How Germans Perceive Russians: Divided Attitudes and Cultural Barriers If you ask a German what they think about Russians, the answer can greatly depend on where they live in Germany, how old they are, and whether they have ever been to Russia. There is no single opinion, and there cannot be. Today's Germany is divided in its attitude towards Russia, as is all of Europe, but here this division has a deep historical dimension. Historical Rift: Non-Soviet East versus Capitalist West The clearest divide in the perception of Russians goes along the former border between East Germany (GDR) and West Germany. The reason is not only current policy but also the biographies of people. 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 "eternal friendship" and, more importantly, personal interaction. In the post-war years, Soviet soldiers shared products, taught children to ride horses, and people formed connections on a personal level. Later, already in the GDR, many eastern Germans studied in the USSR, worked on joint enterprises, 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 a protection against "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 precisely where there is no personal experience of communication. Therefore, when today you hear about "Russophobia in Germany," it is important to understand that this phenomenon is heterogeneous. A significant part of the eastern Germans (and not only the older generation) maintains a more differe ... Read more