This article examines the cultural policies developed by the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in Italy during the Cold War, from the initial contact established after the Second World War until the end of the 1960s. An important transformation occurred during this period. Although initial exchanges were limited, both states began to actively pursue cultural policies in the mid-1950s. This gradually turned into open competition, particularly during the 1960s, which is reflected in the relationship between the two most influential German institutions based in Rome: the Deutsche Bibliothek, overseen by the West German embassy and the West German Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Thomas Mann Centre, led by Italian intellectuals and supported by the GDR and the Italian Communist Party. The article will focus on the activities of the two institutions, drawing on a variety of German and Italian sources, ranging from the respective foreign ministries to those of the institutions themselves.