The sample letter below is an actual letter that was sent to Dr. Ischinger. Please don't copy it exactly, but feel free to adapt it for your own circumstances.

Dear Dr. Ischinger,

I am very concerned to hear that the New York Goethe-Institut will close its Sprachabteilung by the end of this academic year. Also being considered for closing is that Institut's library. We have already suffered the closings of five U.S. Goethe-Instituts in the last three years (Seattle, Houston, Ann Arbor, Cincinnati, and St. Louis) and now this!

I am a native German and have actively promoted German language study in the U.S. for ten years in higher and secondary education. The resources of the Goethe Institut, teaching materials, workshops, consultations, and the library have been essential in my efforts to create a lively contemporary classroom environment, thereby furthering a modern image of Germany for the younger generation in the U.S. Since I do have family in Germany, I am frequently in touch with current developments, but many people are totally reliant on the resources of the Goethe-Institut to support their teaching and research.

I understand that fiscal realities require rethinking of allocation of funds but please do prevent this decision, which could do long-term damage. New York City is the cultural capital of the world these days. What kind of message is the German government sending by decreasing its cultural representation in a location where it is so needed!

Many New Yorkers of German heritage, language learners and teachers, and members of the general public take advantage of the fine library collection. I send my students to the Institute to gather material for projects and to increase their interest in German literature and film. The value of the Goethe Institut lies also in its excellent reputation and the invaluable pedagogically trained staff to support teachers and professors of German at all levels of instruction.

I believe that future German-US relations will suffer if future generations are not exposed to a contemporary, high quality, engaged German language and culture scene. Please allow people to develop creative solutions to replace this funding, such as local fundraising campaigns involving German industry or user fees for borrowing materials. We have been spoiled for many years with a wonderful support structure. Now is the time to demonstrate to the representatives of the German people that it has been all worth it. We do care, and we labor hard here.

Please ask for help from our community of dedicated educators! We are willing to collaborate to keep the Goethe-Institut here in New York City. We need to work together, the AATG and other not-organized teachers of German, the German Consulate, and the Goethe-Institut. The first step is to keep the Institute's doors open. It will be worth it!

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Dr. Eelka Lampe
German Teacher, Vice President of the AATG Metropolitan Chapter NY

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