--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: German leftists have still not understood…" description: "\"German leftists have still not understood the degree to which Russian President Vladimir Putting has drifted to the right domestically. Now, insightful..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_antipathy_german-leftists-have-still-not-understoo_1762872.jpg" --- # German leftists have still not understood the degree to… ![“German leftists have still not understood the degree to which Russian President Vladimir Putting has drifted to the right domestically. Now, insightful observers are saying that Putin is trying to create something like a reactionary Internationale. The turn toward homophobia and to clerics is…” quote by Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_antipathy_german-leftists-have-still-not-understoo_1762872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_antipathy_german-leftists-have-still-not-understoo_1762872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_antipathy_german-leftists-have-still-not-understoo_1762872.jpg) > “German leftists have still not understood the degree to which Russian President Vladimir Putting has drifted to the right domestically. Now, insightful observers are saying that Putin is trying to create something like a reactionary Internationale. The turn toward homophobia and to clerics is completely ignored by leftists in Germany. Their sympathy for Putin comes largely from their antipathy for America. And this anti-Americanism is what binds them with the far-right.” [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that German leftists misinterpret Putin’s domestic shift rightward, focusing on anti‑American sentiment while overlooking his growing homophobia and alliance with clerics, which mirrors far‑right tendencies. **In simple terms:** German leftists miss Putin’s rightward drift and its moral implications. Key Takeaway Recognize political nuances beyond anti‑American bias. Themes politics misinterpretation ideology foreign policy Mood critical analytical Type commentary political analysis When to use this quote - German political discourse - European leftist analysis - media commentary - policy debates Key Concepts reactionary politics homophobia clergy influence anti‑Americanism Questions to Reflect On - How does anti‑American sentiment shape political alliances? - What evidence shows Putin’s alignment with reactionary forces? A Different Perspective The claim may overgeneralize leftist views and ignore internal diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antipathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antipathy/) [Homophobia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homophobia/) [Insightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insightful/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) ## Related quotes > [We've been saying Putin is a dictator for years who doesn't care about the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/we-ve-been-saying-putin-is-a-dictator-for-years-who-doesn-t-care/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [It was in the 1960s that the left convinced itself that there is something fascistic about patriotism and something perversely "patriotic" about running down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/it-was-in-the-1960s-that-the-left-convinced-itself-that-there-is/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [The world is starving for American leadership. But America has an anti-war president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/the-world-is-starving-for-american-leadership-but-america-has-an-anti/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [Those mad at me, writing emails angrily, Im not anti-America, America is anti-me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lowkey/those-mad-at-me-writing-emails-angrily-im-not-anti-america-america-is/) Lowkey > [I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-wish-the-american-media-would-take-a-great-look-at-the-views-of-the/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [“In 1913, the Anti-Saloon League attempted a constitutional amendment prohibiting liquor, but the movement didn't gain momentum until World War I, thanks to America's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/in-1913-the-anti-saloon-league-attempted-a-constitutional-amendment/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [The Americans are poor haters in international affairs because of their innate feeling of superiority over all foreigners. An American's hatred for a fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-americans-are-poor-haters-in-international-affairs-because-of/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Dread is a sympathetic antipathy and an antipathetic sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/dread-is-a-sympathetic-antipathy-and-an-antipathetic-sympathy/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The thing about youthful offenders is that no one seems to care about them. Most people don't like adolescents - even the good ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/the-thing-about-youthful-offenders-is-that-no-one-seems-to-care-about/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [Above all things the mass-mind is most bitterly resentful of superiority. It will not tolerate the thought of an elite; and under a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/above-all-things-the-mass-mind-is-most-bitterly-resentful-of/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [I do not dislike the French from the vulgar antipathy between neighboring nations, but for their insolent and unfounded air of superiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/i-do-not-dislike-the-french-from-the-vulgar-antipathy-between/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [If people tell you what you really don't want to hear what's unpleasant-there's an almost automatic reaction of antipathy. You have to train yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-people-tell-you-what-you-really-don-t-want-to-hear-what-s/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The double law of attraction and radiation or of sympathy and antipathy, of fixedness and movement, which is the principle of Creation, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-double-law-of-attraction-and-radiation-or-of-sympathy-and/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [“Our natures own predilections and antipathies alike strange. There are people from whom we secretly shrink, whom we would personally avoid, though reason confesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/our-natures-own-predilections-and-antipathies-alike-strange-there-are/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ANTIPATHY, n. The sentiment inspired by one's friend's friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/antipathy-n-the-sentiment-inspired-by-one-s-friend-s-friend/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More by Heinrich August Winkler > [Germans argue with the Americans about many things, from the death penalty to the relationship between security and freedom. We have to be honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/germans-argue-with-the-americans-about-many-things-from-the-death/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In