Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V.

The Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V. — commonly shortened to Frankoromanistikverband (FRV) and known in French as the Association de francoromanistes allemands (AFRA) — is a German scholarly professional association representing researchers who work on the French language and the Francophonie. According to its own description, it serves as the Fachverband for all academics who represent the subject of French and Francophone studies, including specialists in linguistics, literary studies, cultural studies and subject didactics. Its members study a vast field: the association notes that 271 million Francophones in 51 countries across five continents speak French and belong to the Francophonie. The association advocates for the teaching of French at universities and schools and cooperates closely with the French Embassy and French consulates in Germany to that end. Every two years it organizes a congress that gives everyone representing the field the opportunity to exchange ideas academically within various sections and to discuss the problems and perspectives of the discipline together. In an era of increasing specialization in a single Romance language, the FRV positions itself as a home for scholars whose interests span more than one Romance language, and as a member of the AG ROM it maintains close contact with the other Romance studies associations. Given the large number of different bachelor's and master's programs, the FRV sees its task as coordinating study offerings and requirements within the subject and giving the discipline a public voice. The association was founded in 1995 on the margins of the Deutscher Romanistenverband conference in Münster, initially under the name "Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V." Its first chair was Prof. Konrad Schoell of Erfurt. It made its first official appearance in 1997 as co-organizer of Romania I in Jena, where its first members' meeting was held on 30 September 1997. In September 1998 the first own congress took place in Mainz under the title "Faire signe – Zeichen setzen," at which the "Prix Germaine de Staël" was awarded for the first time, established by the French Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and the president of the FRV-AFRA. A change to the statutes in 2022 renamed the association to Frankoromanistikverband. The association has held a regular series of congresses, generally every two years, in German and Austrian university cities: Dresden (2000), Aachen (2002), Freiburg (2004), Halle (2006), Augsburg (2008), Essen (2010), Leipzig (2012), Münster (2014), Saarbrücken (2016), Osnabrück (2018), Vienna (2022), Passau (2024) and Kassel (2026). The 15th congress of the Frankoromanistikverband is scheduled for 29 September to 2 October 2026 at the University of Kassel under the title "Res:sources." The association publishes bulletins, maintains statutes and a board (Vorstand), and offers membership to scholars in the field.

The Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V. was founded in 1995 on the margins of the Deutscher Romanistenverband conference held that year in Münster. Its first chair was Prof. Konrad Schoell of Erfurt. The association made its first official appearance in 1997 as co-organizer of Romania I in Jena, and its first members' meeting took place there on 30 September 1997. In September 1998, the first own congress of the Frankoromanistenverband was held in Mainz under the title "Faire signe – Zeichen setzen." At that congress the "Prix Germaine de Staël" was awarded for the first time; the prize had been established by the French Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and the president of the Frankoromanistenverband (FRV – AFRA). From 2000 onward the association established a regular series of congresses, generally held every two years at German and Austrian universities: Dresden (2000, "Unité – Pluralité – Diversité"), Aachen (2002, "Sur les frontières …"), Freiburg (2004, "Langue / Littérature / Démocratie"), Halle (2006, "Contact: Langues Littératures Cultures"), Augsburg (2008, "Normes"), Essen (2010, "Stadt – Kultur – Raum"), Leipzig (2012, "Révolution des médias"), Münster (2014, "Interfaces"), Saarbrücken (2016, "Liaisons frontalières"), Osnabrück (2018, "Guerre et paix. Crises et conflits – nouvelles perspectives"), Vienna (2022, "Populaire! Populär?"), and Passau (2024, "Confluences: croisements et convergences"). The next congress, the 15th, is scheduled for 29 September to 2 October 2026 at the University of Kassel under the title "Res:sources." With a change to its statutes in 2022, the association was renamed from "Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V." to "Frankoromanistikverband." Throughout its history the association has functioned as a Fachverband for French and Francophone studies, cooperating with the French Embassy and French consulates to support French teaching at universities and schools, maintaining close contact with other Romance studies associations through the AG ROM, and working to coordinate study programs and give the discipline public visibility. It publishes bulletins, maintains statutes and a board (Vorstand), and welcomes new members.

• 2026

  15th congress scheduled for 29 September to 2 October 2026 at the University of Kassel: "Res:sources".

• 2024

  Congress in Passau: "Confluences: croisements et convergences".

• 2022

  Congress in Vienna: "Populaire! Populär?"; statutes amended and association renamed to "Frankoromanistikverband".

• 2018

  Congress in Osnabrück: "Guerre et paix. Crises et conflits – nouvelles perspectives".

• 2016

  Congress in Saarbrücken: "Liaisons frontalières".

• 2014

  Congress in Münster: "Interfaces".

• 2012

  Congress in Leipzig: "Révolution des médias".

• 2010

  Congress in Essen: "Stadt – Kultur – Raum".

• 2008

  Congress in Augsburg: "Normes".

• 2006

  Congress in Halle: "Contact: Langues Littératures Cultures".

• 2004

  Congress in Freiburg: "Langue / Littérature / Démocratie".

• 2002

  Congress in Aachen: "Sur les frontières …".

• 2000

  Congress in Dresden: "Unité – Pluralité – Diversité".

• 1998

  First own congress held in Mainz under the title "Faire signe – Zeichen setzen"; Prix Germaine de Staël awarded for the first time.

• 1997

  First official appearance as co-organizer of Romania I in Jena; first members' meeting held on 30 September 1997 in Jena.

• 1995

  Founded as "Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V." on the margins of the Deutscher Romanistenverband conference in Münster; Prof. Konrad Schoell becomes first chair.

Professional association for scholars of French and Francophone studies in Germany, advocating for French teaching and coordinating the discipline.

• Frankoromanistikverband congress

  Biennial academic congress with sections for scholarly exchange on the problems and perspectives of French and Francophone studies.

• Prix Germaine de Staël

  Award established by the French Ambassador to Germany and the president of the FRV-AFRA, first awarded at the 1998 Mainz congress.

• Bulletins

  Publications of the association.

1. 1Frankoromanistikverband – Frankoromanistikverband (FRV) Association de francoromanistes allemands (AFRA)francoromanistes.de
2. 2Verbandsgeschichte – Frankoromanistikverbandfrancoromanistes.de
3. 3Frankoromanistenverband im Deutschen Romanistenverband e.V. – Wikidatawikidata.org