British-German Association

Concert at Barbican Hall - Berliner Barock Solisten/Kapelis
2023-05-29 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | Barbican Hall, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom
BGA members have been given the unique opportunity to attend this event free of charge. Register quickly to avoid disappointment!
The Berliner Barock Solisten and pianist Alexandros Kapelis come together for Bach’s six concertos for solo keyboard and orchestra: a tour-de-force not seen on the concert stage in recent memory.
Both the Berlin orchestra and Johann Sebastian Bach represent pinnacles of German culture that will be showcased on one of the UK’s preeminent concert stages, Barbican Hall. Comprised of virtuosic soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berliner Barock Solisten have created a unique approach to performing music of the 17th and 18th centuries. They’re joined by pianist Alexandros Kapelis for his Barbican debut, giving us a rare opportunity to hear these Bach masterpieces in one go.
A pianist who ‘plays the classics with astonishing taste’ (Martha Argerich, Classica Magazine), Kapelis is the first in 17 years to record this set in its entirety. Alongside the Berliner Barock Solisten, in all their ‘precise, polished perfection’ (Gramophone), we’ll hear Bach’s landmark concertos in full colour.
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in D major, BWV 1054
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in A major, BWV 1055
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in D minor, BWV 1052
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in E major, BWV 1053
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in F minor, BWV 1056
Concerto for keyboard and orchestra in G minor, BWV 1058
Monday, May 29
19:30
Barbican Hall
Address: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

Spargelabend at the National Liberal Club
2023-05-31 19:00 - 21:00 | National Liberal Club
BGA members have kindly been invited to join the National Liberal Club’s German Circle on Wednesday 31 May at an annual dinner in celebration of Spargelzeit (Spring Asparagus Season). On arrival you will be served a refreshing glass of Maibowle (cash bar also available), followed by a three course dinner with wine and coffee. There will be a short recital of German Lieder and a poem prior to dinner. English will be spoken on the evening (German optional).
Tickets
£73
NLC dress code applies.
The booking details below are only visible to logged-in members of the BGA (please ensure you navigate back to this page after logging in to your account). If you are still unable to see the booking details after logging in, please check your membership is up-to-date, or contact us.

BGA Parliamentary Day Lunch 2023
2023-06-12 12:15 - 14:30 | House of Lords
Please join us for our annual Parliamentary Day Lunch on 12 June 2023. This year’s distinguished guest speaker will be The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, the UK Foreign Secretary.
The event will be hosted by Lord Kinnoull, Chair of the Lords European Affairs Committee. Drinks will be available on the Cholmondeley Room Terrace from 12.15pm. Lunch will be served at 12.45pm in the Cholmondeley Room. The event will end at 2.30pm.
A ticket includes a three-course lunch. Drinks not included.
The Rt Hon James Cleverly was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 6 September 2022. He was previously Secretary of State for Education from July 2022 to September 2022.
Before that, James was Minister of State for Europe and North America in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) from February to July 2022. He was also Minister for Middle East, North Africa and North America from September 2020 to February 2022. James was first appointed as a joint Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development on 13 February 2020.
James was Minister without Portfolio from July 2019 to February 2020, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union from April 2019 to July 2019. He was first elected as the Conservative MP for Braintree in May 2015.

Annual General Meeting 2023
2023-07-10 18:30 - 20:00
The BGA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Zoom on Monday 10 July at 6:30pm.
At the AGM, we will be reporting on the activities of the Association and sharing details of our plans for the year ahead. We will be electing the Officers and Executive Committee members for the coming year. It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions.
You can watch the event video below.
https://vimeo.com/845251229?share=copy

The password is: BGA10072023

FES event - Standing up for Armed Forces personnel in the UK and Germany
2023-07-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Portcullis House,, 1 Victoria Embankment, London, SW1A 2JR
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation in London is excited to invite BGA members to the panel discussion Standing up for Armed Forces personnel in the UK and Germany on Monday 17 July 6pm-7.30pm in Wilson Room, Portcullis House, Parliament.
Please see below the details provided for this event by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation:
In both the UK and Germany, there is deep respect for the serving men and women of our Armed Forces. But with personnel living in poor accommodation, satisfaction with service life falling and retention rates dropping, there is a need to renew the moral contract with our Armed Forces to keep our countries safe and allow us to fulfil our NATO obligations.
In this panel discussion, we want to discuss with Eva Högl (Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces of Germany), John Healey MP (Shadow UK Defence Secretary), George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen (10th NATO Secretary General) and Fred Thomas (former Royal Marines captain) ideas and lessons from the UK and Germany on how best we can support our troops, improve service life and ensure we have the right kit for our frontline forces.
The event will be chaired by Ed Turner from the Aston Centre for Europe.
Please note that registration is necessary for the event. Only logged-in members of the BGA will be able to see the registration details below this line.

