ON THE INTEREST IN NATIVE LANGUAGE AND PRESERVATION OF ETHNIC SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF THE RUSSIAN GERMANS

Abstract

The problem of language and culture of the Russian Germans as independent ethnos remains debatable within many decades; the new researches based on testimonies of ethnic Germans would allow to draw a number of objective conclusions on the reasons and motives of loss/preservation of ethnic-cultural roots. In the research the following methods are applied: historiographic, data collecting and analysis, respondents poll, interpretation. Results: Article data are based on correspondence, meetings with 120 descendants of the Russian Germans from different generations. Discussion: authors have published 10 articles in various scientific journals of Russia. In 2015 the thematic conference was held in Yelabuga. Final report: about 30% of Russian Germans know the language of their ancestors, but even for grandsons and great-grandsons of the ethnic Germans who do not know German, thirst for “germanity” is shown it different aspects: national cuisine, music, interest in Germany. It allows to speak about a tendency of ethnic-cultural codes preservation for young Russian Germans.

Keywords

• Russian Germans
• ethno-linguo-cultural self-identification
• ethnos
• migration
• history of Russia
• respondents
• poll