Putinversteher

Putinversteher or Putin-Versteher,[lower-alpha 1] female form Putinversteherin, is a German neologism and a political buzzword (Putin + verstehen), which literally translates "Putin understander", i.e., "one who understands Putin".[1] It is a pejorative reference to politicians and pundits who express empathy to Vladimir Putin and may also be translated as "Putin-Empathizer".[2] Similar words are Russlandversteher or Russland-Versteher.[3]

A Putinversteher logo similar to what may be seen on T-shirts, mugs, etc.

Origin

The term Putin-Versteher was first used in March 2014 by the German publications Spiegel Online and welt.de, occurring right after the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. Der Spiegel used the term when Sahra Wagenknecht and other members of the political party Die Linke said that the annexation of Crimea was understandable and justified, arguing that Russia's "legitimate interests in the region" must be taken into consideration.[4] That same month, Die Welt labeled some other people that went too far in their "understanding" for Putin. Foremost was former Social Democratic chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who was so close to Putin that it irritated even his most ardent admirers.[5]

After the 2014 annexation, many Putinversteher "backtracked or at least stopped stating their support publicly".[6] After the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, many "Putin-caressers" in Germany "came under increasing pressure to publicly distance themselves from Vladimir Putin amid accusations that they were bringing shame on the country and themselves."[7] The Bucha massacre in April 2022 made that for most people "the arguments typically used by Putinversteher had definitely lost their credibility".[6] For many, "Bucha had reduced the invasion to a Manichean conflict between good and evil".[8] It makes that by April 2022, the term Putinversteher has a different moral connotation than in March 2014.

Putin-Versteher was among frequent suggestions for the Un-word of the year 2014, but the panel of linguists favored the word Lügenpresse ("lying press").[9] Among the runners-up was a similar term, "Russland-Versteher" (Russia-Understander).[10] Although the word was used in English media as early as 2014, it became an international term in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion.[6]

The scope of the term and its usage

Characterization

A major cornerstone of "Putin-friendly" attitude is the "legitimate interests of Russia" in the post-Soviet states,[11] while another typical trait is anti-Americanism.[2] A similar term is Russlandversteher, "Russia understander".[12][11][5]

The circle of people that may be described as Putinversteher is politically heterogeneous and includes figures on both the left and right. It also includes businesspeople with business interests in Russia.[11][12] Paul Roderick Gregory wrote that they "serve as Putin's first line of defense against meaningful European sanctions for the Annexation of Crimea".[2]

Academic Taras Kuzio offers literary criticism of Russian studies scholars that he defines as falling into the Putinversteher moniker, in particular to their response to the Russo-Ukrainian War. In his definition, he calls these scholars "those who seek to always deflect criticism from Russian President Putin and Russia and lay blame on Ukraine, NATO, the EU, and the US."[13]

Putinversteher in Germany

In 2014 the group of German Putinversteher was quite large. Foremost was of course Gerhard Schröder, but in March 2014 many others were mentioned.[5] One of these was International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.[14] The feminist journalist Alice Schwarzer said that 96.77% of the inhabitants of Crimea wanted to belong to Russia.[15] Peter Gauweiler of the CSU had spoken for understanding of and cooperation with Russia on 5 March 2014. the former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen (SPD) was as careless to call the Svoboda members of the Ukrainian government true facsists richtige Faschisten.[16] Alexander Gauland of the Alternative for Germany had previously said that Russia would never condone the loss of "Holy Kiev, birthplace of Russia". Sahra Wagenknecht defended the annexation of Crimea by pointing to the anti-Russian sentiment in Kiev and repeating other Russian propaganda. Armin Laschet of the CDU spoke of anti-Putin populism Anti-Putin-Populismus in Germany. Gernot Erler (SPD) had called for "an end to Russia Bashing".[5][17]

While one might expect that members of the left wing Alliance 90/The Greens would be part of this list, its leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt took a clear stand in Mach 2014. She accused Sahra Wagenknecht and Die Linke of being against all foreign intervention, except when it was done by Russia.

