Perspectives on the New German Coalition Government
2022-01-20
Join us on 20 January at 6.30pm GMT for a virtual panel discussion with Dr Nicolai von Ondarza and Vendeline von Bredow on the new German coalition government and its wider implications for UK-German relations. The event will be moderated by Dr Ed Turner.
You can view full speaker biographies here. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of the speakers after the discussion.
You can watch the event video here:
https://vimeo.com/670283892

LSE German Symposium 2022
2022-02-07 - 2022-02-11
BGA members are warmly invited to attend the London School of Economics (LSE) 2022 German Symposium, organised by the LSE German Society.
Event details can be found on the following link: https://www.germansymposium.co.uk/agenda.

Interview with Jill Gallard
2022-03-01 - 2022-03-31
Date TBC.
The BGA is looking forward to speaking to Jill Gallard, British Ambassador to Germany.
You can watch the event video here: https://vimeo.com/694566039

Perspectives on Data and Privacy in Germany and in the UK
2022-03-08
Join us on Tuesday 8 March at 5.30pm GMT on Zoom for a conversation on Data and Privacy in Germany and in the UK with Professor Ulrich Kelber, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, and Dr Nóra Ni Loideain, Director of the Information Law & Policy Centre at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of the speakers after the discussion.
You can view full speaker biographies here. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of the speakers after the discussion.
You can watch the event recording here:
https://vimeo.com/694328370

Increasing Germany's digital competitiveness - Chatham House
2022-03-09
Chatham House has kindly invited BGA members to join an online event on 9 March at 1pm GMT exploring the opportunities and challenges Germany faces in a world of rapid technological change.
A key debate in the recent German federal election, and a priority for the new coalition government, will be how to modernize the country to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world.
Germany has solid foundations to become a digital powerhouse being Europe’s largest economy and a global hub for industry and research. But the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed shortcomings in the country’s digital development, highlighting issues such as poor digital infrastructure, lower levels of digital education, and a governing system which can make implementing the necessary reforms difficult.
• What are the priorities for the new government in order to enhance Germany’s digital competitiveness?
• How can policy decisions promote widespread adoption of new digital technologies?
• What is the role of businesses as part of this transformation?
• How do these reforms tie in with wider European efforts to increase the continent’s digital sovereignty?
Speakers:
Stefan Heumann, Member of the Management Board, SNV
Iris Plöger, Member of the Executive Board, BDI
Kristina Sinemus, Minister for Digital Strategy and Development, Hessian State Chancellery
Marjorie Buchser, Executive Director, Digital Society Initiative (moderator)
This event is supported by HCL Technologies.
Please click the Members’ Registration red icon below to register for the event. You will be asked to log in to your BGA account before accessing the registration page.

MEMBERS’ REGISTRATION

Being in connection: a conversation with Sharon Dodua Otoo - Intellectual Forum Cambridge
2022-03-18
On 18 March, the Intellectual Forum, Jesus College, Cambridge, will be hosting an event with British German author, Sharon Dodua Otoo, on her new book, Adas Raum (Ada’s Realm). The event will include an exciting preview of the novel’s English-language version, and the chance to hear the literary specialist Maryam Aras in conversation with Sharon Dodua Otoo.
You can register for the event here.

Interview with HE Jill Gallard CMG, British Ambassador to Germany
2022-03-24
Join us on 24 March 2022 at 12 noon GMT (1pm CET) on Zoom for an interview with HE Jill Gallard, the British Ambassador to Germany. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview.
HE Jill Gallard CMG became Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany on 11 November 2020. Before joining the Embassy, she was the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Deputy Political Director (2018-2020) and Director of Human Resources (2014-2018). From 2011 to 2014 Jill served as British Ambassador to Portugal.
Since joining the Diplomatic Service in 1991, her career in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office has focussed on Europe with postings in Prague, Madrid and at the European Commission in Brussels. She has also had a wide range of jobs in London, mainly working on the EU and wider Europe.
Jill Gallard grew up in Northern Ireland and is married with two children. She studied French and Spanish at Edinburgh University. Jill speaks German, fluent French, Spanish and Portuguese, and some Czech.
The recording of the event is available below:
https://vimeo.com/694566039
Password: [REDACTED]

