• Home
• About us
• Visas and migration
• Travelling to Australia
• Services for Australians
• Doing business with Australia
• Study in Australia
• Media
• About Australia
• Australia-Germany relationship
• Events
• Deutsch
• 
• Travel advice
• Register with us

Welcome to the Australian Embassy, Berlin

Australia has a warm and significant bilateral relationship with Germany. We have wide-ranging dialogue and cooperation with Germany, which ranks ninth among Australia's trading partners. We have a strong and expanding investment relationship. Germany is Australia's fifth largest source of foreign direct investment and Australia's fourth largest investment destination.

Germany has been a significant source of migrants to Australia. Germans and Australians have wide-ranging interest in each other's culture. Australia is one of the most popular overseas destinations for German tourists and students. The Government is keen to expand existing links with Germany, including in traditional and new commercial spheres.

Video interview with the Ambassador, H.E. Peter Tesch

Current News

For latest news available from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, please see www.dfat.gov.au 

Australian Ancestral Remains to be Returned from Berlin
A delegation of representatives from Indigenous peoples in Australia is on a visit to Berlin this week to collect ancestral remains from the Charité.

Address by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts, The Hon. Michael Danby MP: Indigenous Ancestral Remains returning home

ANZAC Day 2013
To commemorate the 98th Anniversary of the landings at Anzac Cove and to honour the war dead of both nations, a Service of Remembrance will be held at the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery, Heerstraße 151 in Berlin-Charlottenburg at 10:30h on Thursday 25 April 2013.

Address by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts, The Hon. Michael Danby MP: Lest We Forget, Nie Wieder, Koved Zayer Ondenk

   
Ambassador Peter Tesch (left) and the Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts The Hon. Michael Danby MP speaking at the ANZAC Day 2013 ceremony in Berlin

Minister for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation on visit to Berlin

The Minister for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation, the Hon Greg Combet AM, MP (pictured right), visited Berlin for an official program on 10-12 April, including talks with German Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Peter Altmaier MdB

International Women's Day 2013
Senator the Hon Bob Carr Minister for Foreign Affairs has recorded a video message to mark UN International Women's Day (8 March) addressing this year's IWD theme of ending violence against women.
YouTube: Message from the Foreign Minister
YouTube: Message from Australia's Global Ambassador for Women and Girls
Op-ed: International Women's Day

Australia at Berlinale 2013
Australian films win top awards at the Berlin International Film Festival
Two Australian films have won Crystal Bear awards at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival in an outstanding show of recognition of Australian talent. Kim Mordaunt's debut feature The Rocket won Best Feature in the Generation Kplus program. Matthew Moore's The Amber Amulet has been awarded Best Short Film in Generation Kplus and Catriona McKenzie's feature Satellite Boy has received two Special Mentions in the same section.
The Rocket also won Berlinale's Best First Feature Award and the Amnesty International Film Prize.

The Australian film industry was represented strongly at this year's Festival, including in the NATIVe program (australiaatberlin.com).

   
Ambassador Peter Tesch (2nd from left) with Berlinale NATIVe program curator Maryanne Redpath, US Ambassador Phil Murphy (right), New Zealand Ambassador Peter Rider (2nd from right) and Canadian Chargé d’Affairs Eric Walsh, at a reception at the Embassy celebrating Berlinale's NATIVe program  //  Ambassador Peter Tesch with Screen Australia's Erica Glynn, Head of Indigenous, Dr Ruth Harley, CEO, and Dale Fairbairn, Marketing Manager (from right).

   
Australian film director Warwick Thornton (left) with NATIVe program guests  //  ZDF editor Stefanie Hayn reporting from the NATIVe program reception at the Australian Embassy, 8 February 2013  

   
Australian cast and crew from 'Satellite Boy' in Berlinale's Generation program  //  Screen Australia's CEO Dr Ruth Harley with film director Jane Campion 

Berlin-Canberra Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Partnership

Marking the completion of the 60th anniversary year of full diplomatic relations between Australia and Germany on 28 January 2013, Australian Foreign Minister Senator the Hon Bob Carr visited Berlin for meetings with his German counterparts, Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle MdB and the Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development, Dirk Niebel MdB. Following their talks, Senator Carr and Dr Westerwelle signed the Berlin-Canberra Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Partnership.

Senator Bob Carr and German Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle concluding the signature of the Berlin-Canberra Declaration

Embassy celebrating Australia Day - Order of Australia Medal awarded to German RFDS supporter

Celebrating Australia Day, the Embassy hosted a major reception for around 400 guests on 28 January. Highlights of the event were the opening of activities for the 200th anniversary year of Ludwig Leichhardt (the famous explorer was born on 23 October 1813 in the Spreewald area south of Berlin), which included the unveiling of a commemorative coin issued by the Perth Mint, and the award of an Order of Australia Medal to German pediatrician Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel, who in 2004 established flydoc australia, a group supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service by raising donations.