In conversation with Edward Berger
2023-07-21 17:30 - 18:30 | Virtual Event
Join us on Zoom for a conversation with film and TV director/writer Edward Berger.
BAFTA and International Emmy-winning director Edward Berger is behind the critically-acclaimed film All Quiet on the Western Front, which was awarded 7 BAFTAs, including Best Direction and Adapted Screenplay, along with an outstanding 9 nominations and 4 awards at this year’s Oscars.
Edward Berger’s work includes Deutschland ’83, The Terror and Patrick Melrose, which was heralded as one of the best television shows of 2018.
The event will be moderated by Dr Christiane Schönfeld, Associate Professor and Head of German Studies at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland. Dr Schönfeld’s research on German-language literature and cinema focuses on a wide range of cultural representations and sheds light on their significance for the public sphere.
Among her publications are books and articles on literary and visual cultures from the 19th to the 21st century. Her most recent book — The History of German Literature on Film (Bloomsbury) — will be available on 27 July 2023.
You can watch the event video here:

Implications of the new German National Security Strategy
2023-09-06 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Event
On 14 June, the German government released the country’s first-ever National Security Strategy (NSS). While the government had agreed to produce such a document in its December 2021 coalition agreement, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 added greater urgency.
On 6 September at 12.30pm BST we are discussing the implications of this new strategy with Dr Ulrike Franke, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Dr Henning Hoff, executive editor of International Politics Quarterly (IPQ) and editor-at-large of International Politics (IP).
You can watch the event video here:
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Insights into the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Germany
2023-09-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Houses of Parliament, London, SW1A 0AA
Join us on 13 September at 6pm for an evening at the Houses of Parliament with Dr Philippa Whitford SNP and Stephen Hammond MP. Dr Whitford will be introducing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Germany. This will be followed by a Q&A and a social get-together at the Munich Cricket Club, a bierkeller in the heart of Westminster (drinks and food not included).
Dr Philippa Whitford is the Scottish National Party MP for Central Ayrshire, and has been a MP continuously since 7 May 2015. She currently undertakes the role of Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Scotland) and chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Germany.
Our host this evening, Stephen Hammond MP, was elected in 2005 as the Member of Parliament for Wimbledon and was re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Wimbledon in 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019. He served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (2012-14) and a Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care (2018-19).
Booking for this event is now closed. Please contact us if you still want to join this event.

BGA Oktoberfest 2023
2023-09-28 18:30 - 23:00 | Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington
Not able to travel to Munich this year? Come and celebrate with us instead. Join us at Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington on 28 September to enjoy an authentic Bavarian atmosphere – including traditional food, beer and music. Doors open at 6pm BST.
BGA Member Ticket: £42.00 per person.
Non-Member / Member’s Guest Ticket: £50.00 per person.
Each ticket includes a stein as well as food from the large Bavarian-style buffet, including Schweinebraten with Knödeln, Rotkohl, Kässpätzle, Brathendl, Bretzeln, and Apfelstrudel.
Booking for this event is now closed. If you still would like to participate, please contact us.