In Conversation with Dr Claudia Major about Germany's Security and Defence Policy
2022-04-07 18:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London)
Join us on 7 April at 6pm GMT for a virtual conversation with Dr Claudia Major on Germany’s security and defence policy.
Dr Claudia Major is Head of the International Security Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin (SWP). Previously, Claudia held positions at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, the German Council on Foreign Relations (Berlin), the EU Institute for Security Studies (Paris), the German Foreign Office (NATO desk) and Sciences Po Paris. Claudia is a member of various boards, such as the Advisory Board for Civilian Crisis Prevention at the Federal Foreign Office and the German-British Königswinter Conference. She holds a diploma from Sciences Po Paris and the Free University Berlin and a PhD from the University of Birmingham (UK).
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the discussion.

You can watch the event recording here:
https://vimeo.com/704586477

POSTPONED - In conversation with Philip Oltermann
2022-05-24 20:00 - 21:00
Our conversation with author and journalist Philip Oltermann, which was due to take place at 8pm on 24 May, has been postponed. We will let you know as soon as we have a new date for the event.
Philip Oltermann was born in Schleswig-Holstein in 1981. He studied English and German literature in Oxford University and University College London before beginning a career in journalism for both German and English-language media. He has written for Granta, the London Review of Books, and the Guardian, for whom he is the Berlin Bureau Chief. His first book, Keeping Up with the Germans, was published in 2012.
His newly released book, The Stasi Poetry Circle, tells the extraordinary true story of how a group of soldiers and border guards gathered for monthly meetings at a heavily guarded military compound in socialist East Berlin to learn how to write lyrical verse.
In 1982, East Germany’s fearsome secret police – convinced that writers were embedding subversive messages in their work – decided to train their own writers, weaponising poetry in the struggle against the class enemy. Using first-hand accounts and exclusive interviews, Oltermann’s unconventional group biography charts the history of the German Democratic Republic from its utopian origins to its descent into a paranoid culture war: a literary detective story filled with spies who were moulded into poets; poets who spied on fellow writers.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the conversation.

Spargelabend at the National Liberal Club
2022-05-26 19:00 - 22:00 | National Liberal Club
We are delighted that the National Liberal Club German Circle has kindly invited BGA members to join this year’s Spargelabend (Asparagus Dinner) on 26 May.
Further details will be sent to BGA members closer to the time.

The Wirecard Scandal: Dan McCrum in conversation with Elisabeth Stheeman
2022-06-14 18:45 - 19:45
Join us on Tuesday 14 June at 6.45pm BST on Zoom for a conversation between Dan McCrum and Elisabeth Stheeman about the Wirecard scandal.
During what has been described as “the financial investigation of the decade”, reporter Dan McCrum uncovered one of the biggest economic scandals in Europe. Wirecard began as a financial services start-up and soon overtook industry giants such as Deutsche Bank on the stock market. After years of McCrum’s relentless pursuit, the tech firm declared bankruptcy in 2020.
Dan McCrum and Elisabeth Stheeman will take us into the world of Wirecard’s multi-billion-dollar fraud, with stranger-than-fiction stories of short sellers, whistle-blowers, hackers, spies – as well as directors, auditors, courts and regulators.
Dan McCrum is a member of the Investigations team at the Financial Times, where he has worked for 15 years writing about business and finance. His reporting on Wirecard has been recognised with more than a dozen prizes, including journalist of the year at the 2020 British Press awards. His first book, about the company’s unbelievable rise and crashing fall, has been published as House of Wirecard in German and will be released as Money Men in English on 16 June.
Elisabeth Stheeman is an external member of the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) and an external member of the Bank of England’s Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) Board.
She has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Aareal Bank AG, the deputy chair of the Risk Committee and a member of the Technology and Innovation Committee since 2015. She has been a non-executive director of Edinburgh Investment Trust (EIT) plc, a FTSE 250 listed investment trust, since 2019.
She has been an external member of the Audit and Risk Committee of AIIB (Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank) since April 2021 and a member of alstria AG’s Supervisory Board since May 2021.
Previously, Elisabeth was a Senior Advisor to the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (2015-18). In this role she focused on governance across the UK’s financial services sector.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the conversation.
You can watch the event recording here:
https://vimeo.com/725286284