   
Senator Carr and Perth Mint Marketing Director Ron Currie unveiling Leichhardt coin (left) and Senator Carr awarding OAM to Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel

Bicentenary of the birth of Ludwig Leichhardt in October 2013
Overview of projected activities

Australia-Germany Innovation Forum
The next 60 years of innovation in action - 24 January 2013

Australia and Germany celebrating 60 years of full diplomatic relations in 2012
Historical document: Statement by the Minister for External Affairs, the Rt. Hon. R.G. Casey, 28 January 1952
Op-ed: Australia Germany - Close Friends and Global Citizens - Looking Beyond 60
Youtube-Video: Australia and Germany - celebrating 60 years of formal diplomatic relations

Third Australia-Germany Science Circle
The Australian Embassy in Germany hosted the Third Australia-Germany Joint Science Circle at the Deutsches Museum in Bonn on 18 October 2012.


Australia's Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb, AC, opened the Third Australia-Germany Joint Science Circle in Bonn, 18 Oct 2012.

Anniversary of Ludwig Leichhardt's 200th birthday in 2013
With a view to the anniversary of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt's 200th birthday in 2013, students of the Ludwig Leichhardt Oberschule, Goyatz, in the Spreewald area where Leichhardt was born, visited the Embassy in early August, and in turn Embassy staff visited the school later in the month.

   

NAIDOC Week 2012: Reading by award-winning author Kim Scott

   
Kim Scott reading at the Embassy

NAIDOC Week 2012 celebrated in Berlin - Indigenous artworks presented at the Embassy
Works by major artists from Central and Western Desert Art Communities

     
Opening of the show - Ambassador Peter Tesch and gallerist Matthias Kelch

Australian artists shine at dOCUMENTA (13)
The works of eight Australian visual artists will be on show at dOCUMENTA (13), opening 9 June in Kassel.

Australia - Germany Solar Future Forum - Berlin, 5 June 2012
Leading experts discuss future of photovoltaics / Solar industry forum on World Environment Day

The Australia-Germany Solar Future Forum web page is now live on the Austrade site

Ambassador Tesch welcomes the participants of the Australia-Germany Solar Futur Forum; and Ambassador Tesch with Senior Trade Commissioner Nicola Watkinson and Professor Martin Green

Sir George Reid Memorial Trophy at Hoppegarten
One hundred years ago, in May 1912, Sir George Reid, former Prime Minister of Australia and first High Commissioner for Australia to London, spoke in the Reichstag to an audience of state officials, politicians and commercial representatives about fostering closer economic ties between our two countries. To commemorate the centenary of the first official visit to Germany by an Australian government representative, the inaugural Sir George Reid Memorial Trophy horse race will be held at Hoppegarten racetrack.
27 May 2012, ground opens 12h, first race starts 14h //  Rennbahn Hoppegarten, Goetheallee 1, Hoppegarten bei Berlin
Complimentary access for Australian citizens (please present your Australian passport at the dedicated ticket desk)

Australia and Germany - Partners in the Asia Pacific Region?
Panel discussion followed by a book launch
Academy of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Berlin - 21 May 2012, 17:15h

Second Australian-German Science Circle, Berlin 2 Feb. 2012

The then Foreign Minister Rudd at the Munich Security Conference 2012
Text of remarks delivered by the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Rudd, at a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference, 4 February 2012, on the theme "America, Europe and the Rise of Asia".

The then Foreign Minister Rudd (2nd from right) participating in the panel discussion on "America, Europe and the Rise of Asia" at the Munich Security Conference, 4 February 2012, with fellow panellists (from left) Dr Henry Kissinger, Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Zhang Zhijun, US Senator John McCain, Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and EU Commissioner Michel Barnier. (Photo: Wolfgang Weber)

Mr Rudd and his German counterpart Dr Westerwelle at a joint press conference in Berlin, 25 January 2012. (Photo: Auswärtiges Amt / German Foreign Office) - Transcript of joint press conference

Australian rail on the fast track to success at Innotrans
Australian rail design, manufacturing and management capability will be on display at Innotrans 2012 as the industry gears up to deliver billions of euros in new domestic infrastructure.

Light + Building Future Award to Australian Nano Technology Researcher

Appointment of Australian Honorary Consul in Zurich, Switzerland
Ambassador Tesch hosted a reception for the newly appointed Australian Honorary Consul in Zurich, Mr Alexander Kaiser (below left), at the Zunfthaus zur Waag on 27 March. 

