History, Mission Statement & Annual Reports

"70 Jahre d.a.i. - Ein Rücblick", short retrospection of the d.a.i.'s history (in German)

History  |  Mission Statement  |  Annual Reports

History

Starting in 1946 the American government build over 40 America-Houses all over Germany to offer Germans the possibility to learn more about the American culture.

As part of the Marshall Plan the Germans were provided with American literature, movies, talks and English classes.

The goal was the democratization or "reorientation" of the German population after World War II. In the course of that mission the America-House in Tübingen was founded on the 20th of June 1952. First, it was stationed in the rooms of the Museum but in May 1953 it moved to its current location, the Karlstraße.

The program vastly expanded over the years as they practiced “Public Diplomacy" in the whole region stretching as far as the Bodensee. This was done by providing book-buses, film-cars and information about the U.S. through speakers and readings by authors.

In the beginning the America-Haus Tübingen was financially and staff-wise a purely American institution. Today, the German-American-Institute belongs to the Deutsch-Amerikanischen Gesellschaft Tübingen e.V. – a nonprofit association with the mission of international understanding (see Statute (German)).

Today, the d.a.i. is funded two-thirds by membership-fees, donations, sponsoring and proceeds from events, language courses and travel. The other one-third is provided through public grants from the federal state Baden-Württemberg, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the University of Tübingen and the U.S. Embassy.

Further German Information:

If you would like to read up on the d.a.i.’s history in more depth please consult the German Festschrift from the 50th anniversary "Politics and Pop, People and Partnership". It can be borrowed in the libraries as well as reviewed at the d.a.i.

Here you can find the history chapter as well as the introduction of our director in this volume (2002) in German. There is also shorter version from the Tübinger Blättern (2002).

Here you can find the chapter "Little America" from the volume "Culture to go" (2005).

d.a.i. Tübingen’s customer-centered mission statement and organizational aims

1. The d.a.i. Tübingen offers all citizens from the city and district of Tübingen and the Neckar-Alb region comprehensive and detailed[KN1]  information: about the USA and German-American as well as European-American relations. To do so, it organizes a broad program of events that contributes to a better understanding of the ideals, values, and culture of both countries, and it provides the public with a library that contains mostly English-language media.

2. The d.a.i. Tübingen assists Germans and Americans as well as other nationalities in making contact. Encounters and exchanges between Germans and Americans are actively encouraged at the d.a.i., and the d.a.i. also offers in-depth advising sessions for stays abroad. In addition, the Institute organizes its own study, language, and continuing education trips to the USA.

3. To enable and intensify intercultural exchange, the d.a.i. Tübingen offers language training exclusively by native speakers in English but also in Spanish and German as a Foreign Language. The program includes offers for all age groups and levels of proficiency.

What Successful Learning Means for Us 

One of the main functions of the d.a.i. Tübingen’s offers is getting to know and understand American culture as well as high-quality instruction in English and Spanish. Foreign citizens are also able to learn German. In the area of language courses, lectures, and workshops as well as on the study and continuing education trips, the Institute believes the event or course has been successful it expands knowledge, improves skills, and if the participants feel they can take part in more activities than before. Linked to this, the process of learning itself, the shaping of the entire personality, and the improvement of participants’ career opportunities are very important to the d.a.i. At the d.a.i., learning is always a cooperative and action-focused process by instructors and participants with fixed objectives and in a context that supports learning to the maximum extent possible.

For this purpose, the d.a.i. has created an extensive course and continuing education program that is complemented by individualized advising, professional instructors, a comfortable learning atmosphere, and a final evaluation of the learning objectives.

Our Annual Reports

(only available in German)

Here you can find the current 2022 Annual Report (in German)

You can also read additional Annual reports: 

Jahresbericht 2021

Jahresbericht 2020

Jahresbericht 2019

Jahresbericht 2018

Jahresbericht 2017

Jahresbericht 2016

Jahresbericht 2015

Jahresbericht 2014

Jahresbericht 2013