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Punitive measure: What is Berlin’s Russian House?
🇩🇪 Germany /Conflict & Security

Punitive measure: What is Berlin’s Russian House?

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • Germany plans to terminate the contract for Berlin’s Russian House, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.
  • The seven-story cultural center has operated on Friedrichstraße since 1984 and is run by Russia’s state agency for cultural cooperation.
  • The institution faces allegations of serving as cover for Russian intelligence, while Berlin prosecutors investigate possible violations of Germany’s foreign trade law.

Germany plans to terminate the contract for Berlin’s Russian House, a seven-story cultural center that has stood on Friedrichstraße since 1984. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the decision in Berlin, turning a long-running controversy into a government action.

The building was once the Soviet Union’s largest cultural institute abroad. Today, it includes exhibition rooms, a concert hall, a cinema, a bookstore and a branch of the Russian post office. Its program features commemorations of the Second World War, film screenings, and Russian, ballet and drawing classes.

an exclusively cultural institution

— The Russian HouseThe institute rejected allegations that it serves as cover for Russian intelligence services.

The institute, operated by Rossotrudnichestvo, a state agency under Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has faced repeated allegations that it provides cover for Russian intelligence services. A recent assessment by France’s Interior Ministry made the claim again. The Russian House rejects the allegations and describes itself as “an exclusively cultural institution.”

we also know that more takes place in this building than harmless language courses

— Robin WagenerThe Green lawmaker said the French allegations about the institute were plausible.

German politicians have called for the center to close. Green lawmaker Robin Wagener told dpa that “we also know that more takes place in this building than harmless language courses.” He said the French allegations were plausible and called the institute “part of Moscow’s information warfare.”

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union placed Rossotrudnichestvo on its sanctions list. The Russian House can operate its bank account only under Bundesbank supervision and cannot generate income or receive more from third parties than needed to maintain the building. It nevertheless collects rent, prompting a Berlin prosecutors’ investigation into a possible breach of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act.

part of Moscow’s information warfare

— Robin WagenerWagener described the institute’s role from his perspective.

The building also became an issue in Berlin’s election campaign. SPD candidate Steffen Krach called for the property to be expropriated, while BSW candidate Alexander King warned: “Anyone who wants to cut every line of communication with Russia is not preparing himself, us or our city for peace.”

Anyone who wants to cut every line of communication with Russia is not preparing himself, us or our city for peace.

— Alexander KingThe BSW candidate opposed calls to expropriate the property.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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