Berlin/Los Angeles, January 31, 2025, 11:00 a.m. (CET): Since January 7, 2025, large parts of Los Angeles and the city’s environs have been in a state of emergency. Even though the immediate risk of fire seems to be under control, the long-term repercussions of the fires for the city remain uncertain. Countless people, including friends, neighbors, and partner institutions, have lost everything. Understanding the painful dimensions of these events will take time. Our thoughts and most heartfelt sympathies are with all affected people and communities in and around Los Angeles.

Our special thanks go to the emergency personnel who have been working tirelessly for weeks to ensure the safety and security in the affected areas. We are deeply touched by the solidarity and mutual support in our neighborhood and throughout the city.

The situation at Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House

A walk-through inspection of both houses by our team is now possible. Nevertheless, the following still applies:

• A detailed toxicological assessment of the damage, e.g., regarding the interior furnishings and the effects of the smoke development, remains yet to be done. Likewise, the long-term impact of the fires on the infrastructure is still unclear.
• In the case of Villa Aurora, it will also be necessary to evaluate the stability of the hillside on which the building sits and which had caught fire.
• In the coming weeks, the U.S. military will clear large areas of toxic materials and debris. We will need to examine to what extent this work will interfere with the operation of the houses.

Fellowship programs

• Villa Aurora: Based on the current situation and the high level of destruction in the immediate neighborhood, we are working on the assumption that we will not be able to host grant recipients at Villa Aurora until the end of June 2025.
• Thomas Mann House: The building and its immediate vicinity are significantly less affected by the fires. Depending on the toxicological report, the Thomas Mann House may be able to resume regular operations before the reopening of Villa Aurora.
• Calls for application for Fellowships in 2026: The current calls for application for both Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House will continue as planned. We will develop individual alternatives for those fellows who cannot take up their residency because of the current situation.
  
  

The outpourings of sympathy and support that we are receiving in this crisis situation confirm us in our work. We thank our partners, especially the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Goethe-Institut, and the German Consulate General in Los Angeles, for their valuable support and close cooperation.

We will keep you updated and ask for your understanding that we are unable to respond to all inquiries immediately.