G E R M A N Y _ c e l e b r a t e s !

60 Years of the Federal Republic of Germany, 20 Years since the Fall of the Wall

Germany celebrates

Germany is celebrating two major anniversaries in 2009: 60 years ago, the promulgation of the Basic Law represented the birth of the Federal Republic of Germany; 20 years ago, in November, the Berlin Wall came down.

10 events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall

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Berlin’s Second Fall of the Wall at the “Festival of Freedom”

As a bulwark of concrete and barrier fences the Wall cut through Berlin for a length of over 43 kilometres – dividing the city and the whole of Germany. Now, 20 years after the fall of the wall on 9 November 1989, the symbol of almost three decades of German division will fall again on the same date, but this time it will be purely symbolic.

Friedrich Schiller’s 250th birthday (10.11.1759)

Thinker, Poet, Dramatist – Champion of Freedom People regarded him as a “great poetic genius”, a man devoted to “the true, the good and the beautiful”. He saw himself as a “global citizen serving no prince”. On the occasion of Friedrich Schiller’s 250th birthday, a portrait of a man who died at not even 46 years of age.

Aydogdy Kurbanov in the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin

“We want to learn about new archaeological methods”

Aydogdy Kurbanov, Turkmen visiting researcher at the Eurasian Department of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in Berlin

Aydogdy Kurbanov from Turkmenistan is researching the secrets of the White Huns at the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in Berlin. For decades, international networking has been an important part of the programme of the DAI, one of the largest and leading institutions of its kind in the world. Although archaeologists’ work focuses on long-past centuries, it often provides new insights into a country’s history and thereby plays a role in promoting a common identity.

Herta Mueller wins 2009 Nobel prize for literature

Romanian-born Herta Mueller of Germany has won this year's Nobel prize for literature, the Swedish Academy announced in Stockholm on Thursday 8 October. The Academy's citation said that "with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, (she) depicts the landscape of the dispossessed." Mueller's parents belonged to the German-speaking minority in Romania. Her mother was deported in 1945, a fate she shared with many others from the same minority group, and spent five years in what is today Ukraine, the Academy said.

The Ambassador

Ambassador Dr. Koch cuts the cake at the KAS election party on 27/09/2009

Dr. Michael Koch

Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dr Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Fall of the Wall

Germany-South Africa: Let's stay Friends - From 2006 to 2010 and beyond

A new special website is dedicated to showcase the support Germany gives to football projects in South Africa. Germany and South Africa have enjoyed a close partnership for many years. With this in mind, it is no surprise that Germany and South Africa, as consecutive hosts of FIFA Football World Cups, also work closely together in this area.

The site, in English and German, also offers useful information to all visitors and international football fans about the event and its host country. The FIFA Football World Cup 2010  will show the world a new, more dynamic face of Africa.