Last week the first Russian Community in German Conference was opened in Nurnberg.

Migration has become a rather natural process not only with birds and animals but also with people. What pushes us far from our habitual places? Political, economical, financial or personal reasons make us start thinking of moving away. Well to build a new house sometimes turns out to be easier than new home.

There are enough examples in Russian history only for the last century when people really devoted to this country had to leave it. Revolutions, wars, not fitting to the state politics, the dissolution of the USSR. Lots of people left for Germany, Israel, the USA and other countries.

People tried to keep the links between each other and now they are forming communities to solve common problems. Last week the first Russian Community in German Conference was opened in Nunberg. The meeting subject is opinion exchange of Russian residents’ problems living in Germany. There are about three million Russians in Germany. They left their Motherland after the collapse of the USSR and now they are trying to renew old links.

There are about sixty thousand Russian-speakers in Nurnberg, and there is no still a Russian orthodox church there. Father Peter holds service in a catholic one on Saturdays an Mondays. The dream about their own church is one of the main subjects of the Conference.

This Conference is the first and unique, in spite of the fact that Russian community there is one of the largest. The task on the agenda is creating all-German Coordination Russian Council, Russian participation in public life, in politics, the Russian language maintenance, European projects.

It was stated on the Conference that Russians have been forming political and economical elite in Europe. And it makes even more important to make their contacts with Russia steady, to communicate with them and help them.

Every person, living in Germany, is a carrier of Russian culture, traditions, spirituality. And this aspect doesn’t depend on how long he/she is living abroad and what part of Russia he/she is from. Russian language unites all community.

“Germany and Russia understand each other well, and the facts that Russians have found their home here is a symbol of common historic and cultural development”, emphasized Markus Zeder, Christian Social Union General Secretary.

The community, compatriots, living abroad is a good partner for any country. The period of time when Russians were isolated in Europe and avoided Soviet embassies has passed. The new tendency is a two-way cooperation.

Sources:

    www.rosbalt.ru based on the article by Vecheslav Dukhin