Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a German cultural organization operating in the field of foreign cultural policy and education. Founded in 1952 as the successor to the German Academic Exchange Service's cultural work, it promotes the German language abroad, runs language courses and examinations, and presents German culture through exhibitions, concerts, film screenings and educational programmes. Its headquarters are in Munich, and a network of centres and partners spans more than 90 countries. It is financed by the German federal budget and mandated funds for external cultural relations. The institute is named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
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Berlin prosecutors probe tenants of "Russian House" over suspected sanctions violations
The Berlin prosecutor's office is investigating tenants of Berlin's "Russian House" cultural center for alleged violations of Germany's Foreign Trade Act, as several outlets inside the building continue to operate despite the German government's decision to close it. The probe targets an entity linked to Rossotrudnichestvo, a Russian state agency under EU sanctions since 2022, and is part of a broader German response to alleged Russian sabotage.
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Germany identifies two suspects in Leipzig airport drone attack, blames Russia
German investigators have named a Belarusian citizen and a Russian linked to Russian military intelligence (GRU) as the main suspects in the 4 August drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport. A drone carrying explosives hidden in a vegetable tin can landed next to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft but failed to detonate because of a faulty detonator. On 1 September, Germany officially blamed Russia for the incident and announced the closure of the Russian consulate general in Bonn and the termination of the agreement on the "Russian House" in Berlin; Moscow responded by closing the German consulate general in St. Petersburg and Goethe cultural centers.
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Lavrov calls Germany's response to Leipzig drone incident "the beginning of a real war"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Germany's reaction to an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport as "the beginning of a real war," drawing an analogy to pre-World War II diplomatic closures. Germany officially accused Russia on September 1 of orchestrating the incident, closed Russia's last consulate general in Bonn, and terminated the agreement for the "Russian House" in Berlin. Russia retaliated by announcing closures of German Goethe-Institut branches. No one was injured and Ukrainian Antonov aircraft were not damaged, though the An-124's cargo remains disputed.