Gitte Zschoch Appointed Secretary General of Goethe-Institut

Gitte Zschoch will become the new Secretary General and Chair of the Board of the Goethe-Institut on July 18, 2025. The decision was made by the institute's presidium in a special meeting and officially confirmed by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU). Zschoch succeeds Johannes Ebert, who has held the position since 2012 and will now lead the Goethe-Institut's regional institute in Athens. Zschoch has been Secretary General of the ifa (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations) since October 2021, which oversees the German Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale. Previously, she held various roles at the Goethe-Institut, including founding director of its branch in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2015 to 2018. The Goethe-Institut, primarily funded by the German Foreign Office, described Zschoch as a "recognized expert in foreign cultural and educational policy." Zschoch stated her goal is to strengthen and strategically develop the institute and its network, especially amid rising authoritarian trends worldwide. Gesche Joost, President of the Goethe-Institut, praised her appointment.