Putinversteher

The term Putin-Versteher was first used in March 2014 by German publications Spiegel Online and welt.de when members of the political party Die Linke said that Russia's annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation was understandable and justified. They argued that Russia's "legitimate interests in the region" must be taken into consideration.[3] Members of other parties also defended Putin, including former Social Democratic German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, angering even his most ardent admirers in the party.[4][5][6]

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").[7] Among the runners-up was a similar term, „Russland-Versteher“ (Russia-Understander).[8]

A major cornerstone of "Putin-friendly" attitude is the "legitimate interests of Russia" in the post-Soviet states,[9] while another typical trait is anti-Americanism.[2] A similar term is Russlandversteher, "Russia understander".[10][9][4]

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.[9][10] Paul Roderick Gregory wrote that they "serve as Putin’s first line of defense against meaningful European sanctions for the Anschluss of Crimea".[2]

Friederike Haupt, a political observer from Frankfurter Allgemeine writes that Putinversteher can be found primarily in the right-wing party AfD and the socialistic party Die Linke, as well as among some members of the SPD.[11]

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".[10][12] [2]

Paul Roderick Gregory of Forbers described the former Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schröder (SPD) as "the most egregious Putinversteher." Gregory wrote that Schmidt might be susceptible to Putin's pressure because he chaired the board of Nord Stream 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]

Other well-known people labelled as Putinversteher by conservative German newspaper Die Welt are Sahra Wagenknecht (Die Linke), feminist Alice Schwarzer,[13] and the former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen (SPD), who called the Svoboda members of the Ukrainian government in 2014 "Fascists".[14][4]

The term was embraced in Russia, where, e.g., a company named "Putinversteher" sells memorabilia (rings, clothes, etc.) with Putin imagery.[15]

• Fellow traveller, or less charitably, useful idiot
• Mitläufer

Look up Putinversteher in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Sarah Hucal: German term 'Putinversteher' goes international, Deutsche Welle, April 6, 2022.
• Gregor Peter Schmitz: „Putin-Versteher“ im Westen, comment on Radio Deutschlandfunk, February 26, 2022. (German)
• Alice Schwarzer: Warum ich trotz allem Putin verstehe! ("Why I understand Putin despite everything!"), March 18, 2014. (German)