German regional elections in Bavaria and Hesse - What do the results mean?
2023-10-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
Join us on 12 October from 6 to 7pm BST (7 to 8pm German time) on Zoom for an event with the International Association for the Study of German Politics to discuss the results of the German regional elections in Bavaria and Hesse. Four of the country’s 16 federal states were facing elections this year, including Berlin and Bremen.
State elections are important in Germany for three main reasons. First, states have significant power over policy, including for instance education, criminal justice and economic development. Secondly, they are an important barometer of public opinion and the standing of political parties. Thirdly, state governments are represented in Germany’s Upper House, the Bundesrat, which has a veto on any national laws which affect the states. At a time when Olaf Scholz’ “traffic light” coalition is not polling well and there are growing worries about the strength of the far-right AfD, these elections are particularly significant.
The session will take the form of a discussion with two leading experts, followed by a Q&A to which all attendees are invited to contribute.
Speakers: Michèle Auga, Director of the London Office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Jochen Müller, Professor of Political Sociology, University of Greifswald.
Chair: Dr Ed Turner, Reader in Politics, Aston University, and chair of the International Association for the Study of German Politics
You can watch the event video here:
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In Search of Berlin - John Kampfner in Conversation with Olivia Judson
2023-10-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us on 24 October from 6.30 to 7.30 pm BST for an online discussion with John Kampfner, the Sunday Times bestselling author of Why the Germans Do It Better, on his latest book In Search of Berlin. This is an 800-year story of Berlin, a dialogue between past and present; it is a new way of looking at this turbulent and beguiling city on its never-ending journey of reinvention. John will be in discussion with Olivia Judson, an evolutionary biologist and writer.
John Kampfner is an award-winning author, broadcaster and foreign-affairs commentator. He began his career reporting from East Berlin (during the fall of the Wall) and Moscow (during the collapse of communism) for the Telegraph. After covering British politics for the Financial Times and BBC, he edited the New Statesman. He is a regular TV and radio pundit, documentary maker and author of six previous books, including the bestselling Blair’s Wars. His most recent book, Why the Germans Do it Better, was a top ten bestseller, Book of the Year in the Guardian, Economist and the New Statesman, and sold over 100,000 copies in all editions.
Olivia Judson has written for numerous publications, including The Economist, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. Her first book, Dr Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex, has been translated into more than 15 languages, and was also made into a television show. She lives in Berlin.
You can watch the video of the event below:

Out of the Darkness - In Conversation with Professor Frank Trentmann
2023-11-07 18:30 - 21:00 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom
Join us on Tuesday 7 November from 6.30pm GMT at the London School of Economics for a conversation between our Chairman Peter Barnes and Professor Frank Trentmann on his new book Out of the Darkness: The Germans, 1942–2022, a groundbreaking new history of the people at the centre of Europe, from the Second World War to today.
In this book Trentmann tells the dramatic story of the Germans from the middle of the Second World War, through the Cold War and the division into East and West, to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunited nation’s search for a place in the world. Their journey is marked by extraordinary moral struggles: guilt, shame and limited amends; wealth versus welfare; tolerance versus racism; compassion and complicity. Through a range of voices – German soldiers and German Jews; environmentalists and coal miners; families and churches; volunteers, migrants and populists – Trentmann paints a remarkable and surprising portrait over 80 years of the conflicted people at the centre of Europe.
The event will be hosted jointly with the LSESU German Society.
Frank Trentmann is Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of London, and at the University of Helsinki. He is the author of Empire of Things and Free Trade Nation, was a Moore Scholar at Caltech and has been awarded the Whitfield Prize, the Austrian Science Book Prize, the Humboldt Prize for Research and the 2023 Bochum Historians’ Prize. He grew up in Hamburg and lives in London.
A recording of this event is available below.
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Disinformation and Challenges to Democracy - Asha Allen in Conversation with Jessica Cecil and Lutz Güllner
2023-11-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us on 8 November from 6.30 to 7.30pm GMT for an online discussion with Jessica Cecil and Lutz Güllner on disinformation and challenges to democracy. The event will be moderated by Asha Allen.
Jessica Cecil is a media and news leader. In 2019, at the BBC, she started and led the Trusted News Initiative (TNI), the world’s only alliance of major international tech companies and news organisations to counter the most harmful forms of disinformation in real time. Her background is as a news journalist and documentary maker. She was an international news producer and assistant editor of BBC Newsnight and was an Emmy nominee for the primetime TV science series Human Instinct.
Lutz Güllner is the Head of Strategic Communications at European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic arm. Prior to his current position, he served as Head of the EEAS’s foreign and security policy communication team (2017– 2019) and as Head of the European Commission Directorate General for Trade communication team (2013–17). He was also Deputy Head of the Trade Strategy Unit and responsible for the coordination of EU-US trade and economic relations.
Asha Allen serves as Advocacy Director for Europe, Online Expression & Civic Space at the Centre for Democracy and Technology (CDT) Europe Office in Brussels, where she leads CDT’s work on issues at the intersection of online expression, civic engagement, and technology. Asha’s work focuses on advocating for the preservation of fundamental rights in European Union/Regional legislation, and democratic accountability in industry content policies.
You can watch the video of the event below:
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German Baking - In Conversation with Jürgen Krauss
2023-11-29 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Ready to impress with your Lebkuchen, Weihnachtsplätzchen and Stollen baking skills? On Wednesday 29 November from 6.30 to 7.30pm on Zoom we are joined by Jürgen Krauss for a talk on German baking.
Jürgen was the star of Bake Off 2021, his semi-finals departure triggering over 100 complaints from dismayed viewers. His love for baking began during his childhood in the Black Forest. His travels across Europe, before settling in Brighton, UK, widened his culinary influences, but also gave him the yearning to master German bread-making, the perfect showcase for both his technical precision and creative flavours.
In August, Jürgen’s cook book German Baking – Cakes, tarts, traybakes and breads from the Black Forest and beyond came out. According to the publisher this fool-proof collection of recipes is a must-have for his many fans and provides delicious inspiration for any time of day and any occasion. In this online discussion, he will take us through some of the recipes and discuss his love for all things baked.
Jürgen will be in discussion with Luisa Weiss. She is the author of Classic German Baking (2016) and the upcoming Classic German Cooking (10/24). Her memoir My Berlin Kitchen was published in 2012. She is the author of the Letter from Berlin newsletter on Substack. Luisa lives in Berlin with her husband and two sons.
You can watch the event video here:
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Carols and Readings at the Christuskirche Knightsbridge
2023-12-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Christuskirche
Please join us for the BGA’s traditional Carols and Readings with the Christuskirche Knightsbridge on Thursday, 7 December. BGA members and their guests are invited to join us in this joyful celebration of Christmas with Fever Pitch choir followed by a reception with traditional Stollen, Weihnachtsplätzchen (Christmas biscuits) and a warming glass of Glühwein.
The Carols and Readings will begin at 7pm GMT and will be led by Pastor Silke Halfmann. The reception will end at around 9pm GMT.
Musical Director and Organist: Bernard Barker.
Readings, carols and anthems will be in English and in German.
This event is now sold out and no tickets will be available on the door. If you have any questions, please contact us at office@britishgermanassociation.org.

