Goethe-Institut to close three Russian branches as cultural ties deteriorate

Germany’s Goethe-Institut will close its branches in Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk by 13 September 2026, Deutsche Welle reports, after Russia ordered the closures amid a widening dispute over cultural and diplomatic facilities.

The decision follows German measures including the closure of the Russian House in Berlin and the Russian Consulate General in Bonn, along with tighter visa restrictions for Russian citizens. Germany announced those measures after an alleged Russian-organised drone attack at Leipzig airport in early August. The allegation has not been independently established in the source material.

The closures are expected to affect German-language examinations, courses, teacher training, educational partnerships and access to libraries and cultural resources. DW users told the broadcaster that some students and prospective migrants may need to travel to other countries to complete language exams, creating additional costs and disruption.

It remains unclear whether examinations, courses and education programmes will continue online or through partner organisations. The Goethe-Institut said about 10,000 people studied German through its Russian programmes and partnerships in 2025, while it administered roughly 22,000 examinations and recorded 6,700 library visits.

The institute’s Russian services had already declined from about 16,000 learners before 2023. DW said its responses from Russian users were anonymous and not representative, but several described the closure as a further loss of cultural and educational links between the two countries.

A 2011 Russia–Germany agreement provides for reciprocal conditions for cultural centres, but does not require the automatic closure of one country’s facilities when the other takes action. Goethe-Institut president Gesche Joost called the closures “the end of an era in German-Russian cultural relations”.