Literature and Translation

Kant’s work is considered to be the pinnacle of Enlightenment philosophy. The philosopher was born in Königsberg in 1724. His maxim that we should use our reason seems more relevant and pressing today than ever before. What lessons can we learn from Kant? Where did Kant fail in his endeavours? What are the abysses and darker sides of the Enlightenment? This is what our Kant special is all about.

Why does Franz Kafka’s spell remain unbroken a hundred years after his death? Is it his exquisite letters, our affection for dramatic tales, or the sense that our contemporary world has never been more Kafkaesque? The centenary of Franz Kafka's death presents a chance to delve into innovative approaches to understanding the author and his captivating oeuvre.

Friedrich Max Mueller, philologist and scholar, would have turned 200 in December 2023. As namesake of the Goethe-Instituts in India, his bicentennial serves as an occasion not just to remember but to revisit his renown, while critically engaging with the complexity of his contributions. This dossier goes beyond tribute to delve into Max Mueller’s historical role, influence and relevance within contemporary India.

Seagull’s German List which is supported by the Goethe-Institut since 2009 now comprises more than 90 translations of formidable works of contemporary German literature by distinguished authors and laureates such as Max Frisch, Theodor W. Adorno, Thomas Bernhard, Hans Magnus Enzensberger and Ulrich Peltzer.

The Infinite Library is a travelling installation that uses VR and other media to reimagine the future of libraries as interactive spaces that engage visitors through multisensory forms of storytelling.

Join us on this special journey and immerse yourself in new worlds: Graphic Travelogues presents travel experiences by comic artists from different countries. From sketches to graphic novels, graphic diaries and travel drawings - discover with us the treasures we collect here.

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of "Siddhartha", the Goethe-Instituts in South Asia are exploring the ways South Asia and Germany are received by one another – in literature, music, film and everyday culture.

Our column delves into navigating German language rules, tracing the origins of new words, and highlighting significant language usage shifts, offering insights into these engaging linguistic discussions.

Contemporary German-language drama is characterized by enormous variety. This project is about translating some of them in six South Asian languages – Bangla, Hindi, Marathi, Sinhalese, Tamil, and Urdu.

A celebration of literature, poetry and the arts — experience readings, performances and conversations with local and international writers, poets and artists at the event series "Goethe Darbaar".

The "Cherrypicker" blog presents selected novels and non-fiction books, graphic novels and stories, audio books and music CDs from the wealth of new German-language publications. Every week a new recommendation, every week an opportunity to discover outstanding texts, images and voices.

Libraries lead us through a flood of analogue and digital information, can be a platform for exchange, space for encounters or social anchors in the city. With our series “Future Libraries” we shed light on challenges, trends and examples of success around the future of the library.

Poetry mirrors society, this project features some of the most renowned poets from South Asia who deal with identity, gender concerns, multiculturalism and diversity through their work.