January 2026
Alumni Event of the British Embassy
On January 13th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society attended a special UK Alumni Networking Reception at the British Embassy in Berlin, hosted jointly by the British Council Germany and the British Embassy.
Following a welcome by Helga Stellmacher, Director of the British Council Germany, His Excellency Andrew Mitchell CMG, British Ambassador to Germany, shared insights into current developments in the UK–Germany relationship. The evening brought together alumni of a wide range of British universities and provided an excellent opportunity to meet fellow UK graduates, exchange ideas and strengthen connections across the wider British-German alumni community.
The reception formed part of Alumni UK, the British Council’s global programme for international alumni of UK universities, and was another welcome occasion for the Oxbridge Society to connect beyond Hamburg with the broader network of UK alumni in Germany.
Book Launch “The Airlift”
On January 20th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society attended the Berlin launch of Sweet Victory: How the Berlin Airlift Divided East and West by Dr Joseph Pearson, a Trinity Hall alumnus and historian based in Berlin. The event took place at the Pierre Boulez Saal and was presented in English, with Alexander Wells joining Joseph Pearson for the discussion.
The book offers a fresh cultural history of the Berlin Airlift, focusing not only on the geopolitical significance of the operation but also on the experiences of individuals who lived through it. Through these personal stories, it explores how former enemies became allies and how the Airlift helped shape the emerging Cold War order.
We were particularly pleased to support an event featuring a fellow Oxbridge alumnus. Joseph Pearson, who studied at Trinity Hall, has also written extensively on Berlin and twentieth-century history, making the evening especially relevant to our Society and its strong connection with British-German exchange.
Oxbridge Seminar
On January 30th, 2026, the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg, together with our member Professor Ulf Schmidt, hosted a seminar at the University of Hamburg on the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. Three members of the Society approached the subject from different perspectives: Ulf Schmidt on AI and Academia, Lukas Schultze-Moderow on AI and the Practice of Law, and Professor Maximilian Kiener on AI, Responsibility and the Ethics of Delegation.
The presentations sparked a lively discussion about both the opportunities and the risks associated with AI. Topics ranged from the use of AI to analyse large volumes of legal or historical material and automate routine tasks, to concerns about employment, manipulated information, deepfakes, and the possible loss of human expertise when important judgements are increasingly delegated to machines.
The evening concluded with an animated discussion over wine and cheese generously provided by Professor Schmidt. Capturing the spirit of the event, one participant was overheard saying to his neighbour: “This feels like the first day at Cambridge.”
February 2026
Special Reception at the City Hall
On February 24th, 2026, the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg was invited to a special reception at Hamburg City Hall bringing together representatives of the British community in Hamburg. The event marked the beginning of preparations for Hamburg’s 837th Port Anniversary, celebrated from May 8th to 10th, for which the Liverpool City Region was selected as the official partner region.
Held in the Bürgermeistersaal of the Rathaus, the evening provided an opportunity to learn more about the programme for the Port Anniversary and, above all, to strengthen connections among British and British-German organisations in Hamburg. For the Oxbridge Society, such occasions are a welcome opportunity to maintain and develop our links with the wider British community and with institutions across the city.
Visit of the Cambridge Alumni Office to Hamburg
As part of a visit to several alumni societies in Germany, the Cambridge University Alumni Office sent Christian Cornforth to Hamburg, where his first stop was the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg.
Christian was warmly welcomed by our President, Wilfried Becker, who showed him some of the city’s highlights. The day began at the Alster and continued to the Rathaus, where they were greeted by Sebastian Schulz from the Senatskanzlei, and then to the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. Lunch offered a more down-to-earth Hamburg experience: Currywurst mit Pommes at The Parliament beneath the Rathaus. Afterwards, a boat trip through the harbour provided striking winter views of the Elbe, followed by a visit to the Elbphilharmonie Plaza, from where the ice-covered river could be seen from above.
Later in the day, Professor Ulf Schmidt welcomed Christian and Wilfried at the University of Hamburg before they continued to the International Maritime Museum for a panel discussion on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers and the security challenges it poses.
The visit also offered an opportunity to explain how the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg is organised, to discuss our programme for 2026, and to exchange ideas on how Cambridge alumni societies can stay connected and support one another.
