Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies

WELCOME

The Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies is an interdisciplinary unit in the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It is dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the stories of German-speaking immigrants and their descendants in the larger context of global migration past and present.

Join us for our in-person and virtual events and explore our website. You can find recordings of presentations in the MKI Virtual Lecture Series, scanned images from our Library and Archives, MKI’s exhibit “Neighbors Past and Present: The Wisconsin German Experience,” our most recent virtual exhibit on “Anna Seifert: Letters in German from a Wisconsin Farm,” and much more.

Recent News

Watch Online: “The German Audience for the U.S. Declaration of Independence”
Emily Sneff’s presentation on “The German Audience for the U.S. Declaration of Independence,” recorded on November 20, 2025, can now be watched online. Click HERE for an abstract and further information.
November 23, 2025
Watch Online: “Translating History: The Milwaukee Pabst Family Letters (1841–1887)”
Viktorija Bilić’s presentation on “Translating History: The Milwaukee Pabst Family Letters (1841–1887)” recorded April 10, 2025, can now be watched online. Click HERE for an abstract and further information.
April 14, 2025
Watch Online: “Building Bridges: Interactions between Plain and Non-Plain Communities”
Mark L. Louden’s presentation on “Building Bridges: Interactions between Plain and Non-Plain Communities,” recorded March 12, 2025, can now be watched online. Click HERE for an abstract and further information.
March 25, 2025
Matching opportunity! Support the Max Kade Institute collections.
We are delighted to announce that a good Friend of the Max Kade Institute has offered a $1,000 matching opportunity for the restoration of select books in the MKI Library & Archives and the acquisition of new …
March 17, 2025
Friends of the MKI Annual Meeting in Appleton, Wisconsin
Join the Friends of the Max Kade Institute for their Annual Meeting in Appleton, Wisconsin, on May 3, 2025. New members are welcome. For more information and registration details CLICK HERE.
March 5, 2025
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