Paul Roderick Gregory described the former Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schröder (SPD) as "the most egregious Putinversteher." Gregory wrote that Schröder might be susceptible to Putin's pressure because he chaired the board of Nord Stream 1 with an official one million dollar honorarium. Gregory cites that Schröder called to respect Russian "sensitivities" and seconds the Russian argument which compares separatism of Crimea with that of Kosovo.[2]

The term was applied to the former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt (SPD) by The Economist, Forbes Magazine and in Schmidt's biography book. Schmidt argued that Putin's annexation of Crimea, while illegitimate, was "understandable". In an interview he said: "If you placed yourself in Putin's shoes, you would likely react in the case of Crimea as he did".[12][18][2]

By 2022 the numbers of the Putinversteher had dwindled. In February 2022 Friederike Haupt, a political observer from Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote that Putinversteher could be found primarily in the right-wing party AfD and the socialistic party Die Linke, as well as in parts of the SPD.[19] An example of a journalist that continued to be a Putinversteher is Gabriele Krone-Schmalz.[20]

Putinversteher in France

In France, Marine Le Pen and her party the National Rally were deemed to be Putinversteher. In May 2014 she praised Putin as a patriot and defender of the Christian heritage of European civilization.[21] In September 2014 her party received a loan of 9 million euros from the First Czech Russian Bank (FCRB) based in Moscow. While this was not illegal, it of course cast heavy doubt on her objectivity towards Putin.[22] In January 2017 she condoned the Russian annexation of Crimea.[23] On 24 March 2017 Putin officially received Marine le Pen in the Kremlin.[24]

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Le Pen's party hastily removed a picture of the 2017 visit to Putin from its propaganda material,[25] with Le Pen now denying being a friend of Putin. In April 2022 NR members of the European Parliament broke their tradition of opposing resolutions against Russia by being absent.[23]

On the left wing, Jean-Luc Mélenchon leader of La France Insoumise fit the traditional profile of a Putinversteher. In March 2014 he legitimized the invasion of Crimea as "a security measure against an adventurous Putschist regime in which neo nazi's have a despicable influence".[26] By October 2022 La France Insoumise had changed its tune and spoke of a Russian war of Aggression.[27] Nevertheless, in November 2022 his party in the European Parliament abstained from declaring Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism.[28]

Putinversteher in the Netherlands

After the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the number of Putinversteher in the Netherlands quickly diminished. As of October 2022, the Forum for Democracy was practically the only Dutch party that was still enthusiastic about Putin. Therefore, the Labour Party and Greens wanted to bar Forum from confidential meetings about military aid for Ukraine. This move was publicly supported by the former head of the General Intelligence and Security Service Rob Bertholee.[29]

Outside of the representative institutions Dutch Putinversteher now act very carefully. Nevertheless, on 19 December 2022 members of the 'Golfgroep' petitioned the Dutch government to promote negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The petition was signed by about two dozen university staff and some elderly ex-politicians.[30] The wording of the petition[30] suggested that both sides had an equal share in causing the war.[31] War crimes were not mentioned.[30] An ironic remark about the petition from the left side was that it "at least admitted that Russia had invaded Ukraine."[31]

Putinversteher in Russia

The term was embraced in Russia, where, e.g., a company named "Putinversteher" sells memorabilia (rings, clothes, etc.) with Putin imagery.[32]