Parliamentary Day Lunch at the House of Lords
2022-06-23 12:30 - 14:30
Please join us for our annual BGA Parliamentary Day Lunch on 23 June 2022. This year’s distinguished guest speaker will be The Rt Hon David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham.
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 12.30 noon. Lunch will be served at 12.45pm in the Cholmondeley Room.
A ticket includes a three-course lunch. Drinks not included.
The Rt Hon David Lammy is the Member of Parliament for Tottenham and the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. One of the leading agenda-setters in the fields of social activism, diversity and multi-culturalism, he was a member of the previous Labour Government (2001-2010), is respected across the party spectrum and is a well-known figure amongst the general public. He was Shadow Justice Secretary from April 2020 until November 2021.
Please click the Members’ Registration red icon below to register for the event. You will be asked to log in to your BGA account before accessing the registration page.

MEMBERS’ REGISTRATION

Grillabend at the National Liberal Club
2022-07-05 19:00 - 22:00 | National Liberal Club
We are delighted that the National Liberal Club German Circle has kindly invited BGA members to join this year’s Grillabend (Summer BBQ) on 5 July.
Further details will be sent to BGA members closer to the time.

Annual General Meeting 2022
2022-07-11 18:30 - 20:00
The BGA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Zoom on Monday 11 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 access the recording of the event here:
https://vimeo.com/730957740
Password: [REDACTED]

Approaching Net Zero in the UK and in Germany: The Role of the Finance Community
2022-07-13 18:00 - 20:00 | 80 Victoria Street, London
Join us on Wednesday 13 July at 6pm BST at Ruffer LLP in London for a conversation between Elisabeth Stheeman and Dr Harald Heubaum about the finance community’s role in approaching Net Zero in the UK and in Germany.
How can financial markets and regulators come together to help the transition to Net Zero in the UK and in Germany? What kinds of collaborations are required? How can central banks support the transition to Net Zero?
The discussion will start at 6.45pm and will be preceded by a networking reception.
Elisabeth Stheeman is an external member of the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) and Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) Board.
She has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Aareal Bank AG, the deputy chair of the Risk Committee and a member of the Technology and Innovation Committee since 2015. She has been a member of the Board of Edinburgh Investment Trust plc since 2019 and Chair Elect since 2021. She has been an external member of the Audit and Risk Committee of AIIB (Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank) since April 2021 and a member of alstria AG’s Supervisory Board since May 2021.
Previously, Elisabeth was a Senior Advisor to the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (2015-18). In this role she focused on governance across the UK’s financial services sector.
Dr Harald Heubaum is Senior Lecturer in Global Energy and Climate Policy at the SOAS Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) and Deputy Director and Co-founder of the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance (CSF). He is Director of the climate and sustainable finance initiative SUFINDA C.I.C. headquartered at the CSF and serves as Contributing Author to the upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6 WGII).
Harald’s research interests include organizational change and innovation in global energy, climate and financial governance, climate and sustainable finance, decarbonisation of transport and resilient infrastructure. His regional expertise covers the Asia and Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the conversation.
You can watch the event video here:
https://vimeo.com/731421713
Password: [REDACTED]

London Stammtisch – organised by the BGA, YBCCG and BGJA
2022-09-07 18:30 - 21:00 | The Fence
You are cordially invited to our Stammtisch in London, organised jointly by the British-German Association (BGA), the Young British Chamber of Commerce in Germany (YBCCG), and the British-German Jurists’ Association (BGJA).
The German concept of a Stammtisch is a regular informal get-together, typically over a beer. Our next Stammtisch will take place on Wednesday 7 September 2022 from 6.30pm – 9pm BST at The Fence, 67-69 Cowcross St, London, EC1M 6BP. We look forward to welcoming you in a relaxed atmosphere.
Tickets are free, but attendees are kindly asked to pay for their own food and drink. Please note that the event is taking place in a pub rather than a private hire room.
The number of participants is limited. Registrations will be considered on a first come – first serve basis.

