The war in Ukraine: What do Russian speakers in Germany think?

2023-04-29 08:32:16, Kosova & Bota CNA

Russia is to blame for the war in Ukraine. Almost 40 percent of Russian-speaking people in Germany share this view. This is the result of a survey commissioned by DW, which was carried out by the demoscopy institute. The respondents were Russian speakers who immigrated to Germany from Russia or one of the other former republics of the Soviet Union, which dissolved in 1991.

The number of Russian speakers who immigrated to Germany after 1991 is not precisely known. A 2020 study by the media service Integration talks about 3.5 million Russian speakers in Germany. Most of them have a migration background from Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. They themselves or at least one of their parents was born there. However, only 61 percent of them had Russian as their mother tongue.

Putin's reputation has deteriorated massively

Dimap focused on this group for their survey for Deutsche Welle. Almost two-thirds of respondents in April 2023 said they now had a worse opinion of Vladimir Putin than before Russia invaded Ukraine. 14 months after the start of the war, 22 percent think the image of Russia's president is "rather negative," and almost twice as many said Putin's image is "strongly negative." So we have a total of 65 percent.

"In my private and professional environment I have experienced that people are horrified by the Russian atrocities that are spreading through social media and traditional media," Edwin Warkentin told DW. The head of the cultural department for Russian-Germans at the Museum for Russian-German Cultural History in Detmold also explains how negatively Putin is viewed: "People living in Germany have access to information sources that show atrocities and also call them as such. opposite to those who live in Russia and are informed only by state propaganda".

The war in Ukraine: What do Russian speakers in Germany think?

In addition, German citizens with a post-Soviet background make a clear distinction between Putin and Russia. The DW poll found that they are extremely worried about the war. According to the figures almost 80 percent are "very concerned" or "quite concerned". This is probably related to the fact that one in five respondents have family members or acquaintances who have mobilized them as soldiers for the war. From the survey, it is not clear on which side they are fighting.

As for the age group, people over 40 years old feel the most affected, while young people not so much. "I think it's a general, generation-specific phenomenon," explains Warkentin, who himself came to Germany in the 1990s from Kazakhstan. Because when you are 40 or over 40 years old, you have created a family, you have built a life of your own and you worry more about the future than young people.

Influence on relations between Germans and Russians

45 percent, i.e. almost half of the respondents believe that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine will also have negative effects on the relations between Germans and Russians. This opinion is much more widespread among 18 to 39-year-olds (56 percent) and less so among the over-60 age group. only 31 percent.

When it comes to Germany's relations with the two belligerents, most tend to cooperate more closely with Russia again. In the DW poll, 44 percent are in favor of this, while almost a third advocate greater support for Ukraine.

Great readiness demonstration for the end of the war

Half of the Russian speakers in Germany could imagine demonstrating for an immediate stop to the war. 17 percent took to the streets to support Ukraine. In the case of Russia, it would be only half (nine percent). Willingness to participate in a pro-Putin demonstration was even lower, at four percent. But a 20 percent would protest against it.

Most are skeptical about the future. Almost half think there will be no peace in the long run. The answers to the question of who will win the war are roughly balanced. Eleven percent think Russia and nine Ukraine. Just under a fifth expect a diplomatic solution.

The war in Ukraine: What do Russian speakers in Germany think?

Edwin Warkentin recommends that German politicians "take a closer look at surveys and statistical results of this kind". So that everyone understands that the post-Soviet community in Germany is a very heterogeneous group, with a majority socialization in the West German-European society. "This is very important," Warkentin points out, "so as not to create the impression that there is a diaspora here that may have different views on this war and may have conflicting loyalties." Because such a conflict of loyalties would have the potential to disrupt social peace in the country.

Warkentin draws "an important conclusion" from the DW-dimap survey: that the attitude of the respondents to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, although they are more emotionally affected, corresponds more to the attitude of the majority of society. "In this respect, I think that results of this kind can also relax and harmonize living together in a migration society."/ DW