recent years, the largest parties have shied away from making clear statements about where they stand. That was a huge mistake. I very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-recent-years-the-largest-parties-have-shied-away-from-making-clear/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [During the Cold War, the West was extremely careful not to allow the gap between the rich and poor to widen too far, first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/during-the-cold-war-the-west-was-extremely-careful-not-to-allow-the/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [Vladimir Putin is doubtlessly trying to drive a wedge into the Western alliance. When it comes to the Russian minorities in the Baltics, Putin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/vladimir-putin-is-doubtlessly-trying-to-drive-a-wedge-into-the/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [When the newly formed middle class in China begins to perceive its interests and discovers the value of the rule of law, the existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/when-the-newly-formed-middle-class-in-china-begins-to-perceive-its/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In Ukraine, there has never been a consensus behind NATO membership. Even Yulia Tymoshenko was noncommittal when she was still prime minister. Georgia under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-ukraine-there-has-never-been-a-consensus-behind-nato-membership/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In many regards, the West is dependent on Russia as a partner. Showing consideration for Russian sensitivities when it comes to old, historical bonds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-many-regards-the-west-is-dependent-on-russia-as-a-partner-showing/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [Germany is not the only country that one could call post-heroic. But there is an additional aspect for Germany when it comes to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/germany-is-not-the-only-country-that-one-could-call-post-heroic-but/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) [Explore all 9 Heinrich August Winkler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) ## More Antipathy quotes > [ANTIPATHY, n. The sentiment inspired by one's friend's friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/antipathy-n-the-sentiment-inspired-by-one-s-friend-s-friend/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Our natures own predilections and antipathies alike strange. There are people from whom we secretly shrink, whom we would personally avoid, though reason confesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/our-natures-own-predilections-and-antipathies-alike-strange-there-are/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The double law of attraction and radiation or of sympathy and antipathy, of fixedness and movement, which is the principle of Creation, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-double-law-of-attraction-and-radiation-or-of-sympathy-and/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [If people tell you what you really don't want to hear what's unpleasant-there's an almost automatic reaction of antipathy. You have to train yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-people-tell-you-what-you-really-don-t-want-to-hear-what-s/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I do not dislike the French from the vulgar antipathy between neighboring nations, but for their insolent and unfounded air of superiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/i-do-not-dislike-the-french-from-the-vulgar-antipathy-between/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [Above all things the mass-mind is most bitterly resentful of superiority. It will not tolerate the thought of an elite; and under a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/above-all-things-the-mass-mind-is-most-bitterly-resentful-of/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [The thing about youthful offenders is that no one seems to care about them. Most people don't like adolescents - even the good ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/the-thing-about-youthful-offenders-is-that-no-one-seems-to-care-about/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [Dread is a sympathetic antipathy and an antipathetic sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/dread-is-a-sympathetic-antipathy-and-an-antipathetic-sympathy/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The Americans are poor haters in international affairs because of their innate feeling of superiority over all foreigners. An American's hatred for a fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-americans-are-poor-haters-in-international-affairs-because-of/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [An aphorism is a mental exercise, psychical, logical, linguistic, spiritual, ritual, emotional and rational, it is a major conceptual and literary activity, a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/an-aphorism-is-a-mental-exercise-psychical-logical-linguistic/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [Theoretically, we Mennonites do not even know what we look like, since a focus on our personal appearance is vainglorious. Our antipathy to vainglory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/theoretically-we-mennonites-do-not-even-know-what-we-look-like-since/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [Nothing is more essential, than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular Nations, and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded; and that, in place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/nothing-is-more-essential-than-that-permanent-inveterate-antipathies/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [A woman may very well form a friendship with a man, but for this to endure, it must be assisted by a little physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/a-woman-may-very-well-form-a-friendship-with-a-man-but-for-this-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ “He had been dazzled. Because of the dazzling brightness, he had had to kill \[Seigen\]. All who had encountered Seigen had had their hearts… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takayuki-yamaguchi/he-had-been-dazzled-because-of-the-dazzling-brightness-he-had-had-to/) [Takayuki Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takayuki-yamaguchi/) > [Our prejudices, our antipathies, are our natural defenses against what we could not assimilate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/our-prejudices-our-antipathies-are-our-natural-defenses-against-what/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) [Browse all 82 Antipathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antipathy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "German leftists have still not understood the degree to which Russian President Vladimir Putting has drifted to the right domestically. Now, insightful observers are saying that Putin is trying to create something like a reactionary Internationale. 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