Germany will have to close all Goethe-Institut branches located within the Russian Federation: after Russia threatened this measure last week through statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, the decision has now been made official. Russia took this step in response to Germany’s decision to close the Russisches Haus (Russian House) in Berlin and the Russian consulate in Bonn following the Russian hybrid attack on Leipzig Airport.
In Berlin, the news was expected: ever since the announcement of Germany’s new sanctions against Russia, the government led by Friedrich Merz had anticipated retaliation from the Kremlin, which arrived right on schedule on Thursday, September 3, with Lavrov’s statement in Vladivostok. The decision further strains relations between Berlin and Moscow and effectively marks the end of Germany’s institutional cultural presence on Russian territory. As recently as September 1, the German interior and foreign ministers had announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn, along with the revocation of the agreement allowing the Russian House in Berlin to operate. These measures were adopted as sanctions following the discovery of a drone loaded with explosives on German soil, which was spotted in early August near a Ukrainian aircraft at the Leipzig airport and, after several weeks of investigation, linked to Russian state intelligence services. For its part, the Kremlin has formally denied any involvement in the Leipzig drone incident.
The Goethe-Institut, a nonprofit organization founded in 1951 with the aim of promoting the German language and spreading German culture abroad, had been present in Russia for more than thirty years: the first branch opened in Moscow in 1992, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, followed the next year by a second branch in St. Petersburg and, in 2003, by a partner center in Yekaterinburg. As of 2023, the Moscow and St. Petersburg offices were already operating at reduced capacity, functioning primarily as libraries, while German language courses were outsourced to accredited external partners. The Novosibirsk branch, which opened in 2009, had also been operating solely as a contact office since 2023.
At the time of Lavrov’s announcement, the Kremlin had not yet provided specific details regarding the exact date of closure for the three German branches. That date was announced a few days later by the Russian authorities themselves, who on Monday, September 8, ordered staff at all Goethe-Institut locations in Russia to cease their work by September 13, 2026, as the institute itself stated in a press release. The two employees sent from Germany were also required to leave the country by the same date. The decision affects the Goethe Institutes in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk.
Gitte Zschoch, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, commented on the decision, stating that there is now finally certainty: “We now have certainty: all employees must cease their work in Russia by September 13, 2026. This means that the doors of the Goethe Institutes in Moscow and St. Petersburg will remain closed starting next Monday. In effect, this means it will no longer be possible to borrow books from our libraries, and vocational training courses will no longer be offered. German teachers will lose an important resource for training and support. For the Russian people, this will further limit access to the German language, German culture, and reliable information about Germany. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our colleagues in Russia for their many years of collaboration, even under increasingly difficult conditions. At the same time, we know—thanks to our work in 100 countries and our 75-year history—that interest in the German language, German culture, and international exchange remains strong. We are exploring how we can continue to keep channels of exchange and cooperation open in the future, for example through digital offerings. We are coordinating closely with the German Foreign Ministry on this matter.”
Since 1992, the Goethe-Institut has promoted cultural exchange between Germany and Russia through an extensive network of partner organizations based on mutual trust. As early as the end of May 2023, the institute’s activities in the country had been severely restricted by the Russian government, which had imposed staff limits and frozen the organization’s bank accounts. Since then, the institute has focused its efforts primarily on supporting partners within its network engaged in cultural and linguistic work, ensuring, for example, the quality of the language courses and exams offered. Despite the significant restrictions imposed in recent years, the institute has continued to serve as an important hub for exchange between Germany and Russia: according to the data provided, in 2025 the libraries in Moscow and St. Petersburg recorded approximately 6,700 visitors and about 35,000 book loans, while each year approximately 10,000 people took part in the language courses run by the institute, compared to the 16,000 recorded before 2023. During the same period, approximately 22,000 people took exams at the network of testing centers affiliated with the institute, while approximately 14,000 participated in initiatives aimed at German teachers. According to the institute, these figures demonstrate how high the demand for reliable information about Germany remains today, as well as the need for contacts and mutual understanding between the two countries.
The Goethe-Institut is the international cultural organization of the Federal Republic of Germany. With its current 154 branches in 100 countries, it promotes knowledge of the German language, fosters international cultural cooperation, and helps convey an up-to-date image of Germany around the world. Thanks to collaborations established with partner organizations in numerous other locations, the institute has a total of approximately 1,000 points of contact worldwide.
|
| Russia Closes All Goethe-Institut Locations: It's Official |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
IT
FR
DE
ES
CN
