Onleihe: The Digital Library

A woman listens to digital media from the Onleihe service and runs past people waiting at the bus stop in the rain.

More than 35,000 German language media to use online. Anytime, anywhere, free of charge.

What is the Onleihe?
Joining the Onleihe in four easy steps
Support

Already registered? Go directly to the Onleihe

What is the Onleihe?

The Onleihe is our German language eLibrary. More than 35,000 digital media including German language books, audio books, movies, materials for German language learners, magazines and newspapers are available for you to download. Anytime, anywhere, free of charge.The only requirement: permanent residence outside Germany.

Free Films in the Onleihe

You don't know which film to choose in our Onleihe? We made a pre-selection of precious gems and popular films in German for you - a lot of them with English subtitles! Get to know Germany through its films: Discover literature, strong women, heart-warming children's stories, German humour, art, culture and LGBTQIA+ in all its colours!

Joining the Onleihe in four easy steps

Books, clapperboards and coloured circles stream out of a laptop.

Step 1: Register

Books, clapperboards and coloured circles stream out of a smartphone.

Step 2: Activate Onleihe

Activate your Onleihe by logging into your Mein Goethe.de

Books and coloured circles stream out of a tablet.

Step 3: Download App

Download the app from your app store. If you are using a PC/Laptop, you don’t need the app.

Books and coloured circles stream out of an e-reader.

Step 4: Enjoy!

Choose ‘Goethe-Institut’ as a library in the Onleihe App and log in using your credentials for My Goethe.de. You can now borrow and reserve media.

Goethe-Institut

Did something go wrong? Here you can find a detailed step-by-step guide for using the Onleihe on different devices:

Support

Contact

If you have problems with activation or use, please contact us via the support form, telephone or email. We would be happy to help you!

Support Form

library-london@goethe.de
Tel: +44 20 75964040

Additional Offers

Goethe on Demand

Goethe on Demand is the Goethe-Institut's streaming platform. You can stream various online film programmes, film festivals and film series from the comfort of your own home. Find more information on the alternating film series here. The films are streamed in their original language with subtitles and are free to watch after registration.

Open Access – free to use and freely accessible

Get free access to scientific online publications in different languages via our Open Access-Search.

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