Association & VATMH Berlin
A Transatlantic Bridge-Builder
The Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House Association (VATMH) is a Berlin-based nonprofit dedicated to fostering transatlantic dialogue between Germany and the United States. Established in 1995, the association is committed to preserving and utilizing Villa Aurora—the former Los Angeles exile residence of writer Lion Feuchtwanger—as an artists’ residency. With the acquisition of the Thomas Mann House in 2018, VATMH expanded its mission, establishing a dynamic forum for transatlantic debate. Here, distinguished thinkers engage with American counterparts on fundamental political, social, and cultural questions that shape the future.
Berlin: The Central Hub
Opened in 1996, VATMH’s Berlin office is located at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities on Gendarmenmarkt, a key hub for culture and scholarship in the German capital. Serving as the central coordination point between Berlin and Los Angeles, the office plays a pivotal role in delivering on the association’s mission. Its remit includes facilitating transatlantic cultural exchange, strengthening dialogue between the two countries, and raising the association’s profile in Germany.
Key Activities and Initiatives
Fellowship Programs
Each year, VATMH awards Villa Aurora Fellowships to artists in the visual arts, literature, film, and composition, as well as Thomas Mann Fellowships to intellectuals addressing urgent contemporary issues. Selection is overseen by independent juries who choose from a large pool of applicants.
Support for Fellows
The Berlin office is the first point of contact for fellows, assisting with project planning, establishing connections with partner institutions in Los Angeles, and coordinating logistics. This close support ensures that residencies in the U.S. are productive and have lasting impact.
Public Events and Publications
VATMH Berlin makes the association’s work and the outcomes of its residencies accessible to a broad audience. Flagship events such as the annual “Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House Night” bring together alumni, future fellows, and guests from culture, politics, academia, and the media. The office also organizes discussions on current societal issues and commemorative events, including the annual remembrance of the Nazi book burnings of May 10, 1933.
Cultural Exchange and Human Rights Engagement
VATMH Berlin is actively engaged in international cultural exchange. In partnership with organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and the Feuchtwanger Memorial Library at the University of Southern California, VATMH awards the annual Feuchtwanger Fellowship to writers and journalists advocating for human rights or facing censorship. The Berlin team also invites artists from Los Angeles to Germany, strengthening ties with program alumni.
Administration and Funding
The Berlin office manages the association’s finances, organizes member meetings, and ensures efficient cooperation between its Berlin and Los Angeles locations. It also oversees grant applications and reporting to public funders such as the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
Mission and Impact
VATMH sees itself as a bridge between Germany and the United States. Its work not only honors the cultural legacy of German exile but also creates spaces for forward-looking artistic and intellectual engagement. Villa Aurora serves as a residency for artists, while the Thomas Mann House offers a vibrant forum for intellectuals, scholars, and creatives to explore pressing sociopolitical challenges in an interdisciplinary, international context.
Through its programs, VATMH strengthens art and culture as unifying elements between the two countries and contributes to the culture of remembrance by highlighting the intellectual and cultural legacy of exile and its continued relevance.
With locations in Los Angeles and Berlin, VATMH connects past and present, art and politics—always in the spirit of vibrant transatlantic exchange.