Global Cambridge in Munich
Several of our members attended Global Cambridge Munich on 12 February 2026, an evening organised by the University of Cambridge for alumni in Germany. Under the title “Fault Lines & Frontlines: Geopolitics at the Edge of 2026”, the event brought together academics, former diplomats and alumni to discuss shifting alliances, conflict, technology and the changing international order.
The panel included Professor Brendan Simms, Professor S. M. Amadae, John Raine CMG OBE, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP and former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng. The discussion was followed by a Q&A and a networking reception, providing a welcome opportunity to reconnect with fellow Cambridge alumni from across Germany and beyond.
March 2026
Haydn’s The Seasons at the Laeiszhalle
On March 1st, 2026, our member Barbara Metzler invited fellow alumni to join her for a performance of Joseph Haydn’s The Seasons at Hamburg’s Laeiszhalle, performed by the Hamburger Oratorienchor.
The concert offered a lovely opportunity to combine one of Hamburg’s great musical venues with an informal gathering of Society members. We are always particularly pleased when members take the initiative to invite fellow alumni to cultural events and share their interests with the wider Society.
April 2026
Boat Race Party
On April 4th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society gathered for one of the highlights of the Oxbridge calendar: the annual Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race. Appropriately, we watched the races from the Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club, beautifully situated on the Alster. We are very grateful to the Club for hosting us and, in particular, to our member Professor Christian Baierle, who is also a member of the rowing club and helped make the afternoon possible.
Members brought food and drinks to share, and the clubhouse provided an excellent setting to follow the action on the Thames together. The 2026 races provided something for both sides: Oxford won the Women’s Boat Race by three lengths in a time of 19:15, while Cambridge won the Men’s Boat Race by three and a half lengths in 17:57. It was the 80th edition of the Women’s Boat Race and the 171st Men’s Boat Race.
Watching two of the world’s most famous university rowing crews from one of Hamburg’s historic rowing clubs felt particularly fitting. With Oxford and Cambridge alumni, families and friends gathered together on the banks of the Alster, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon — and we hope to continue this Boat Race tradition in the years to come.
May 2026
Pub Meeting
On May 28th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society met for an informal Pub Night at Kemp’s English Pub in Hamburg.
Over traditional British food and drinks, the evening offered a relaxed opportunity to catch up, meet fellow alumni and enjoy a little taste of Britain in Hamburg. It was a convivial and uncomplicated gathering — exactly the kind of informal event that complements the Society’s larger annual occasions.
June 2026
Kings Birthday Party at the British Embassy in Copenhagen
On June 9th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg travelled to Copenhagen to attend the King’s Birthday Party at the British Embassy, following a kind invitation from our friends at the Oxbridge Society of Copenhagen.
Hosted in the Embassy garden, the celebration brought together several hundred guests from across Denmark’s diplomatic, business and British communities. Under the theme “Sport is GREAT”, the evening celebrated British food, drinks and music as well as the close relationship between the United Kingdom and Denmark.
We were particularly pleased to join fellow Oxbridge alumni in Copenhagen and to strengthen the connections between our two societies — exactly the kind of exchange with other European alumni groups that we hope to develop further.
Alumni Event in Brussels
Oxford Alumni volunteers in Brussels delivered a highly successful overseas gathering over the weekend of 26 and 27 June, focusing heavily on actions designed to strengthen and unite the global alumni network.
The Alumni office decided to host the gathering in Bruxelles, a central and international hub. The fruitful exchange highlited the importance of social media and of inclusivity across all age groups for our events. Our President Melania Zauri was happy to take part.
Summer Party
On June 26th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society were invited by our friends at the Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club von 1836 to their Summer Party on the Alster. The invitation came through our member Christian Baierle, who had also hosted our Boat Race Party earlier in the year.
The evening began with a reception on the terrace and continued with barbecue, drinks and music by DJ Sven Klingenberg. With its beautiful setting directly on the Alster, the summer party offered a relaxed opportunity to meet friends from the rowing club and enjoy a convivial evening together.
August 2026
Committee Meeting
In August 2026, the Committee met to prepare two of the Society’s key events for the autumn: the Freshers Event and the Annual Dinner.
