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Press
2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann's birth, celebrating his influential literary legacy. This global event unites cultural institutions, scholars, and enthusiasts through exhibitions, readings, and digital initiatives. Mann2025.de is the central platform for event information and registration. With bilingual content, MANN 2025 invites audiences to explore Mann's works and relevance today, featuring a blog, poster campaigns, and collaborative events.
The initiative, spearheaded by Thomas Mann International, unites key institutions including the Buddenbrookhaus Lübeck, Monacensia im Hildebrandhaus Munich, Thomas Mann Archive at ETH Zurich, Thomas Mann House Los Angeles, and the Thomas Mann Cultural Center in Lithuania.
Press releases:
Los Angeles, Lübeck, Munich, Nida, Zurich – May 30, 2025 | Press Release Download (PDF) | Logo Download
"MANN 2025 – 150 Years of Thomas Mann": A Global Celebration of Democracy, Memory, and International Dialogue
In 2025, the Thomas Mann International Network and a host of partner institutions will mark the 150th anniversary of Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann with a yearlong series of events spanning continents. The commemorations, set to unfold throughout June and across the calendar year, will spotlight Mann’s enduring literary and political legacy, engaging with contemporary debates and diverse perspectives.
Program Highlights Include:
- “Listen, Germany!” – Thomas Mann’s Radio Speeches Reimagined (May 31):
In a special “Long Night” broadcast, acclaimed actress Sandra Hüller will present fifteen newly recorded renditions of Mann’s historic BBC radio addresses. Contemporary voices from politics, academia, and the arts will enter into dialogue with Mann’s words, exploring their resonance in today’s world.
(More information: “Germany, Listen!” – Then and Now) - Anniversary Conference in Lübeck (June 5–8):
The German Thomas Mann Society will host an international conference, “150 Years of Thomas Mann – Border Crossings and Transformations,” focusing on Mann’s evolution from conservative loyalist to committed democrat and cosmopolitan.
(More information: International Thomas Mann Conference 2025) - Exhibition: “My Time. Thomas Mann and Democracy” (from June 5):
Lübeck’s Buddenbrookhaus will unveil a comprehensive exhibition tracing Mann’s political journey—from his conservative beginnings to his outspoken advocacy for democracy. Six biographical turning points chart Mann’s emancipation, with original quotations from his articles, diaries, and speeches. The centerpiece: his renowned 1950 address, “My Time.”
(More information: My Time. Thomas Mann and Democracy) - Festive Program in Munich (June 6):
The Monacensia at Hildebrandhaus will celebrate Munich’s unique role in Mann’s life with guided tours, archival showcases, and the participatory format “Brought Along! – Thomas Mann in Personal Objects.”
(More information: The Fascination of Thomas Mann) - Birthday Celebration in Zurich (June 6):
The Thomas Mann Archive at ETH Zurich, the Thomas Mann Society Zurich, and the community of Kilchberg will host a (fully booked) commemorative event at the Conrad Ferdinand Meyer House, featuring music, readings, and conversations honoring Mann’s life and work. (More information: Happy Birthday, Thomas Mann) - Faustus Revisited – An Evening of Literature and Music (June 6):
Celebrating Mann’s 150th birthday and the reopening of the Thomas Mann House, this invitation-only event features readings from Doctor Faustus and music by Beethoven, Shaw, Stockhausen, and others, with performances by actors from the Los Angeles Poverty Department and musicians David Kaplan and Jonathan Hepfer. The evening is guided by 2025 Thomas Mann Fellow Steven Walter. (More information: Faustus Revisited) - Thomas Mann Festival in Nida (July 12–19):
The 29th International Thomas Mann Festival in Lithuania, themed “Time is Out of Joint. Faith,” will explore questions of trust and conviction in times of crisis through concerts, readings, and discussions.
(More information: 29th International Thomas Mann Festival: “Time is Out of Joint. Faith”)
A Central Platform for the Jubilee Year
Comprehensive information, background, and up-to-date features on all events are available at the bilingual platform Mann2025.de. The website offers a global program overview, event registration, and a blog with essays, interviews, and multimedia contributions. An international poster campaign will bring Mann’s diary quotations to cultural venues worldwide; organizers can download posters and the anniversary logo for their own initiatives.
The platform aims to foster international exchange and make the jubilee year accessible to a broad audience.
About the Thomas Mann International Network
The Thomas Mann International Network unites Thomas Mann institutions from Germany, Switzerland, Lithuania, and the United States. Its mission: to promote global awareness of Thomas Mann’s work and influence, encourage international dialogue, and realize joint projects. (More information: Who We Are – Thomas Mann International)
Contact
Thomas Mann International Network
info@mann2025.org
www.mann2025.de
Los Angeles, Lübeck, Munich, Nida, Zurich – December 3, 2024 | Press Release Download (PDF) | Image Download | Logo Download
“Mann 2025: 150 Years of Thomas Mann” – A Global Celebration Honoring the World Literary Figure
Lübeck, December 3, 2024 – In celebration of Thomas Mann's 150th birthday next year, Thomas Mann International, a coalition of internationally active Thomas Mann institutions, is launching the initiative “Mann 2025: 150 Years of Thomas Mann.”
Timeless Relevance in Challenging Times
Thomas Mann's work gains renewed relevance in times of global challenges. His warning against the popularity of irrationality, expressed in a speech before the U.S. Congress in 1943, resonates amid the increasing global pressure on democratic values and processes. Caren Heuer, head of the Buddenbrookhaus in Lübeck, emphasizes: “Mann's passionate advocacy for democracy and his warnings against anti-democratic and totalitarian dangers are gaining relevance once again today.”
Multifaceted Examination
The anniversary year highlights Thomas Mann in all his roles – as a citizen, artist, critic, exile, and family man, as well as a classic figure who has been the subject of research and public debate for decades. “Our approach reflects the complexity of Mann's work and personality," explains Hans Wisskirchen, President of the German Thomas Mann Society. The organizers invite controversial discussions and also aim for a critical reflection on the “Myth of Mann.”
Global Platform for Celebrations
The website Mann2025.de serves as a central hub for anniversary events worldwide. It provides information on readings, exhibitions, and discussion rounds in both German and English. Jakob Scherer, Managing Director of the Thomas Mann House in Berlin and Los Angeles: “Our goal is to make Thomas Mann's literary and political legacy accessible to a broad international audience without resorting to glorification.”
Accompanying Projects
Blog and Poster Campaign: A blog presents essays, interviews, and multimedia content that place Mann's work in a modern context. A poster campaign in cooperation with “Thomas Mann Daily” and S. Fischer Verlag features humorous quotes from Mann's diaries at cultural hotspots.
Call for Participation
Interested institutions are invited to register their own events on Mann2025.de and use the official anniversary logo. The platform enables international networking and increases the visibility of individual events.
About Thomas Mann International
Thomas Mann International unites international Thomas Mann institutions, including the Buddenbrookhaus in Lübeck, Monacensia at Hildebrandhaus in Munich, the Thomas-Mann-Archiv at ETH Library Zurich, the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles, and Thomo Manno Kultūros Centras in Lithuania, as well as S. Fischer Verlag and the German Thomas Mann Society.