German Career Day (April 26th 2023)

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Exciting insights into opportunities with German in Aotearoa New Zealand, and Germany during our “German Career Day”!

With the support of DAAD and the School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics of UoA, the Auckland Goethe Society organized an event to show the broad span of options with German.

After the opening by Eve Walter, vice-president of AGS, guest speakers shared their experiences and gave advice:

The German New Zealand Chamber of Commerce CEO, Monique Surge, talked about her career as a bilingual Kiwi and gave insight into internships at German companies in New Zealand. Diana Feick, Senior Lecturer and program coordinator of German/UoA, advised on various internship options in Germany. Mareike Schmidt, representative of the DAAD in NZ, advised on study options abroad. Marcus Noakes, Press Officer at the German Embassy, shared his experiences while interning at the German Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) holding an “IPS - Internationales Parlamentssstipendium”.

After the talks, the audience got to know each other and asked more specific questions while enjoying coffee, cake, and pretzels.

About 25 interested people joined the event in person on UoA’s City Campus and online.

Written by Mareike Schmidt

Special Guest: German Hip-Hop Artist AN JAY (March 29th 2023)

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"Osteuropa" and "Digital" are only two of many songs performed by German rap artist AN-JAY who was invited by Auckland Goethe Society and DAAD New Zealand to Auckland. Members of AGS, students of German and some native German speakers came together on March 29 to listen to AN-JAYs music and talk with him about his music and about what inspires him. Over snacks and beverages AN-JAY, who also gave workshops and presentations in German classes in High Schools while being in NZ Aotearoa, shared interesting insights into the creative process of writing music.

Written by Mareike Schmidt

Guest speaker: Prof Klemens Renoldner (February 9th 2023)

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In early February, an international conference on the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig was hosted by the German section at the University of Auckland. Prof. Klemens Renoldner, founding director of the Stefan-Zweig-Centre at the University of Salzburg, gave a presentation on Zweig's autobiography Die Welt von Gestern for the Auckland Goethe Society.

Prof. Renoldner talked about Zweig's interest in the genre of autobiography and how his earlier explorations of autobiographical writing by others (Casanova, Stendal, Tolstoy) shaped the writing process his own memoirs. He argued that such important considerations should also be taken into account by anyone undertaking biographical work on Zweig.

Written by Stephan Resch

AGM and Weihnachtsfeier (December 1st 2022)

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The Auckland Goethe Society celebrated the end of another successful year with its AGM, followed by the annual Weihnachtsfeier. There was Stollen from Diehl’s Bakery and alcohol-free Glühwein (mulled wine) provided, which were enjoyed by the members while mingling. As a special concert, three of the committee members Courtney Sole (President), Vanessa Chong (Secretary), and Zoë Kiefte (Vice-President) performed a selection of Christmas songs on keyboard and saxophone to get everyone into the Weihnachtsstimmung (Christmas mood).

Thank you to everyone who organised and attended this event. Frohe Weihnachten und guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! We will see you all for more exciting events celebrating German language and culture in 2023.

Written by Eve Walter

Kerstin Preiwuß Book Reading (October 14th 2022)

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German author Kerstin Preiwuß read from her most recent novel, "Nach Onkalo", in a hybrid event hosted by the Auckland Goethe Society.

Primarily being a poet, her language forms powerful characters and settings.

Matuschek, the novel's main protagonist, was 40 when his mother died. Now, living alone in a big house in the nothingness of Germany's northeast, he doesn't know what to do with his time. No spouse and people leave this area when they can. But he stays; he is one of the few inhabitants of the backland that is forgotten and given up.

"Nach Onkalo" is a novel that evolves slowly and adds an impressive insight into the hearts and souls of communities that seemingly stay behind and seem to be forgotten by the rest of the country.

The unique characters and Kerstin's guidance through her novel capture the audience quickly. It was a fantastic opportunity to deal with a part of contemporary German society not often talked about.

Written by Mareike Schmidt