Progress starts with understanding
We take the experience we’ve gained over more than 140 years to give you the language skills, cultural understanding and confidence to open up a world full of new opportunities and enriching experiences.
Before Everyone There Was Berlitz!
Maximillian Berlitz founded the first Berlitz Language School in Rhode Island, USA in 1878. Today, with 600 language schools in more than 70 countries, the name Berlitz has become synonymous with high quality education in the world.
Maximilian Berlitz used his extraordinary skills to teach many European languages, including German, French, Greek, and Latin in the United States.
The founder of Berlitz language schools realized that the traditional teaching method based on grammar and translation was not effective, and started to use the only target language-oriented learning technique he developed, thus the world-famous Berlitz Method emerged.
Today, Berlitz continues its activities globally as the most successful and leading language school in the world.
Highlights of Berlitz History
1878 – Maximillian Berlitz opened his first school. (Rhode Island – USA)
1888 – The first Berlitz language school in Europe was opened. (Berlin – Germany)
1912 – Berlitz started education in 1912 as the first language school in Istanbul and Turkey.
1930 – Atatürk, founder of Turkish Republic, sent a letter of thanks to the Berlitz Istanbul branch for the contribution of Berlitz to language education in Turkey.
1950 – The first Berlitz language school was opened in the Latin American region. (Mexico)
1964 – Total Immersion courses was developed.
1964 – The first Berlitz language school was opened in the Asian region. (Tokyo – Japan)
1970 – For the first time, a language school started to use multimedia materials in education.
1982 – Berlitz Junior & Kids education program was introduced to the world.
2003 – For the first time, a lesson was held by a language school with a live teacher over the internet.
2018 – Berlitz celebrated its 140th birthday all over the world.
