How Germans Perceive Russians: Divided Attitudes and Cultural Barriers If you ask a German what they think of Russians, the answer can depend greatly on where they live in Germany, how old they are, and whether they have ever been to Russia. There is no single opinion and cannot be. Today's Germany is divided in its attitude towards Russia, as is all of Europe, but here this division also has a deep historical dimension. Historical Rift: Non-Soviet East against Capitalist West The clearest divide in the perception of Russians goes through the former border between East Germany (GDR) and West Germany. The reason is not only current policy but also people's biographies. In eastern Germany (the former GDR), the generation of 70-80-year-old Germans remember Soviet soldiers not only as occupiers. Many of them grew up in an atmosphere of official "indissoluble friendship" and, more importantly, personal interaction. In the post-war years, Soviet soldiers shared products, taught children to ride horses, and people formed a connection on a personal level. Later, already in the GDR, many eastern Germans studied in the USSR, worked in joint ventures, their enterprises supplied products to the Soviet Union and purchased raw materials there. They had Soviet friends, colleagues, and sometimes even wives. In western Germany, the situation was exactly the opposite. The Iron Curtain was perceived as protection from the "communist threat". Trips to the USSR were not encouraged, and there were practically no personal contacts. The perception of Russians was formed exclusively through the media and school textbooks, which for a long time portrayed an enemy. Stereotypes are rooted where there is no personal experience of communication. Therefore, when you hear about "Russophobia in Germany" today, it is important to understand that this phenomenon is uneven. A significant part of the eastern Germans (and not only the older generation) maintains a more differentiated view and does ... Read more