The decision to terminate the operating agreement of the Russian House in Berlin was criticized by visitors who came to the center. Axel and his wife Claudia, who live in Stahnsdorf near Berlin, visited the Russian House to protest the decision.
Axel said the German government had made a major mistake with the decision. He said that long-standing relations in Europe should lead the parties toward living together, adding that the ties between Russia and Germany could not be erased by a single decision.
Axel said he felt Russian culture was closer to him than the cultures of other countries in Germany. He noted that the two countries shared a history spanning centuries and said he could not understand why the German government had brought relations to this point.
Claudia said she was also ashamed of the German authorities’ recent decisions, including the closure of the Russian cultural institution. Emphasizing the need to seek diplomatic solutions, Claudia called on the parties to maintain communication.
Axel and Claudia said they hoped the current situation would not lead to a complete rupture of cultural ties between Russia and Germany. Axel also expressed his wish that the Russian side would one day return to Berlin and that the Russian House would resume its activities.
Some people who occasionally come to the Russian House also say they want to send a message about the decision.
Berlin and Bonn decisions become reciprocal steps
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced on September 1 that Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn would be closed on September 18. Wadephul said the agreement concerning the Russian House’s activities in Berlin would also be terminated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the decision would result in the closure of Goethe Institute branches in Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the closure of the Consulate General in Bonn as a step that would damage relations between Germany and Russia.