As in previous years, the meeting took place at our traditional venue, The George Hotel in Hamburg-St. Georg, which once again provided the perfect setting for planning, discussion and catching up over the summer.
September 2026
British Flair at Basthorst
On September 5th, 2026, members of the Oxbridge Society met at British Flair at Basthorst for a relaxed afternoon together. Despite the rather rainy weather, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful, and everyone made the most of the occasion.
It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with fellow members, enjoy the British-themed surroundings, and spend a few convivial hours together. We are already looking forward to returning again in the future.
Freshers Event
On September 11th, 2026, we welcomed incoming Oxford students to our annual Freshers Event at the Abaton Bistro in Hamburg. Five new Oxford students had registered for the evening, giving them the opportunity to meet one another as well as members and alumni of the Society before beginning their studies in Oxford.
As Cambridge has shifted its focus from traditional Freshers Events towards activities for recent graduates, this year’s gathering was primarily an Oxford event. Oxford alumni from Hamburg were particularly encouraged to join us, share their experiences and offer advice to the next generation of students heading to Oxford.
November 2026
Lecture on Nuremberg Trials
Professor Ulf Schmidt has invited members to a public lecture on Thursday, 5 November at 19:00 on the origins and legacy of the Nuremberg Trials. The lecture takes place at the main University of Hamburg building at Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1, Lecture Theatre M.
https://www.uni-hamburg.de/wissen-fuer-alle/vorlesung-fuer-alle/ulf-schmidt.html
Christmas Bazaar at the Anglican Church
Our member Jan Mark Holst has drawn our attention to the Bazaar at the Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket on Saturday, 14 November, from 11:00 to 17:00. The programme includes cream teas, homemade Christmas cards and marmalade, crafts and decorations — and apparently even a visit from Paddington Bear.
Annual Dinner 2026
Our Annual Dinner will take place on Saturday, November 21st, 2026, at the Anglo-German Club in Hamburg. Doors will open at 6:00 pm, with dinner beginning at 7:00 pm. The dress code for the evening is Black Tie.
Our speaker this year will be Prabhat Agarwal, Acting Director for Online Platforms at the European Commission’s DG CONNECT. He has played a leading role in the development and implementation of major European digital regulation, including the Digital Services Act, and works on issues such as platform governance, algorithmic accountability and online safety. Before joining the European Commission, he worked as an R&D scientist in the high-tech sector. Prabhat read Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge, studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, and holds a PhD in Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Cambridge.
His talk will be entitled “Nailing Jell-O to the Wall: How to Regulate Social Media”. The evening will include a three-course dinner, accompanied by wine and other drinks, with time for questions and discussion. The menu will be published shortly.
The cost of the dinner is €125 per person, including food, wine and other drinks served during dinner. Places will only be confirmed once the full participation fee has been received. Members are very welcome to bring one guest of their choice, but guests are charged the full €125 participation fee.
Thanks to the generosity of several alumni, we are also able to offer ten reduced-price places at €95 to registered Oxford and Cambridge alumni under the age of 30. These discounted places will be allocated to eligible alumni subject to availability and confirmed once the €95 participation fee has been paid in full.
After dinner, members and guests are very welcome to continue the evening at the Anglo-German Club bar. Drinks ordered at the bar after dinner are not included in the dinner price and must be paid for individually.
Registration details will be circulated by email, so please make sure that you are on the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg mailing list if you would like to attend.
December 2026
European Sounding Board
On December 4th, 2026, the Oxbridge Society of Hamburg will take part in an online gathering of European Cambridge Alumni Societies. The meeting is intended to strengthen links between alumni groups across Europe, exchange ideas and experiences, and explore opportunities for closer collaboration in the future.
The Oxbridge Society of Hamburg will be represented by Holger Blenske, our External Relations Officer, and Karsten Wenzlaff, Secretary. We also hope that members with connections to other Cambridge or Oxbridge societies in Europe will help us extend the invitation and bring further societies into the conversation.
White Alster Christmas Market Meetup
As in previous years, we are planning to meet for an informal Christmas Market gathering in December. It is always a pleasant opportunity to catch up with fellow members over mulled wine and seasonal treats in a relaxed atmosphere.
Oxford and Cambridge scarves are most welcome. The exact date and meeting point will be confirmed and announced after the Annual Dinner in November.