Monday, January 29, 2024

Russian Stereotypes About Different Countries - Europe

 


Unlike former USSR republics, Europe has more diffused stereotypes about it. Post-Soviet states are not well known globally so USSR could easily push uncontested narratives on what Latvia or Georgia is. With Europe it was not so simple.

Many European countries as well as the US have a great divergence in opinions about them between Russian patriots and liberals. I will write about liberals and patriots in a separate article.

In general stereotypes about Western Europe characterized by a lot of attention to bigger European nations, such as France, Germany and UK as well as relative obscurity of the rest of them. There is also a lot more interest and knowledge about Western Europe compared to Eastern one.


Germany

That might come as a surprise to many, but Germany is the most liked of all European countries. Both patriots and liberals like it, even if for different reasons.

Liberals like to focus on great level of quality of life in Germany. Germany is associated with quality manufactured goods, neat streets and buildings, science, technology - civilization in short. Liberals wish to have all these things in Russia or in their lives at least. For that reason, some do choose to immigrate into Germany.

On the other hand, patriots respect Germany for its military prowess. They tend to spare Germany of their usual anti-western conspiracy theories. In contrast they view Germany as an example of military might, Russia should learn from in order to fight as good as them.

Both sides tend to agree that Germany is fine example well organized and run county, so they wish to imitate it, even if for vastly different reasons. Even jokes hardly even mock Germany.


UK - England

UK tends to be the favorite country for most liberals. Compare to Germany UK is more democratic and liberal.UK also has more international standing and renown compared to them as well. Compared to the US, UK has more culture, sophistication and tradition. So, for an average liberal UK came as clearly superior to both the US and Germany. People like Abramovich, buying expensive properties there and even the entire soccer clubs are a proof of this sentiment.

In contrast patriots tend to hate the UK. They are the secondary target of their conspiracy theories after the US. UK is not especially known for military prove-ness, which gives patriots no reason to respect them as they respect Germany for example. So, they instead mock it like they do with the rest of Europe.

Overall popular image of the UK in Russia is best described by Around the World in 80 Days movie, with Phileas Fogg would be the most stereotypical Brit out there. Various jokes about the UK do support the image of it being a very pretentious country that values manners a lot and has great penchant to ceremony, to the point of absurdity sometimes. Patriots scoff at it like a Manchester man would call someone like Fog a twat, but liberals tend to like the UK for just that.


Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Just like many people outside of post-Soviet space have little idea of what Latvia or Georgia is, thinking them being Russians. Average Russian has little idea about UK's consistent countries, thinking of them just being England.

Scots actually played an important role in Russian history during the Peter the Great times. Russian Navy even uses Scottish Saltire in inverted colors as its ensign. There is an Order of St. Andrew as well. However, reasons for that are forgotten by contemporary Russians. Saltire, called (St.) Andrew's Flag, is considered a native Russian symbol or military might and patriotism.

There are some jokes about Scots and Irish though, but I think they copy English stereotypes about these people.


France

France is especially loved by Russian women, who consider it to be a country of love and even fawn over Franch movie actors.

Men, who simp after women, also like France. 

Most Russian men however have little interest in France. However, stereotypes perpetrated by women, do exist among them as well.

Jokes about French often reflect this stereotype as well. Russian men think that if a French man does not think of anything but women, it is a good reason to mock him and laugh at him.


Italy

Not an often-remembered country in Russia, but that spares it from patriot's conspiracy theories and their anti-Western hate. Italians are considered to be an expert on fashion and shoe design. Culture and architecture are also among the things Russians know Italians for.


Spain

Spain remembered even less than Italy and most stereotypes about Spain are the same as that of the rest of the world. Corrida, flamenco (Spanish Guitar), resort destination.


Netherlands

Thanks to legalization of Marijuana in the Netherlands, this country has developed a reputation of being a constantly high stoner of Europe. Even if other countries legalize Marijuana and by now Netherlands are not the country with the most permissive laws in that area, this stereotype persists.

Once again Netherlands played an important role in Russian history during the times of Peter the Great, but that is not connected to present day Netherlands in Russian public mythos. Russian navy however used many Dutch terms as part of their naval jargon. Many are basic words of Dutch language, but sailors consider them to be sailing terms. For example Geus: only Russia and Netherlands call it that. 

Greece and Cyprus

Greece has a particular special place in Russian mythos. 

In Russia Greece associated with antiquity a lot more than Italy. Russia mostly uses Greek names for Olympian Gods, rather than Roman ones. In Russia many know who Zeus or Ares are but consider Jupiter and Mars only planets. Various stories from ancient Greek times are told among the people, I am not sure how many are of actual Greek origin and how many are actually Russian in origin but attributed to Greeks. 

People like to visit Greece to sightseeing as well. Common Orthodox Christian faith also a reason for special connection between Greece and Russia in the eyes of more religious people.


Turkey

Turkey is Russia's most popular vacation destination. However, people hardly think too much of it. For most, Turkey is just a place to swim in the sea and work on their tan on the beach.


Serbia - Yugoslavia

Serbia is second most favorite country of Russian patriots, after Belarus. Russian liberals do not particularly care for it.

Russian patriots unironically love Serbia for their war crimes, passionately support their desire to retake Kosovo and so on. Both they and Serbia itself share common conspiracy theories about evil west plotting against Slavic brotherhood. Both refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing on their part. Russian patriots would defend Sheshel and all the Serbs sentenced by Haage tribunal.

Russian patriots and anti-western Serbs make one common conspiracy bubble together.


Eastern Europe

The opposite of Serbia, Eastern Europe in general is a target of an especially bitter hatred from Russian patriots. 

Patriots believe in Soviet myth that USSR liberated Eastern Europe from Nazis and from that believe that Eastern Europeans should be forever grateful to USSR and Russia for that. For that reason, Russian Patriots see Eastern Europeans quitting Warsaw Pact and joining NATO and EU as a betrayal by an ungrateful traitors. Patriots often say things like "they would all be dead in Nazi gas chambers if not for us". That is both factually inaccurate and pretty unfair in my opinion, but such sentiments persist.

Once again Russian liberals do not particularly care for this part of Europe, which is a shame. I had a good experience with one Polish girl for example. Polish language is rather cute too. Liberals do not hate Eastern Europe, as they themselves would like Russia to join NATO and the EU, but they do not defend them from patriots either.

I do not specify individual countries as this part of Europe is often overlooked by Russians. Most will have hard time telling Hungary from Poland apart. Even Americans have jokes about Poles, but Russians do not.


Scandinavia - Sweden

Scandinavia and especially Sweden has an important but unseen presence in Russian psyche. There are number of Volvo cars in Russia for example. Also, wars between Peter the Great and Charles XII of Sweden shaped Russian military in many ways. There is even a legend that after Swedes surrendered after Poltava, Peter the Great invited them to a banquet to celebrate Swedes as people who taught Russians how to fight. I heard it in this wording.

Another Swedish influence is Karlsson-on-the-Roof book by Astrid Lingren. Most people in Russia likely consider this character to be uniquely Russian, even though he is not. Even Wikipedia article about this book features an image of a Russian post stamp with images from Russian cartoon adaptation.

All of that however hardly associated with modern Sweden or even Sweden at all. In that regard Sweden's role is similar to that Scotland and Netherlands. Though Sweden is not as associated with homosexuality as Netherlands is with drugs.

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