Goethe-Institut Chicago

09/01/2026

We welcome Michael, our new director!

Dr. Michael Heinst, who was born and raised in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, started as director of the Goethe-Institut Chicago in August.

With a background in German studies, he has been passionate about international cultural exchange ever since an internship at the Goethe-Institut London. He initially worked in the communications department at the Munich head office, then served as director at the Goethe-Institut in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) and Bangalore (India).

Commenting on his new role in Chicago, Michael says: “I’m excited to be here in this beautiful city, and grateful for the warm welcome. I look forward to working with our partners to deepen and expand the cultural and educational collaboration between Germany and the U.S.—from Chicago and the Midwest to Houston, Texas.”

We wish him a great start and every success!

08/31/2026

Join the excellent team over at the German International School Chicago!

We're hiring a full-time Development & Communications Manager to strengthen fundraising initiatives, expand community engagement, and tell the stories that make our school unique.

If you enjoy building relationships, telling compelling stories, and combining strategic thinking with hands-on ex*****on, this role could be a great fit.

👉 Learn more & apply: https://german-school-chicago-nfp.careerplug.com/j/032w7y6

08/31/2026

❗️We‘re Hiring❗️

The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chicago is seeking a driver starting on October 1, 2026.

Please send your application

by: September 18, 2026

to: [email protected]

Please ensure to include: résumé, driver’s license, copy of high school diploma, employment references, copy of your passport / Green Card or visa and work permit if applicable

For more information, please follow the link in our bio.

08/19/2026

Opening Saturday, September 5th, 5-9pm! This exhibition explores the intersections of punk, DIY, and self-taught art through the work of two American and two German artists: Naomi Shintani Deibel, Jonas Müller-Ahlheim, Betsy Odom, and Wesley Willis.

Part of Alle gegen Alles. Punk@50, a transatlantic, multi-city initiative marking the 50-year anniversary of punk taking place at Goethe-Instituts across North America in fall 2026, ‘I Am A Rock I Am A Roll’ is a collaboration between KIOSK and the Goethe-Institut Chicago and will feature film screenings, a zine workshop, a conversation on Chicago’s punk history, and other programs at both locations.

Special thanks to Intuit Art Museum for the loan of three beautiful Willis works for this exhibition!

Design by eli schmitt , original image by Naomi Shintani Deibel.

07/22/2026

Join us for an evening of film and discussion for the closing of Maya Nguyen's LATERAL ENTRANT.

In the documentary HAO ARE YOU, German director Dieu Hao Do explores the fragmentation of his family after the US-led war in Vietnam scattered them across three continents. Nearly fifty years after their escape, contact between the seven family members has all but broken down.

The film will be introduced by Zach Ramon Fitzpatrick (University of Wisconsin Madison), who will also discuss the histories of Vietnamese-German communities in West Germany and the GDR. Zach also runs the Instagram account , where he posts about media, history, people, and community events, with the goal of empowering and lending visibility to the Asian German diaspora.

Photos: ©Florian Mag

07/20/2026

How did a group of immigrant teenage girls start one of the largest labor strikes in Chicago's history? What did the ex*****on of four men by the State of Illinois twenty-five years earlier have to do with this strike? Why did Jewish activists gather in old German b**r halls in the early 1900s?

Learn the answers to these questions and more on Chicago Shpatz's new tour of Chicago's German-Jewish Labor History, commissioned by the Goethe-Institut Chicago and led by Ben Schacht and Matthew Schlerf. This guided tour of Randolph Street will use methods of street theater and historical reenactment to illustrate how Jewish immigrants and activists moved from the background of the 1886 Haymarket Affair to the foreground of the 1910 Chicago Garment Strike.

Each tour will cover 1.5 miles in 90 minutes without intermission.
Tickets: https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/sta/chi/ver.cfm?event_id=27294112
More details in the link in bio.

07/13/2026

Join us and on Saturday, July 25 at 1PM for our FREE showing of THE FROG AND THE WATER, a poetic road movie about two men who, though they don't speak the same language, learn to understand each other without words.

This film will be introduced by Zach Ramon Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor of German and affiliate of the Asian American Studies program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research and teaching interests encompass Asian German studies, as well as film and media. In 2025, he released the co-edited volume Charting Asian German Film History. Zach also runs the Instagram account , where he posts about media, history, people, and community events, with the goal of empowering and lending visibility to the Asian German diaspora.

Interested in free movies all summer long? Join us and for
at and as we enjoy stories from around the world about roadtrips, journeys, and more.
Learn More: http://bit.ly/ChiSummerScreenings

07/02/2026

Join us for an artist talk by Maya Nguyen, whose exhibition LATERAL ENTRANT is currently on view at the Goethe-Institut Chicago. Nguyen will explore her multidisciplinary practice and creative process.
Light refreshments will be served.

LATERAL ENTRANT is a site-specific exhibition by Chicago-based artist Maya Nguyen connecting Germany, Vietnam, and the US exploring migration and camouflage.

Upcoming public viewing hours:
Wed, July 08, 12-5PM
Sat, July 18, 1-6PM
Wed, July 22, 12-5PM

06/30/2026

This 1983 underground trans-punk musical is a rarely seen pillar of no-budget q***r cinema.

Hilarious, raunchy, and completely ahead of its time, CITY OF LOST SOULS captures the gender-defying American exiles who sought refuge in the 1980’s Berlin club scene. Featuring star turns from trans icons Jayne County and Angie Stardust, this rock musical extravaganza follows a group of eccentrics and outcasts - including an erotic trapeze artist duo, an occultist spiritual therapist, and a nymphomaniac giving English lessons- who live and work at Berlin’s Hamburger Queen diner and connected boarding house. A major influence on HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, CITY OF LOST SOULS is a cult classic of q***r no-budget filmmaking from iconoclastic auteur Rosa von Praunheim, one of the most prominent gay rights activists in the German-speaking world.

Reserve your free tickets via our link in bio.

06/25/2026

Earlier this month, the Goethe-Institut Chicago gathered friends, partners, colleagues, and members of our community for a special evening of farewell and welcome.

We celebrated the many years of leadership, collaboration, and cultural exchange under the direction of Dr. Leonhard Emmerling, who will soon begin a new chapter as Director of the Goethe-Institut Chennai, India. At the same time, we warmly welcomed Dr. Michael Heinst, who joins us from Bangalore, India and will assume the role of Director in Chicago in August.

The evening was filled with stories, memories, laughter, and more than a few emotional moments. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the many partners and organizations that have shaped our work over the years and to reflect on the relationships that make cultural exchange so meaningful.

As we thank Leonhard for his vision, dedication, and friendship, we also look forward to the ideas, perspectives, and collaborations that Michael will bring to Chicago.

Transitions are never easy, but they are a reminder of the global connections that define the Goethe-Institut. We wish Leonhard every success in Chennai and extend a heartfelt welcome to Michael as he prepares to lead the next chapter in Chicago.

Photos: Sean McGill