Every year on 1 July, the United Nations celebrates German Language Day – marking the creation of the German Translation Section (GTS) in 1975. This year, we proudly celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The story began in 1973, when both the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic joined the UN. Together with Austria, they launched an initiative to unify German-language terminology and make key UN documents accessible in German. This collaboration culminated in General Assembly resolution 3355 (XXIX), officially establishing GTS on 1 July 1975.
Though small in size, with a team of just 10, the Section has a far-reaching impact, faciliated by its use to technology to maximize efficiency. When it first opened its doors, cut-and-paste still required scissors and glue, but soon, typewriters were out, and computers were in. As early as the mid-1990s, the Section pioneered machine-assisted translation as well as terminology databases in its workflow. Today, it is integrated in the gText suite, comprising tools for machine-assisted translation and automatic terminology recognition. Its terminology database, DETERM, part of the UN’s global UNTERM platform, is a go-to resource for translators, policymakers and the German-speaking public.
GTS translates a wide range of official UN documents into German, sharing them through the Official Document System and its dedicated website. The Section operates under the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management and is funded through a trust fund supported by Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Fifty years after its inception, the Section remains a vital bridge between the UN and German-speaking audiences around the world. It exemplifies the UN’s commitment to multilingualism, while adapting to an evolving technological landscape. Yet behind every tool remains the human insight and expertise essential to high-quality translation in a global, high-stakes environment.
Auf 50 Jahre Deutsch bei den Vereinten Nationen! Here's to 50 years of German at the United Nations!
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