“The Other/Own/Alien”: Paradoxes of Perception of Germans in the Russian Empire in the late 18th – early 20th centuries

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of “the Other/Own/Alien” on the example of Germans and German colonists who arrived to Russian Empire in the late 18th – early 20th century at the invitation of the authorities. The material analyzed by the authors allowed revealing how the process of their transformation from “the Other” to “Stranger” took place. We have identified the socio-cultural, economic and political factors that influenced it. For various reasons, Germans came to the country where they had to adapt to new natural and climatic conditions, master the language, get acquainted with culture and traditions. In our opinion, long-term residence in the country and the gradual establishment of contacts with the local population contributed to the assimilation of Germans and transformation into “our kin”. This process took place much faster in an urban environment than in rural areas. However, foreign policy circumstances forced the Russian authorities to pursue an anti-German policy. This is reflected in periodicals and journalism. The desire of the Germans to preserve their language, culture and traditions, as well as the policy of the authorities, contributed to the formation of the image of the “Alien”.

Keywords

• frontier conditions
• alien
• the other
• own
• russian empire
• german colonists
• germans
• settlers
• migration
• transformation