Thomas Mann House

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Thomas Mann House

Residency center and space for transatlantic debate | Los Angeles, Berlin The Thomas Mann House is a residency center owned by the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles aims to create a vibrant transatlantic space for debate, where outstanding personalities, in dialogue with each other and the host country, address fundamental contemporary and future issues related to politics, society, and culture. The Thomas Mann Fellowships enable academics, pioneering thinkers, and intellectuals who live, or have lived, in Germany to tackl

e the pressing challenges of our time and to foster the intellectual and cultural exchange between Germany and the United States. The interdisciplinary program of the Thomas Mann House owes much to the spirit of Thomas Mann. During his time in the United States, the writer, in his literary works, lectures and essays, extensively dealt with issues such as the roots of fascism, democratic renewal, freedom, migration, and exile. Following in the tradition of Thomas Mann’s radio broadcasts to “German Listeners!,” the Thomas Mann House, as a central element of its activities, focuses on the big issues of our time. The Thomas Mann House builds on the socio-political work of the Nobel Laureate in Literature. It brings together German and American interlocutors from different disciplines, intellectual and artistic traditions, and political backgrounds. Fellowships and events facilitate encounters and intellectual exchange. Various media formats make heard important voices from Germany and the United States and bring them into an open dialogue with the wider public. The Thomas Mann House takes into account the diversity of the German immigrant nation. Its program also includes positions from the Pacific region and Latin America in particular. Via lecture tours, workshops, and symposia, as well as radio broadcasts and digital media, it is to radiate out from Pacific Palisades across the United States and to Germany. Part of the cultural, academic, and political networks in Southern California, the Thomas Mann House provides important inspiration and ideas for German-American relations.

08/21/2026

Welcome to our new Fellow Morgane Llanque! 🌴Morgane is a journalist and writer. Her debut non-fiction book, Diversity: Another History of Humankind (Vielfalt- Eine andere Geschichte der Menschheit), was published in 2025 and received a nomination for the Best Science Book of the Year Award. She studied history, politics and cultural journalism, and was a fellow of both the Catholic School of Journalism and the Heinrich Böll Foundation's Transatlantic Media Fellowship programme. She was also a fellow of the IJP (International Journalists' Programmes) in London. She writes for the magazine of the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) and, amongst others, for Die Zeit, taz and Good Impact magazine, in which her column 'Histourism' appears.

“During my fellowship, I want to examine contemporary alliances in the US, including interethnic, queer-feminist, and environmental initiatives relating to the values of the Rainbow Coalition, which was founded by Fred Hampton in 1969. My focus is on intersectional resistance that advocates for a more just society in the US and unites rather than divides.”

We look forward to the rest of summer with you ☀️

08/14/2026

Many thanks to our distinguished speakers and guests for such a lively debate at the Thomas Mann House last night! 2026 Thomas Mann Fellow Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Programs at Chatham House London, explored how cities can become engines of innovation, resilience and cooperation in an era marked by both growing interdependence and renewed geopolitical rivalry. The conversation featured Professor Stephanie Pincetl, founding Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities at UCLA, Erin Bromaghim, Chief of Staff to LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, and was moderated by Jonathan Blake, Director of the Planetary Program at the Berggruen Institute.

Geopolitical competition around the globe has returned, yet many of the defining challenges of our time—from climate change and resource scarcity to artificial intelligence and technological disruption—transcend national borders and political systems alike. Cities increasingly find themselves at the centre of this new reality: As hubs of scientific research, technological innovation, investment, culture and civic experimentation, they are often where planetary challenges are experienced most directly and where new solutions are first developed. How can new transatlantic urban partnerships be built—and what role can Los Angeles, Berlin, and other global cities play in shaping them?

08/13/2026

"The next time you measure the success and vibrancy of a democracy, don’t be satisfied by large election votes, huge rallies and protests, impressive leaders’ speeches, or exemplary founding documents. Examine its true balance sheet, its Life Ledger. How long can its citizens expect to live?"

On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of independence in the United States, renowned sociologist Sanyu A. Mojola (Princeton University) revisits the Declaration of Independence and its promise to secure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all citizens. She examines how public policies shape life expectancy and produce profound inequalities across neighborhoods, cities, and nations. Mojola asks us to judge a democracy not only by its elections, rally sizes or political rhetoric, but by a simple question: "How long can its citizens expect to live?”

▶️Find the full speech via our link in bio!

Sanyu A. Mojola is Maurice P. During Professor of Demographic Studies, and Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. She is a leading scholar of health inequality, demography, and public policy, and the author of "Death by Design: Producing Racial Health Inequality in the Shadow of the Capitol.”

