

The library services have been a central part of the Goethe-Institut's work since it opened and have been very popular with the population. For this reason, the Goethe-Institut was also called in Amharic the German library: "የጀርመን ቤተ መጻሕፍት".

2004

After the Goethe-Institut had been housed in a high-rise building in Amist Kilo for thirty years, German President Horst Köhler laid the foundation stone for the move to a more representative building during his trip to Africa in December 2004: The Federal Republic of Germany financed the restoration and enlargement of the former palace of Crown Prince Asfawossen Haileselassie for the Goethe-Institut.

2012
50 Years of the Goethe-Institut in Ethiopia

In 2012, the Goethe-Institut celebrated 50 years of its existence in Ethiopia. The celebration looked back on half a century of close cultural cooperation between the two countries, despite political upheavals in Ethiopia and around the worl

The cutting of the anniversary cake by Regional Director Dr Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte, Ambassador Lieselore Cyrus, Minister of Culture Amin Abdulkadir and Institute Director Dr Elke Kaschl Mohni

2012
Researching letters and documents

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, the Goethe-Institut organised an exhibition of letters and documents of the German personal physician of Emperor Menelik II, Dr Max Steinkühler, which was shown at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. Girma Fisseha from the Museum of Ethnology in Munich and Yonas Tarekegn, library director of the Goethe-Institut Äthiopien, were responsible for the research.

Visit to Ulrich C. Hallmann, grandson of Dr. Max Steinkühler, and his wife near Munich

2013

The Goethe-Institut has been involved in the programme "Schools: Partners for the Future" (PASCH) for many years. In this programme, partner schools in Ethiopia, among other places, are supported in language and cultural projects. As one of many projects, for example, the film "The Dream of Alex" was made at the Goethe-Institut in 2013 with partner schools in Addis Abeba and Djibouti.

2014: Gentleman am Goethe-Institut

A highlight of the cultural work was the concert by the well-known German reggae artist Gentleman on the forecourt of the Goethe-Institut, which was attended by over a thousand guests.

Photo: Bünning

2018
Gaming Project „Enter Africa“

The "Enter Africa" project initiated by the Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba connected fifteen African countries in a network through game-thinking. Games were played locally and a joint African game was developed: The board game "Busara". Busara means wisdom, judgement and common sense in Swahili.

2018: The participants from fifteen African countries — The participants from fifteen African countries

The cultural work of the Goethe-Institut in Addis Abeba not only presents individual outstanding cultural practitioners, but also brings art to the streets and to digital spaces through the projects "Tibeb be Adebabay" and "Tibeb Online". Together with European partners, th project creates a long-term platform for multidisciplinary forms of art and culture that are accessible to all.

2022

The Goethe-Institut today

Back