Wilfried Eckstein's 'Freunde finden für Deutschland' Chronicles 34 Years of Goethe-Institut Cultural Diplomacy

Wilfried Eckstein, who led six Goethe-Institut branches across five countries over 34 years, has published 'Freunde finden für Deutschland' (Ergon Verlag, 2026). The 171-page book offers a personal account of international cultural work, structured chronologically through his postings in Moscow, Munich, St. Petersburg, Bangkok, Shanghai, and Hanoi. Eckstein details key projects, including a major international theater initiative around the Vietnamese epic 'Truyen Kieu – Das Mädchen Kieu,' involving directors Amélie Niermeyer and Ngo Dang Hong Van. He reflects on the shifting geopolitical landscape from the post-Cold War optimism of 1991 to the disillusionment of 2022, marked by the war in Ukraine and Trump's re-election. The book critiques the handling of the antisemitic 'people's justice' poster scandal at documenta XV, curated by ruangrupa, arguing for open discourse over removal. Eckstein also notes China's advances in green and digital technologies during his Shanghai tenure (2009–2011). The memoir concludes with a positive assessment of the institute's impact, despite the closure of its Russian operations in 2022.