The series is presented by the Thomas Mann House in cooperation with and .

07/31/2026

▶️ Folge Zwölf der Thomas Mann BBC-Reden
📻 Charlotte Knobloch kommentiert Thomas Mann Ansprache von Mai 1945, in der die Kapitulation Deutschlands und das Ende des Krieges behandelt wird. Thomas Mann bringt dabei noch einmal die Enttäuschung über die nicht erfolgte Selbstbefreiung vom NS-Regime zum Ausdruck. Er prophezeit schwere Jahre, die bevorstehen, betont aber auch, dass der Sieg über die Nationalsozialisten eine Rückkehr zur Menschlichkeit für Deutschland bedeuten kann.
Zum 150. Geburtstag Thomas Manns wurden die BBC-Radioansprachen von der Schauspielerin Sandra Hüller neu eingesprochen. Vierzehn herausragende zeitgenössische Stimmen aus Politik, Wissenschaft und Kultur kommentieren diese, treten mit Manns Texten in einen Dialog und diskutieren ihre heutige Relevanz.
Die Folgen sind auf unserer Website in voller Länger zu hören. Link in Bio.
📸 Charlotte Knobloch: Daniel Schvarcz
📸 Thomas Mann: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Thomas-Mann-Archiv, TMA_1504
📸 Visual Charlotte Knobloch & Deutschland, höre: Studio Pandan ()

▶️ Episode Twelve of Thomas Mann’s BBC Broadcasts
📻 Charlotte Knobloch comments on Thomas Mann's speech from May 1945, which deals with Germany's surrender and the end of the war. Thomas Mann once again expresses his disappointment at the failure to liberate themselves from the N**i regime. He predicts difficult years ahead but also emphasises that victory over the N**is could mean a return to humanity for Germany.
Thomas Mann’s BBC broadcasts from 1940 to 1945 are a unique testament of resistance against the N**i regime — and at the same time a powerful appeal to humanism, democracy, and responsibility. To mark the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann’s birth, the BBC radio addresses have been newly recorded by actress Sandra Hüller. Thirteen outstanding contemporary voices from politics, scholarship, and culture comment on them, enter a dialogue with Mann’s texts, and discuss their relevance today.
The episodes can be heard in full length on our website. Link in Bio.

07/17/2026

Last night, Thomas Mann Fellow and Ukrainian writer Margaryta Surzhenko hosted an intimate literary and musical evening: the program, titled “Breaking the Silence,” combined readings from previously unpublished work by Surzhenko about the ongoing war in Ukraine with original music by composer and pianist Luis RosaLebron, joined by violinist Andrew Krastins. Together, they reflected on war, memory, displacement, and the search for a voice after trauma. RosaLebron performed on Thomas Mann’s historic Faustus piano, connecting past and present experiences of exile through the healing power of literature and music.

Many thanks to our guests for a meaningful Q&A and exchange after the program.

literature

07/10/2026

How does religion shape societies? And does religious affiliation decline? What role does religion play in democracies today? Last night at the Thomas Mann House, 2026 Thomas Mann Fellow & theologian Michael Seewald (University of Munich) and sociologist Sanyu A. Mojola (Princeton University) explored the paradoxical role of religion in contemporary society. Their conversation examined why religion remains a powerful political tool and discussed its influence on democracy, social inequality, the health sector, public life, and social change.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for an engaging evening of interdisciplinary dialogue and thoughtful discussion at the Thomas Mann House.

Sanyu A. Mojola is Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs and the Maurice P. During Professor of Demographic Studies at Princeton University. She has held numerous fellowships, including at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. In 2016, she received the Distinguished Scholarly Book Award (Best Book of the Year) of the American Sociological Association. Her most recent book is entitled “Death by Design: Producing Racial Health Inequality in the Shadow of the Capitol” (University of California Press, 2025).

Michael Seewald holds the Chair of Dogmatics and the History of Dogma at the University of Munich, and is a Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) in Berlin. His books have been translated into 11 languages. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, one of the most prestigious and highest-endowed research awards worldwide. His most recent book is entitled “Theories of Doctrinal Development in the Catholic Church” (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Seewald is a 2026 Fellow at the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles.

LosAngeles TransatlanticDialogue”

07/06/2026

▶️ Die elfte Folge der Thomas Mann BBC-Reden

"In der Zeit kann man froh sein, dass es einen Thomas Mann gab, der stellvertretend für viele den deutschen Geist hochgehalten hat gegen all den Schmutz und den Dreck und die Besoffenheit."

