Russian House in Berlin hosts controversial bookstore
The Russian House in Berlin, the largest Russian cultural institution abroad, remains a subject of controversy due to its state operation and perceived ties to Kremlin propaganda following the invasion of Ukraine.
Despite these criticisms, the facility houses Mnogoknig, a unique Russian-language bookstore opened in 2023. Part of a Latvian-based chain, the bookstore serves Berlin's significant Russian-speaking diaspora, which is estimated at approximately 300,000 people.
The bookstore's inventory includes classical literature by authors such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, alongside works critical of the Russian government, including the autobiography of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Notably, works by Zakhar Prilepin, an EU-sanctioned supporter of the war in Ukraine, have recently disappeared from the shelves.
Entities
Alexei Navalny · Berlin · European Union · Mnogoknig · Russian House
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The EU placed writer Zakhar Prilepin on its sanctions list in 2022. www.wp.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.braunschweiger-zeitung.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] An estimated 300,000 people in Berlin speak Russian as their native language. www.wp.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.braunschweiger-zeitung.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Russian-language bookstore Mnogoknig opened in 2023 within the Russian House in Berlin. www.wp.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.braunschweiger-zeitung.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Alina Juravel is an editor for the Life section of FUNKE newspapers. www.wp.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.braunschweiger-zeitung.de