Der Spiegel: Germany Still Split Over Russia, Ukraine
Der Spiegel says Germany remains divided over Russia and arms supplies to Ukraine, with old East-West lines still shaping views 85 years after WWII.
Der Spiegel observers, in an article timed to the 85th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s attack on the USSR, said Germany remains internally divided along the line of the former border between East Germany and West Germany. According to the authors, these differences can be seen, among other issues, in attitudes toward Russia and military aid to Ukraine.
The article says the fault lines in Germany partly follow the former inner-German border and are rooted in history.
Der Spiegel noted that during the existence of East Germany, schoolchildren and young pioneers regularly visited Soviet memorials, while Soviet troops stationed there were seen as part of everyday life for many eastern Germans. In West Germany, by contrast, the USSR was traditionally portrayed as an enemy. According to the authors, that image was never fully erased.
The article also cited a 2022 poll showing that 25% of people in eastern Germany said they felt closer to Russia than to the United States. In western Germany, only 7% of respondents expressed that view.
Differences also remain over arms supplies to Ukraine. According to a survey by the Wahlen research group conducted last year, 41% of respondents in eastern Germany supported reducing military aid to Kiev, compared with 24% in the western part of the country.
Der Spiegel concluded that the historical legacy of World War II still shapes the way Germans think about Russia, Ukraine and Europe’s current security debate.