BGA 2022 Oktoberfest and Football Screening
2022-09-26 18:00 - 23:00 | Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington
Time to dust off those Dirndls and Lederhosen – and football jerseys!
On 26 September, we will be hosting our traditional Oktoberfest together with a screening of the Nations League England v Germany football match at Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington. We look forward to enjoying an authentic Bavarian atmosphere with you – including traditional food, beer and music.
BGA Member Ticket: £35.00 per person.
Non-Member / Member’s Guest Ticket: £42.00 per person.
Each ticket includes a pint of beer or a glass of wine on arrival, as well as a two-course Bavarian dinner.
Doors open at 6pm BST, and food will be served at 7pm. Kick-off is at 7.45pm. There will be a semi-private area for those who do not wish to watch the football.
Book your ticket now to secure your place!
Click here to book your tickets.

The Bach Cello Suites - BGA in conversation with Steven Isserlis
2022-10-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Christuskirche
Join us on Tuesday 4 October at 6.30pm BST for a conversation with internationally renowned cellist Steven Isserlis on his new book, The Bach Cello Suites – A Companion. The event will take place at the Christuskirche Knightsbridge, 19 Montpelier Place, London SW7 1HJ.
J. S. Bach’s Six Suites for solo cello are amongst the most legendary works in music, and Steven’s award-winning 2007 recording of the Suites is regarded as a benchmark.
In his new book, Steven goes into the history and emotional journey of the Suites, using all his experience of performing them. The companion is suitable for all, from the casual listener to the performing musician.
Together with the London Bach Society and the Christuskirche Knightsbridge, the British-German Association has the pleasure of inviting you to a conversation with Steven about his new book.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the conversation and to receive a signed copy of Steven’s book. You are warmly welcome to join us for a reception in the Bonhoeffer-Saal after the conversation.
Tickets: £15 for BGA members, £25 for non-members/BGA member’s guests.
We look forward to seeing you soon!

BGA Reception at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
2022-11-16
BGA members are cordially invited to a reception at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), 5 Bank Street, London, E14 4BG, on Wednesday, 16 November 2022. Doors open at 6pm GMT. Introductory remarks and keynotes start at 6.30pm GMT.
We would be delighted to welcome you to this evening reception for members of the BGA and of the German community at the EBRD. As places are limited, we would be grateful if you could please confirm your attendance by registering on Eventbrite as soon as possible.
Registration closes on 13 November 2022. You can register by clicking the Members’ Registration red button below. Please note you will be asked to log in to your BGA account before accessing the registration page.

MEMBERS’ REGISTRATION

Early morning private view: Making Modernism exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts
2022-11-18
BGA members have been invited to an exclusive early-morning private view of the upcoming Making Modernism exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. Making Modernism is the first major UK exhibition devoted to pioneering women working in Germany in the early 1900s: Paula Modersohn-Becker, Kӓthe Kollwitz, Gabriele Münter and Marianne Werefkin.
The viewing will take place on 18 November from 8am – 10am GMT in the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries in Burlington Gardens.
Places are limited so register now to avoid disappointment! You can register by clicking the Members’ Registration red button below. Please note you will be asked to log in to your BGA account before accessing the registration page.

MEMBERS’ REGISTRATION

The Energy Crisis: What next for the UK and Germany?
2022-12-01 13:00 - 14:00
Join us on 1 December 2022 at 1pm GMT/2pm CET on Zoom for a discussion between Dr Katja Yafimava, Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and Professor Dr Andreas Goldthau, Director of the Willy Brandt School and Franz Haniel Professor for Public Policy at the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences, University of Erfurt. The discussion will be moderated by Charlie Cooper, Senior Energy Correspondent at POLITICO.
Together, the speakers will discuss the two countries’ approaches to the energy crisis and ask: how well prepared are we for the upcoming winter, and the next one? Which learnings have been made and how have they impacted the UK’s and Germany’s efforts towards Net Zero, especially with the results of the recent COP27 in Egypt?
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.
Further details on the speakers can be found here.
You can watch the event video here:
https://vimeo.com/777403739

Carols and Readings at the Christuskirche Knightsbridge
2022-12-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Christuskirche, 19 Montpelier Place
The BGA’s traditional Carols and Readings with the Christuskirche Knightsbridge will take place on Thursday, 15 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, Weihnachtsgebäck (gingerbread biscuits) and a warming glass of Glühwein.
The Carols and Readings will begin at 7pm GMT and will be led by Pastor Lars Klehn. 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.
To cover the costs of the service and to support our charitable work, we are asking for a contribution of £20 per ticket. If you would be willing to make an additional seasonal donation to the BGA, we encourage you to do so here.
We are expecting high demand for this perennially popular event in the lovely church, so make sure to reserve your place early!
Please click here to book your ticket.

