Why Germany is still romanticizing Russian culture

Germany is now the second-largest provider of military aid to Ukraine and one of the biggest allies of Kyiv in its efforts against Russian aggression. But Berlin was initially hesitant to give Ukraine heavy weaponry and still falls short of supplying Kyiv with long-range arms, citing fears of a direct confrontation with Moscow.

How have Russian propaganda narratives and historical links between Russia and Germany influenced the Germans’ perception of Ukraine? Why many Germans have failed to see Vladimir Putin’s Russia as an imperial power? Is Germany still romanticizing Russian culture?
To get answers to these questions, Kyiv Independent’s journalist Dinara Khalilova spoke with Franziska Davies, assistant professor of Eastern and Central Eastern European History at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

[tomgjgj]

Italy kinda does this too in extremist circles.

[DerDrako]

I think this was a good explanation. I would just not use the word nationalism, but patriotism in this case.
Even I, an anarchist who despises nationalistic and even patriotic ideas and tendencies accept that in some cases patriotism can be a good thing.
If you are born in a rich country and face no discrimination because of your heritage or culture, to be proud of your culture or country is just something stupid and will lead to a nationalism, that will always be destructive and humbleness would be the better emotion. But if you are in a situation of discrimination, or that the country is invaded for imperialistic reasons by another country, humbleness is the wrong thing. In this case pride, as a kind of contrary to humbleness is the right response.
That is something most people do not understand.

It is also very weird for me that we germans often know so little about Ukraine, even though there were so many german settlers living there until the end of the second world war.