📻 Navid Kermani kommentiert die Ansprache von November 1945, die an sich nicht Teil der Reihe „Deutsche Hörer“ ist. Deren Ausstrahlung stellte die BBC zum Kriegsende ein, da dessen politisches Ziel durch das Ende des Krieges bereits erreicht worden war. Thomas Mann knüpft zwar an seine Tätigkeit für die BBC an, spricht aber in eigener Sache und behandelt das Thema der „inneren Integration“.

Zum 150. Geburtstag Thomas Manns wurden die BBC-Radioansprachen von der Schauspielerin Sandra Hüller neu eingesprochen. Vierzehn herausragende zeitgenössische Stimmen aus Politik, Wissenschaft und Kultur kommentieren diese, treten mit Manns Texten in einen Dialog und diskutieren ihre heutige Relevanz.
Die Folgen sind auf unserer Website in voller Länger zu hören. Link in Bio.

📸 Navid Kermani: Heike Bogenberger
📸 Berlin, Sowjetsektor, 1945: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Thomas-Mann-Archiv, TMA_1507
📸 Visual Deutschland, höre: Studio Pandan ()

▶️ Episode eleven of Thomas Mann’s BBC Broadcasts

📻 Navid Kermani comments on the address from November 1945, which in itself is not part of the series “Deutsche Hörer” (“German Listeners”). The BBC discontinued broadcasting the series at the end of the war, as its political objective had already been achieved with the war’s conclusion.

Thomas Mann’s BBC broadcasts from 1940 to 1945 are a unique testament of resistance against the N**i regime — and at the same time a powerful appeal to humanism, democracy, and responsibility. To mark the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann’s birth, the BBC radio addresses have been newly recorded by actress Sandra Hüller. Thirteen outstanding contemporary voices from politics, scholarship, and culture comment on them, enter a dialogue with Mann’s texts, and discuss their relevance today.

The episodes can be heard in full length on our website. Link in Bio.

06/17/2026

Welcome Back, Katia! After one year at the in Munich, we are happy to welcome back Franz von Lenbach’s painting of Katia Pringsheim at the Thomas Mann House! Thanks to for including the painting in their exhibition “Erinnerung Ist…” and to .design for handling shipment and logistics. Learn more about the layered history of Lenbach’s 1892 painting “Portrait of a Girl” on our website.

06/06/2026

Today, we celebrate Thomas Mann’s 151st birthday! Exactly one year after the re-opening of the Thomas Mann House, we are excited to host our sister institution on the occasion of the launch of a critically acclaimed edited volume marking the Villa's 30th anniversary.

We would like to dedicate this birthday post to the relationship between Lion Feuchtwanger and Thomas Mann: From their early days in the Munich literary scene to exile in Sanary-sur-Mer and later Los Angeles, the friendship between Thomas Mann and Lion Feuchtwanger was shaped by displacement, literature, and a shared fight against fascism. Both of their books were burned by the N**is in 1933, and years later, they found themselves reading manuscripts to each other in the hills above the Pacific. At what is now Villa Aurora, the Feuchtwangers created a refuge for artists and exiles, a place Mann once called “a veritable castle by the sea.” Even after the Manns left the United States again, both writers mourned the loss of those evenings of conversation, literature, and friendship. As Thomas Mann once wrote in a letter to Feuchtwanger: “As you’ve probably noticed, I am fond of you.”

Today, we remember and celebrate two important literary voices, a friendship in exile, and their former homes that are now Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House!

If you’d like to learn more about Lion & Marta Feuchtwanger, we recommend the new Villa Aurora book, edited by Claudia Gordon and Jakob Scherer, out via .

Quote: Letter from Thomas Mann to Lion Feuchtwanger, August 6, 1951, in Lion Feuchtwanger: Briefwechsel mit Freunden, edited by Harold von Hofe, Aufbau Verlag 1991.

Images:

Feuchtwanger: © Ulrich Strauss
Mann: ETH Library Zurich, Thomas Mann Archive
Villa Aurora 2026 © Mike Kelley
Villa Aurora (archive)

06/05/2026

Our recording of the conversation between Krista Tippett, author and award–winning host of the renowned podcast , and Navid Kermani, one of Germany’s most acclaimed writers, hosted by the is finally online! The event titled "Search of a Common Cause" featured the two renowned thinkers discussing literature, politics, and spirituality in a free and open exchange that touched on what it means to be a writer in a polarized world, how the concept of “the West” is changing, and how literature, poetry, and religion can foster solidarity in a fractured world.

🔗▶️ Find the full conversation via our bio!

The event was organized by the Thomas Mann House & the Los Angeles Public Library, and filmed on January 11, 2026 in the LAPL's beautiful Mark Taper Auditorium.

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