Stammtisch at German Kraft in Mayfair
2024-01-16 18:30 - 21:30 | German Kraft Mercato Mayfair, St. Mark's Church, North Audley Street, London, W1K 6ZA, United Kingdom
On Tuesday 16 January at 6.30pm GMT, the BGA will be hosting its first Stammtisch of the year jointly with the Civil Service German Network, at German Kraft, a microbrewery located in Mercato Metropolitano Mayfair. The German concept of a Stammtisch is a regular informal get-together, typically over a beer.

2024 LSE German Symposium
2024-02-05 09:00 - 2024-02-09 17:00 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom
As in previous years, BGA members are warmly invited to attend the LSE’s prestigious German Symposium from 5-9 February. Initiated in 1998 by German LSE students, the German Symposium has become an important date in the LSE’s calendar and will be hosted for the 23rd time in 2024 under the motto “Building Bridges”.
Featuring a wide variety of events ranging from keynote speeches by and discussion panels to intimate coffee chats with world-class speakers, the LSE offers time and space for rigorous political debate. Speakers include Anke Rehlinger, John Kampfner, Eric Beißwenger, Jens Spahn, Angus Robertson and others. Tickets will be released on 29 January at 6pm. To get a free ticket, please check out this link.
The programme is now available and can be downloaded here: German Symposium Agenda 2024

The UK and Germany in a China-centric world order
2024-03-14 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
On Thursday 14 March from 6.30pm to 7.30pm GMT on Zoom, Dr Olivia Cheung and Alexander Roth will be discussing the UK’s and Germany’s role in a China-centric world order and possible policy implications to the two countries.
Dr Olivia Cheung (DPhil, Oxon) is Research Fellow of the China Institute at SOAS University of London. She is the author of Factional-ideological Conflicts in Chinese Politics: To the Left or to the Right? (Amsterdam University Press, 2023) and co-author of The Political Thought of Xi Jinping (Oxford University Press, 2024).
Alexander Roth is the Head of the China Desk at the German Foreign Office.

