The British-German Association

12/06/2026

Competition time - just in time for the start of the World Cup! Following on from Ben McFadyean’s conversation with Max Ehmer, we are offering a competition to win one of Max’s very own match-worn and signed shirts!

To enter the competition, make sure to:
- Like this post
- Send us your answer via Private Message by 26/06/26

Make sure to watch the interview if you haven’t already - it is now available on our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPOh2gKHuI

We will contact the winner in the week commencing 29th June - good luck!

11/06/2026

Do you feel like you would be perfect for our Learning Executive role? If so, head on over to our website and apply by 28th June!

The role will serve as the BGA’s primary point of contact with German-teaching secondary schools and university German departments, working closely with partners such as the German Embassy, the Goethe-Institut, UK-German Connection. They will also contribute to public policy discussions on issues relevant to the teaching of German and educational engagement in Germany, helping to promote German language learning across the UK.

If you are interested, more information about desired skills and the role itself can be found here: https://britishgermanassociation.org/learning-exe/

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

Last week, we were delighted to be included in a football-focussed interview with Ben McFadyean and Max Ehmer - now live on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPOh2gKHuI

Ben McFadyean is an established British football journalist, writer, translator, and academic who specialises in German football and the Bundesliga. He is widely recognised as a leading English-speaking expert on German football, culture, industry structure, and major clubs like Borussia Dortmund (BVB). Publications he writes for include Four Four Two, Gulf News, World Soccer Magazine, and Ruhr24, Ruhr Nachrichten and Flashscore.de. He is host of the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London Podcast. Ben has also made contributions to three books on German football including: The Bundesliga Blueprint by Lee Price (Bennion Keaney 2015), and The Defiant by Chris Lee (Pitch Publishing 2022).

Known for his physical presence, aerial ability, and a 16 year career in English football, Max Ehmer is a 34-year-old German professional footballer and club captain for National League South side Ebbsfleet United. This season, he reached a remarkable milestone by surpassing the long-standing appearance record for a German player in English football, previously held since 1964 by the late Bert Trautmann OBE.
The talk in addition to looking at Ehmer’s career and previewing Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany team selection, was a particularly insightful view into English-German football connections, and lasting relationships - topics that are to be reignited during the upcoming World Cup this week.

Links to Ben’s articles are here: https://muckrack.com/ben-mcfadyean/articles
Link to the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London Podcast: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/borussia-dortmund-fan-club-lon-431855
Link to Max Ehmer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max_ehmer/

09/06/2026

We are looking forward to our now fully-booked in-person event tomorrow at the Houses of Parliament - in partnership with the International Association for the Study of German Politics (IASGP).

The event will bring together expert speakers Dr Ed Turner, Reader at Aston University and Chair of the IASGP, and Dagmar Seeland, UK and Ireland Correspondent for STERN magazine, to assess the government’s first year in office, exploring key developments in domestic policy, economic strategy, and Germany’s role on the European and international stage. The discussion will also consider the implications for the UK-Germany relationship.

The event will be moderated by Julie Smith, Baroness Smith of Newnham, Professor of European Politics in the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at Cambridge University.

There will be opportunity to engage in discussion and networking following the panel.

05/06/2026

This week’s has a fantastic twinning ‘twist’ to it! Last month, a delegation from Reinickendorf, Berlin, headed to Greenwich - a twinning partnership that has now been flourishing for 60 years. Our London Boroughs Representative, Dr. Robert Keeling was involved, with Frank Zemke leading the delegation.

Frank has been active in the twinning since 1968, and has established and maintained football’s integral role of the partnership over the decades. Original members of the Reinickendorf football team came along for the UK trip, and along with their English friends, even watched the Cup final together in the pub.

Thank you to Rob and Frank for filling us in on a unique and lasting British-German connection, especially one with a great spotlight on how football can bring people together and create long-lasting friendships!

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

The weather has been tumultuous here in London, so this will pay homage to that!

Hundewetter - literally ‘dog weather’, is a word that is used for particularly unpleasant, rainy, windy weather. I guess it’s still similar to our phrase “it’s raining cats and dogs”...

02/06/2026

This , we’d like to highlight Val Pearce and her incredible work with Bicester’s twinned towns over the last decades! Her twinning journey has spanned 44 years, serving the Twinning Association ever since its inception, and will step down as Chair next year.

At the installation of the new Mayor in Bicester last month, Val was presented with the original copy of all of the Twinning Charters in recognition of her tireless work related to Bicester and District Twinning Association.

Bicester is twinned with Neunkirchen-Seelscheid in Germany - a town that is now filled with lifelong friends Val has made over the years.

We loved hearing about Val and her work, and wish her the very best in her final year as Chair!

01/06/2026

We are delighted that Tatler magazine has shone a spotlight on our BGA Medal of Honour ceremony held earlier this month!

The diligent Duke of Kent delivers a prestigious award in a rare public engagement
https://tatlermagazine.visitlink.me/z5bM6d