Humboldt-Institut, German as a Foreign Language

Norbert Güthling, founder of the Humboldt Institute, gave an exclusive interview to Go Easy Berlin and shared with us his passion and history for his life-long project that was founded in 1977 the same year his son Lennart was born and who is officially in charge for operating business. The purpose of the enterprise is simple – bringing German language to people in Germany in a model of quality education that still unreached.

The beginning

For those who do not know, the Humboldt-Institut is a center of excellence in education in Germany, with branches in several cities and worldwide recognized by high standards. It is not for less that the first language center started in a castle. Norbert confessed that since he was a little child, he always dreamed of living in a castle and destiny directed him to direct his own empire.

In 1977 his first student arrived at the castle, a young Dutchman who was surprised to realize that he was the first and only student of the class. It was a very challenging time for the institution, since it was necessary to grow and increase the Humboldt family. Norbert explained that despite the imminent challenges he never lacked the motivation and dedication to reach his goals and dreams.

The family

Today the Humbolt-Institut already collects more than 60,000 students from more than 160 countries in its history. That said, the Humboldt Institute belongs to the largest and most experienced German language schools as a foreign language. A trajectory of success and that had fundamental support of its relatives and friends.

Employees, teachers and students form a real family, and this is a very clear image when entering any center of the institution. Norbert’s wife and children also work at the Humboldt Institute and their motivation is about building something commendable and of great value to everyone in the cycle.

As a visitor to the institute in Berlin, we could see how much Norbert is loved by the staff and students. Teacher Stefan, who besides being an excellent professional, always welcomes us with much attention and affection and showed us an immense admiration for the founder. Everyone is part of Humboldt’s family and studying in such an environment only benefits the students.

German, culture and language

Our entire interview was made in German language and this was very motivating for Go Easy Berlin. We asked why Humboldt standards are so high. Norbert clarified that the basics are very important, so if a student has not absorbed 100% of the basic content, he probably will have problems at the intermediate level and so on.

This is in fact a problem that many students carry, and we agree with this methodology. We also find it interesting to ask the director how German culture is integrated into the Humboldt didactic process. The answer was very direct, first the language and consequently activities that bring together the students. The multicultural environment provides positive interaction between students and unites them in the common language – German.

The Humboldt-Institut also segregates its students by age and interests. For example, for young people and adults the fields of Constance and Berlin are ideal. However, for younger age groups, there are several other fields with activities ranging from skiing to horseback riding.

Norbert has always been concerned about bringing peace of mind to parents who send their children to an exchange in Germany. Therefore, its centers always offer tutors who accompany students in all activities, in addition to an exceptional structure with canteens and dormitories, some of which are royal castles. Really incredible!

He recalled during our interview when his mother told him that it was only to put on the plate what to eat and this philosophy against waste is passed on to its students in the institutes. For students who have special diet and follow restrictions, the Institute is also prepared to meet these needs and ensure maximum comfort.

Brazilians in Germany

Finally, I asked him what his opinion was about the Brazilian students coming to the institute, which represents between 2 and 3% of the total number of students. With a smile on his face, Norbert said that he admires the energy of the Brazilians and the positive way we face the dark and cold days of the German winter.

He also recalled that Brazilian students often learn the winter sports offered in southern Germany much faster than students who come from cold countries and a tradition of snow sports. Our motivation and dedication to learning new things is greatly admired by him.

We at Go Easy Berlin thank you very much for the opportunity to spend some hours with Mr. Norbert Güthling and together with the Humboldt-Institut family. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us and for more information about the programs, click here.

The idea of that interview was given by Marcel Scharner, a passionate Berliner and friend of the Humboldt family. This is one of the proposes of our blog, which is bring information and inspiration for those who are considering coming to Germany.