German wine tasting at the National Liberal Club
2024-04-11 18:30 - 20:00 | National Liberal Club
On 11 April from 6.30 to 8.00pm BST the National Liberal Club (NLC) is hosting a German Wine Tasting with Tim Syrad, who has worked in the wine industry for over 30 years. There will be 8 wines tasted, a combination of classic German grape varieties and some lesser known ones. From 6.00pm an informal Stammtisch will be held in the Smoking Room at the NLC, which BGA members will be welcome to join, and may give the opportunity to be shown round the club.

You can find out more about Tim here: Tim Syrad Wines – About Tim Syrad

Booking for this event is now closed. Please get in touch under office@britishgermanassociation.org if you have any questions.

European Parliament election 2024 – trends and projections
2024-04-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
On Wednesday 17 April 2024 from 6.00pm to 7.00pm BST Prof Simon Hix and Prof Tarik Abou-Chadi will be discussing the European Parliament election 2024 on Zoom. Recent trends in elections and opinion polls throughout the EU indicate a significant rightward shift, with the populist right expected to emerge as a main winner in the 2024 European Parliament elections. This political realignment, amid internal and external challenges for the European Union, could have profound implications for EU policy, including environmental and foreign policies.
Simon and Tarik will delve into the dynamics of the upcoming elections, focusing on how they reflect broader shifts within European democracies and party competition. They will also examine the changing levels of support for the European Union and address the declining influence of social democratic parties.
Prof Simon Hix joined the European University Institute on 1 September 2021 as Stein Rokkan Chair in Comparative Politics. Simon holds a Ph.D. in Political and Social Science from the European University Institute (1995) and was for many years a Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Prof Tarik Abou-Chadi is an Associate Professor in European Union and Comparative European Politics at Nuffield College, University of Oxford. Before joining Nuffield, he was Assistant Professor at the department of political science at the University of Zurich. Tarik holds a PhD from Humboldt University Berlin and hosts and produces the podcast Transformation of European Politics.
Please note that registration is necessary for the event. Only logged-in members of the BGA will be able to see the Zoom registration link (starting https://) below. Once you have logged in to your BGA account, please navigate back to this page via the “Events” tab on the menu bar and register below. If you are still unable to see the Zoom registration link after logging in, please check your membership is up-to-date or contact us.

Stammtisch at German Kraft in Mayfair
2024-04-24 18:30 - 20:30
On Wednesday 24 April at 6.30pm BST, the BGA will be hosting another Stammtisch at German Kraft in Mayfair jointly with the Civil Service German Network. The German concept of a Stammtisch is a regular informal get-together, typically over a beer. You can book your space by clicking on the link below.
Booking is now closed. Please email office@britishgermanassociation.org if you still want to join.

Book launch - Neu Klang: The Definitive History of Krautrock by Christoph Dallach
2024-05-14 17:00 - 18:30 | Rough Trade West, 130 Talbot Rd, London, W11 1JA
On Tuesday, 14 May at 5pm BST, BGA members are invited to the launch of Christoph Dallach’s new book Neu Klang: The Definitive History of Krautrock edited by Faber at Rough Trade West in London. The author Christoph Dallach will be in conversation with journalist John Doran.
Faber presents the first ever oral-history of Krautrock, the sound that changed modern music. The unique and adventurous sounds produced by German bands such as CAN, Neu!, Amon Düül, Popul Vuh, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Cluster or Kraftwerk, now widely-known as Krautrock, are considered a blueprint for modern rock music.
Christoph Dallach is a journalist who writes for Die Zeit, ZEITMagazin and Spiegel among others. He lives in Hamburg.
Tickets for this event also include a copy of the book to be collected from Rough Trade East on the day of the event and you can book your space here.
If you are under 25 and wish to attend this event, there is a contingent of free guest list tickets available. Please get in touch at office@britishgermanassociation.org to book.

White Asparagus Supper
2024-05-30 18:00 - 21:00 | National Liberal Club
On Thursday 30 May 2024, BGA members are invited to the National Liberal Club’s White Asparagus Supper. The evening will commence with one hour of Stammtisch from 6 to 7pm in the Smoking Room to which guests are also most welcome. At 7pm attendees will toast May with a refreshing glass of Maibowle, followed by a traditional menu of Cream of White Asparagus Soup, White Asparagus, new potatoes, Schnitzel followed by a delicious German dessert, accompanied by half a bottle of wine per person. English will be spoken throughout the dinner and there will be a short musical interlude.
Price per person: £85.00. This includes:
– glass of Maibowle at pre dinner reception
– three course dinner
– 1/2 bottle of wine per person
– Short recital of German Lieder

Please book either via the NLC’s events portal: https://members.nlc.org.uk/upcoming-events or alternatively, you can call the NLC events team on 0207 968 0919.

Brahms & Beethoven with Isabelle Faust
2024-06-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
On Sunday 2 June 2024 from 7.30pm BST, BGA members are invited to listen to Brahms & Beethoven with Isabelle Faust at the Royal Festival Hall. You can use the promo code BEETHOVENVC to get 20% off your ticket when booking through the organiser’s website: https://philharmonia.co.uk/whats-on/brahms-beethoven-with-isabelle-faust/. This is a third-party event. Any enquiries should be addressed to the Royal Festival Hall.
In the words of this evening’s soloist Isabelle Faust, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto is ‘one of the most beautiful and most important works of the violin repertoire.’
Faust and conductor Philippe Herreweghe are frequent collaborators, both known for diving deep into the historical context and authentic interpretation of every piece they perform. From its intriguing opening timpani strokes to its exuberant dancing finale, via a breathtakingly beautiful slow movement, their committed and unshowy approach allows Beethoven’s mastery of his art to shine through.
Brahms’s Fourth Symphony is the work of a composer at the top of his game. Brahms called it “my sad symphony”, but this modest adjective belies the composer’s emotional range and consummate structural skill. His friend, the critic Eduard Hanslick, put it better: “It is like a dark well; the longer we look into it, the more brightly the stars shine back.”

Insights into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
2024-06-05 13:00 - 14:00 | Foreign & Commonwealth Office
On Wednesday 5 June 2024, BGA members are invited to a tour at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The tour will commence at 1pm BST and last for approximately one hour. The tour will start in the Quad. leading through the old India Office and round to the old Foreign Office. It finishes with a look through the gates at No 10’s door and questions of all kind are welcome at any time. There are 15 spaces available and tickets are for BGA members only. This event is free but booking is necessary.
This event is fully booked. If you wish to be put on the waiting list, please contact office@britishgermanassociation.org.

The energy transition: ways for Germany and the United Kingdom to collaborate on green hydrogen
2024-06-07 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual Event
On Friday 7 June 2024 from 5pm to 6pm BST the Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft and the British-German Association are jointly organising an online discussion on Zoom about green hydrogen and ways for collaboration between the UK and Germany. Our distinguished speakers are Gillian Martin MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Climate Action, and Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Housing, Transport and Digitalization.
Not only is Scotland is perfectly placed to become an exporter of green hydrogen to a market in Germany, there are also strong links between Scotland and Lower Saxony. At the Lower Saxony – Scotland Joint Forum 2022 the foundation for establishing a strategic energy partnership between Lower Saxony and Scotland, extending far beyond the academic sphere, was laid.
Gillian Martin was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament to represent Aberdeenshire East in 2016. She was appointed as Minister for Climate Action in May 2024.
Olaf Lies is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He was first elected to the Landtag of Lower Saxony in 2008. Since November 2022, he is Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Housing, Transport and Digitalization.
The event will be chaired by Richard Carter, former Managing Director of BASF UK & Ireland.
This event is part of our British-German Climate Action Event Series, organised jointly by the British-German Association (BGA) and the Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft
Please note that registration is necessary for the event. Only logged-in members of the BGA will be able to see the Zoom registration link (starting https://) below. Once you have logged in to your BGA account, please navigate back to this page via the “Events” tab on the menu bar and register below. If you are still unable to see the Zoom registration link after logging in, please check your membership is up-to-date or contact us.