See also

References

  1. Umland, Andreas (January 21, 2016). "The Putinverstehers' Misconceived Charge of Russophobia". Archived from the original on 2017-06-15.
  2. Gregory, Paul Roderick (April 5, 2014). "Empathizing With The Devil: How Germany's Putin-Verstehers Shield Russia"". Forbes.
  3. Bachmann, Klaus (April 8, 2022). "Für immer Russlandversteher: Viele Deutsche nehmen Ukraine nicht ernst". Berliner Zeitung.
  4. Reinbold, Fabian (March 17, 2014). "Linkspartei in der Krim-Krise: Die Putin-Versteher". Der Spiegel (online). Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  5. "Krim-Krise: Was die Putin-Versteher in Deutschland antreibt". Die Welt. March 20, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  6. Hucal, Sarah (April 6, 2022). "German term 'Putinversteher' goes international". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  7. Connolly, Kate (February 28, 2022). "Germany's 'Putin-caressers' start coming to terms with their naivety". The Guardian. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  8. Hirsi Ali, Ayaan (8 April 2022). "This isn't a war between good and evil, Mythical struggles are the tool of the despot". Unherd.
  9. ""Lügenpresse" ist Unwort des Jahres 2014". Deutsche Welle. January 13, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  10. "Pressemitteilung: Wahl des 24. "Unworts des Jahres"" (PDF).
  11. Portnov, Andriy (November 24, 2014). "Germany and the disinformation politics of the Ukraine crisis". openDemocracy.
  12. "How very understanding: Germany's ambivalence towards Russia reflects its conflicted identity". the Economist. May 8, 2014.
  13. Kuzio, Taras (2020). "Crisis in Russian Studies? Nationalism (Imperialism), Racism and War". E-International Relations. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  14. Bouwman, Bertus (March 31, 2014). "Zeven Duitse vrienden van Poetin: van Siemens-topman Kaeser tot Helmut Schmidt" [Seven German friends of Putin: From Siemens manager Kaeser to Helmut Schmidt]. Duitslandnieuws.
  15. Alice Schwarzer: Warum ich trotz allem Putin verstehe! March 18, 2014.
  16. Müller, Dirk (March 18, 2014). "Gefahr einer Spirale nach unten". Deutschlandfunk.
  17. "Krim-Krise: Diese Deutschen verstehen Russland – Bilder & Fotos – WELT". DIE WELT.
  18. Michael Schwelien, Helmut Schmidt – Ein Leben für Deutschland. Die Biographie, p.270
  19. Haupt, Friederike (February 26, 2022). "Putinversteher am Abgrund". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
  20. Georgi, Oliver. "Linke und der Krieg: Putin verstehen und kapitulieren" via www.faz.net.
  21. "Marine Le Pen fait l'éloge de Vladimir Poutine «le patriote»". Le Figaro. May 18, 2014.
  22. Millot, Lorraine; Bouchet-Petersen, Jonathan (November 23, 2014). "Financement du Front national : Marine Le Pen en eau rouble". Libération.
  23. Geoffroy, Romain; Vaudano, Maxime (April 20, 2022). "Quels sont les liens de Marine Le Pen avec la Russie de Vladimir Poutine ?" [What are the ties between Marine le Pen and Vladimir Putin's Russia?]. Le Monde.
  24. Mandraud, Isabelle (March 24, 2017). "A Moscou, Vladimir Poutine adoube Marine Le Pen". Le Monde.
  25. Massol, Nicolas; Berteloot, Tristan (March 1, 2022). "Cette photo Le Pen-Poutine qui gêne au RN". Libération.
  26. "Mélenchon dénonce un nouveau "pouvoir putschiste aventurier" à Kiev" [Mélenchon denounces a new 'adventurous Putschist power' in Kiev]. lepoint.fr. Le Point. 1 March 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  27. "Est-ce que la Russie a encore des amis chez les politiques français ?" [Does Russia still have friends among French politicians?]. Radiofrance. October 4, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  28. "Le Parlement européen qualifie la Russie d'Etat promoteur du terrorisme" [The European Parliament qualifies Russia as a 'state sponsor or terrorism']. Le Monde. November 23, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  29. "Oud-AIVD directeur wantrouwt FvD: 'Baudet is buitengewoon enthousiast over Poetin'" [Former AIVD chief suspects FVD: Baudet is exceptionally enthusiastic about Putin]. BNN Vara. November 1, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  30. Teunissen, Jan Joost (December 19, 2022). "Oekraïne-oorlog - Oproep tot onderhandelen" [Ukraine War, appeal to negotiate]. Golfgroep. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  31. Van der Starre, Jeroen (January 9, 2023). "Petitie 'voor onderhandelingen' is vileine pro-Poetinpropaganda" [Petition for negotiations is villainous Putin propaganda]. BNNVARA. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  32. "В России начались продажи патриотических колец с Путиным за 7500 рублей". gazeta.ru. May 8, 2014.

Notes

  1. pronounced [ˈpuːtiːnfɛɐ̯ˌʃteːɐ], listen 
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