A new German school in Vilnius has opened its doors to nearly 50 children of German troops deployed in Lithuania, Education Minister Raminta Popovienė said Tuesday.
The school, located in the former Lithuanian Centre for the Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired, currently serves 47 children in preschool, pre-primary and primary classes. Instruction is in German, and teachers include both educators from Germany and local specialists.
“Today we are officially opening the primary, preprimary and preschool groups. In total, 47 children are being educated here. Primary school students, 17 in total, study in two combined classes according to the German curriculum, in German, with teachers and a director who have come from Germany,” Popovienė told LRT RADIO.
Deputy Defence Minister Tomas Godliauskas said about 700 children of German troops are expected to arrive by the end of 2027, when the German brigade is fully deployed in Lithuania. Plans include building a new school in Vilnius and renovating the Žiburys primary school in Kaunas.
“We still have work to do by 2027,” Godliauskas said.
Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas said technical standards for German schools differ slightly from Lithuanian regulations, but classrooms are already adapted and in use. “Visually, there is no big difference from our kindergartens or classrooms,” he said.
The new German school, Deutsche Schule Vilnius, will eventually expand to include higher grades starting in the 2026–27 academic year. In the short term, children of German troops may also attend international private schools in Vilnius or join German-language groups at the state kindergarten Dainorėliai.
Currently, 28 German military families live in Lithuania, with another 33 expected to arrive by October, according to the Defence Ministry.
In July, the Lithuanian government allocated nearly 2 million euros for the education of German troops’ children.
Under a bilateral agreement, Germany plans to station its “Lithuania” brigade of about 5,000 troops and civilians in the country by the end of 2027. Troops will be based near Vilnius and Kaunas, with kindergartens and schools planned in both cities.
Facilities for German children in Kaunas are expected to be ready at Stulginskis School by March 2026, with additional facilities opening by September 2028 on Verkių Street.
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