About the Germanic-American Institute
Our History
The Germanic-American Institute’s predecessor, the Volksfest Association of Minnesota, was formed in 1957 as a collaborative group of Germanic clubs, celebrating Minnesota’s statehood centennial in public festivities. By selling bonds and a variety of volunteer fundraising efforts, the organization purchased the Summit Avenue Haus for $60,000 in 1965, and refurbished it to suit the needs of a Kulturhaus for social and cultural gatherings. In the early 1990s, the organization changed its name to the Germanic-American Institute (GAI) to reflect the changing demographics and focus of the organization.
The Present
Today, the Germanic-American Institute is a 501 C3 non-profit organization whose mission is to foster appreciation and understanding of the culture, language, arts, and ongoing history of the German speaking peoples through public educational and cultural programs.
The GAI carries out its mission through three main areas: Education, Cultural Programming, and Community Building. Within these areas, we offer:
Education
- Kinderstube German Immersion preschool
- Children’s Saturday school and summer language camps
- Sponsorship of the Twin Cities German Immersion School
- Language classes for adults (now offering Russian & Italian)
- Test center for Goethe Institut proficiency exams
- Library with German language books, films, CDs, & games
Cultural Programming
- festivals such as Deutsche Tage weekend and Familienfest
- cultural programming featuring speakers and performers from across the U.S. and Europe
- partnerships with other cultural organizations in the Twin Cities to host celebrations such as the Martintags parade or the annual Christmas Market and Open Haus
- co-sponsorship of exchanges and events with visitors from Neuss, the German Sister City of St. Paul
Community Building
- Interest-based Gruppen such as play group for families of toddlers or Kreuz und Quer young people’s social group
- Monthly member gathering opportunities to enjoy German food, conversation, and socializing
- Regular opportunities to volunteer and actively participate at events or with special projects