Jewish life in contemporary Germany
2024-06-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU
On Thursday 13 June from 6pm BST we are collaborating with the Leo Baeck Institute on a talk about Jewish life in contemporary Germany with Professor Dani Kranz. Germany is home to Europe’s third largest Jewish community. Yet surprisingly little is known about them. After the Shoah, about 15,000 German Jews returned to Germany or emerged from hiding. The growth of the Jewish population in Germany after 1945 was due entirely to immigration, which is somewhat counter intuitive. Who are the Jews who live in contemporary Germany? How do they live out their Jewishness? What Jewish cultures did they bring with them, and what kind of Jewish culture is forming in Germany?
Dani Kranz is the incumbent DAAD Humboldt chair at El Colegio de México, Mexico City, and an applied anthropologist and director of Two Foxes Consulting, Germany and Israel. Her expertise covers migration, integration, ethnicity, law, state/stateliness, political life, organisations, memory cultures and politics as well as cultural heritage.
This event is part of the lecture series Outsiders in German-Jewish History organised by the Leo Baeck Institute London in cooperation with the German Historical Institute London. More information here.

Bavarian Ball in aid of The Lord Mayor's Appeal
2024-06-13 18:30 - 23:00 | Mansion House, Walbrook, London, EC4N 8BH
The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli and the Lady Mayoress Elisabeth Mainelli, are delighted to host a Bavarian Ball at The Mansion House on Thursday 13 June 2024 from 6.30pm-11.30pm in aid of The Lord Mayor’s Appeal. This unique Bavarian inspired event will reflect the heritage of the Lady Mayoress and will include a Beer and Champagne reception, a mouthwatering Bavarian feast, live auction, silent auction, five piece roaming band and plenty of foot stomping, singing, swaying and cheering! Up to 270 guests will be attending including senior members of City based companies, City institutions, livery companies and friends and supporters of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. Dress code: black tie or national dress. The event will be raising money for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, supporting three inspirational charities – MQ Mental Health Research, Homewards: A Royal Foundation programme and National Numeracy. They are delivering ground breaking programmes to bring solutions to some of London’s most pressing societal issues.
Tickets are available at £300 per person. To place a booking please complete the online booking form at www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/bavarianball2024 or email events@thelordmayorsappeal.org.
This is a third-party event and the BGA is not involved in the organisation. Please address any queries to events@thelordmayorsappeal.org.

The NATO at 75: reflections on a changing security landscape for Germany and the UK
2024-07-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
In 2024, the NATO is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Since its creation in 1949, it has grown from 12 founding members to 32 member countries. Its changing political initiatives, military operations, and burgeoning membership reflect its enduring significance. What does this mean for the UK and Germany? On Monday, 8 July 2024, Edward Arnold from RUSI and Dr Aylin Matlé from the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP) will be discussing the future of this military alliance and the UK’s and Germany’s role within it from 6.30pm to 7.30pm BST on Zoom.
Ed Arnold is a Senior Research Fellow for European Security within the International Security department at RUSI. His experience covers defence, intelligence, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency, within the public and private sector. Ed has a particular interest in UK National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Reviews. He joined RUSI from the private sector where he was a strategy Director within the defence and security sector.
Dr Aylin Matlé has been a research fellow in DGAP’s Center for Security and Defence since March 2022. Previously, she worked as deputy head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Israel office in Jerusalem. Prior to that, she was a research associate for the chair of international relations and European politics at the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
The event will be chaired by Dr Sorana Jude, lecturer in Defence Studies at King’s College London.
Please note that registration is necessary for the event. Only logged-in members of the BGA will be able to see the Zoom registration link (starting https://) below. Once you have logged in to your BGA account, please navigate back to this page via the “Events” tab on the menu bar and register below. If you are still unable to see the Zoom registration link after logging in, please check your membership is up-to-date or contact us.

Annual General Meeting 2024
2024-07-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
The BGA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Zoom on Monday 15 July at 6:30pm.
At the AGM, we will be reporting on the activities of the Association and sharing details of our plans for the year ahead. We will be electing the Officers and Executive Committee members for the coming year. It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Please note that registration is necessary for the event. Only logged-in members of the BGA will be able to see the Zoom registration link (starting https://) below. Once you have logged in to your BGA account, please navigate back to this page via the “Events” tab on the menu bar and register below. If you are still unable to see the Zoom registration link after logging in, please check your membership is up-to-date, or contact us.