"We will complete our mission of training and transition"
Parliamentary statement by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, delivered on 21 November announcing that Australia will begin negotiations with the Afghan Government on a long-term partnership framework.

Australia works with World Food Programme to save lives in the Horn of Africa
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister announced the Government will provide $20 million in additional emergency humanitarian support for the 11.6 million people affected by the looming catastrophe in the Horn of Africa.

Matildas Playing in the FIFA World Cup
The Australian women's football team, the Matildas, are playing in Mönchengladbach, Bochum and Leverkusen in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Ambassador Peter Tesch attended the team's first match against Brasil on 29 June and met supporters and Football Australia officials.

Australia Signs a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with Liechtenstein 
Ambassador Peter Tesch and Liechtenstein Head of Government Klaus Tschütscher signed the bilateral agreement on 21 June 2011 in Vaduz.

Australia and Germany Drive Cooperation in Resource and Energy Sectors
Australia and Germany have committed to increased cooperation in the resource and energy sectors from greater investment through to closer collaboration in research and development (R&D).
 
Australian and German Foreign Ministers Open the Largest Business Technology Event in the Asia Pacific
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on 31 May opened CeBIT Australia, the largest annual business technology event in the Asia Pacific region. 

Australian-German Collaboration in Radio Astronomy
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration between the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy, the Max Plank Institute for Radio Astronomy and CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science was signed on 7 April 2011 in Berlin during a workshop on 'Renewable Energy Concepts for Mega-Science Projects demonstrated by the SKA and its Pathfinders'. A key focus of this MoU is to promote scientific and research cooperation in renewable energy capture, storage and management for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) between Australia and experts from Germany and the rest of the world. The MOU also looks to advance collaboration between Fraunhofer ISE, the Max Plank Institute for Radio Astronomy and CSIRO on the development of renewable energy systems for the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) and the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) instrument as an SKA precursor facility.

Pictured front row left to right Prof. Eicke R. Weber (Director Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE), Dr Brian Boyle (SKA Director Australia/New Zealand, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Prof. Michael Kramer (Director, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy) / back row left to right Ambassador Peter Tesch, Nicola Watkinson (Austrade, Frankfurt), Jason Shea (Australian Embassy Berlin) - photo: Phil Crosby (CSIRO)

Australia and Germany Strengthen Solar Research Ties
The Australian Government is further strengthening its support for research and development into solar technologies by increasing its international collaboration through a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Germany. In Germany today, 16 March, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr (pictured below right) signed the MoU between the Australian Solar Institute (ASI) and the Deutches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) - Germany's national research centre for aeronautics and space, represented by DLR Board Member Professor Ulrich Wagner (below left).

Australian Embassy Celebrating Centenary of International Women's Day

Germany named as CeBIT Australia 2011 Inaugural Partner Country
Germany will be the inaugural Partner Country for this year's CeBIT Australia exhibition and conference, which runs from 31 May until 2 June in Sydney. It was also announced that German Deputy Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will travel to Australia and officially open CeBIT Australia.
Further details: see Deutsche Messe AG press release.

Lily wins the Crystal Bear for Best Short Film at Berlin International Film Festival
Australian short film Lily has been awarded the prestigious Crystal Bear Award for Best Short Film in Generation K Plus at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival.

Ambassador Peter Tesch with film producer Jan Chapman (left), a member of the International Jury of this year's Berlin International Film Festival, and Dale Fairbairn, Screen Australia, at a reception celebrating Australia's participation in Berlinale 2011.

Remarks by The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, at reception hosted by H.E. Mr Michael Witter, Ambassador of The Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of the concert of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney, 20 Nov 2010

Australian film 'Franswa Sharl' winning award at 26th International Short Film Festival Berlin
Bester Kurzfilm für Jugendliche (Publikumspreis) / Best film for youth (audience award) : Untertitelung in bis zu drei Sprachen im Wert von 1.000 € von Samson & Fritaud Text/ Subtitling in up to three languages valued at €1000 from Samson & Fritaud Text : FRANSWA SHARL: Regie / Director: Hannah Hilliard, Australia, 2009, 13:53min 

Australian Historian Receiving Prestigious German Award
German Federal President Christian Wulff will present the 'Preis des Historischen Kollegs' to Christopher Clark on 5 November 2010.

Prime Minister and New Ministry Sworn In
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her Ministry were sworn in on 14 September 2010. Portfolio Ministers of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are the Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, and the Minister for Trade, The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP.