German culture

The German-Maltese Circle is an independent, non-profit making organisation which regularly organises events such as exhibitions, film shows, seminars and concerts with a view to promote German culture amongst the Maltese public. A newsletter is regularly issued for the Circle's members. From the Circle's history:

..The German-Maltese Circle celebrated the 250th Anniversary of Goethe’s birth with the theatrical production of “Faust” at the Malta Drydocks in 1999. The year 2000 saw the launching of the German-Maltese Circle on the Internet. During that same year the Circle celebrated its 38th Anniversary with the performance of Mendelsshon's Oratorio "Paulus" at St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta with the participation of the Swabian Concert Chorus and the Malta National Orchestra.

In 2001, H.E. Mr Georg Merten became Germany's Ambassador to Malta while Mr Albert Friggieri was elected as the new President of the German-Maltese Circle. That same year, the Circle together with other European Cultural Centres represented on the Island, organised ILSNA - a musico-literary evening dedicated to the European Year of Languages (EYL) at the Nicolo Isouard Hall of the Manoel Theatre. The EYL was also the theme for a Poster and Essay Competition organised by the German-Maltese Circle. Hundreds of schoolchildren from all over Malta and Gozo submitted colourful posters for this Competition. The year 2001 also saw the introduction of German language courses for schoolchildren at Messina Palace.

The fortieth Anniversary since the foundation of the German-Maltese Circle in 2002 was characterised by the many cultural events organised throughout the year amongst which was the contemporary dance production "Into the Blue" by the Jan Pusch Dance Company which performance took place at the Manoel Theatre.

In January 2005 the German-Maltese Circle became a "Kulturgesellschaft des Goethe Instituts" (a Cultural Association of the Goethe Institute). Also that year, the Circle brought over the Compagnie Fredewess to give a public performance of yet another contemporary dance production called "Body Motion" at the Manoel Theatre.

2007 saw the beginning of the presidency of Mrs Ingrid Kidder who thus became the first German and the first female to lead our Association. The German-Maltese Circle celebrated its 45th Anniversary in 2007 which event culminated with the visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler to Messina Palace where he met German Nationals living in Malta.