LSE & FU Berlin Conference - Beyond the Barbed Wire
2023-01-13 09:00 - 2023-01-14 14:00 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom
BGA members have been invited to attend a conference (in person and on Zoom) on 13 and 14 January hosted by the London School of Economics (LSE) together with the Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin). Under the title “Beyond the Barbed Wire”, the conference will examine the history of internees and prisoners of war in two World Wars and in global contexts, with particular emphasis on the social and intellectual history of knowledge production related to internment. Further details, including the registration link, can be found here.

Stammtisch at Stein's in Kensington
2023-01-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington
On Tuesday 17 January at 6.30pm GMT, the BGA will be hosting its first Stammtisch of the year at Stein’s Restaurant in Kensington, London. The German concept of a Stammtisch is a regular informal get-together, typically over a beer.

2023 LSE German Symposium
2023-02-13 09:00 - 2023-02-17 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 13-17 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 22nd time in 2023 under the motto “Thriving Together”. Featuring a wide variety of events ranging from keynote speeches and discussion panels to intimate coffee chats with world-class speakers, the LSE offers time and space for rigorous political debate. Tickets will be released soon.

Guildford Twinning Association in conversation with Niall Sellar
2023-02-20 19:00 - 21:00
Niall Sellar is the translator of German author Volker Kutscher’s Inspector Gereon Rath books, the basis of the TV series Babylon Berlin. Niall has taught German, English and French in different educational settings, but his real passion is translation.
BGA members are invited to join this event organised by the Guildford Twinning Association at the Guildford Borough Council on Monday, 20 February. Doors open 7pm GMT, and the lecture starts at 7.15pm GMT.
Guests are invited to stay for a glass of wine after the talk.
You can register on the following link or at the door on the evening: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/volker-kutscher-a-translators-story-tickets-525138723057

Reception co-hosted by the BGA and the German Embassy in London
2023-02-21 18:30 - 21:00 | 34 Belgrave Square
SOLD OUT
The British-German Association (BGA) and the German Embassy in London request the pleasure of members’ company at our joint reception on Tuesday, 21 February 2023 from 6.30pm-9pm GMT at German House, 34 Belgrave Square, London.
Dress code: Lounge suit.
Please bring your ticket and photo ID. No large bags please.
Please note that due to building refurbishments, this event does not have step-free access.
This event is for BGA members only (no guests).

Implications of the Windsor Framework
2023-03-13 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual Event
Join us on Monday 13 March at 5pm GMT on Zoom for a discussion of the Windsor Framework with Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU law and Employment Law at the University of Cambridge, and Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast. Together, the speakers will consider key aspects of the Windsor Framework and its implications for the UK’s future relations with the EU and with Germany.
Further information on the speakers can be found here.
You can watch the event video below:

Interview with HE Miguel Berger, German Ambassador to the UK
2023-03-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
Join us on Monday 27 March at 6pm GMT on Zoom for an interview with HE Miguel Berger, the German Ambassador to the UK and a Patron of the BGA.
Following the recent Windsor Framework, and on the eve of HM King Charles III’s state visit to Germany, this will be a timely moment to examine the potential for the British-German relationship.
The interview will be conducted by the BGA’s Chairman, Peter Barnes. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview.
HE Miguel Berger has been the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Kingdom since May 2022. From May 2020 to January 2022, he was a State Secretary at the Federal Foreign Office. Prior to that he was Director General for Economic Affairs and Sustainable Development (2016-2020), Regional Director for the Near and Middle East and the Maghreb (2014-2016), and Commissioner for Globalization, Energy and Climate Policy (2013-2014).
You can watch the event video here:

Beyond the Wall - Katja Hoyer in conversation with Jenny Hill
2023-04-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us on Wednesday 5 April at 6.30pm BST on Zoom for a conversation between German-British historian Katja Hoyer and the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Jenny Hill about Katja’s new book, Beyond the Wall: East Germany 1949-1990.
You can watch the event video here:
