There is an assumption that this saying was born during the storming of Prague in 1794. Having destroyed the pharmacy during street fighting, Russian soldiers took the bottle out into the street and began to drink, praising the contents. A German was walking past. Thinking that the soldiers were drinking water, he drank a glass and fell dead. It was alcohol!
When Suvorov was reported about this, he said that the Germans had no reason to compete with the Russians: they say, what is healthy for a Russian is death for a German. Since then, this phrase has popped up in different situations as confirmation: what is good for some is unacceptable for others. And this is not without reason!
So what is good for a Russian, but not so good for a German, to put it mildly?
1. Feast
Source:Each nation has its own habits and traditions of celebrations. The generously laid tables of the Slavs are very different from festive tables Germans. Many have seen how surprised Germans are when they visit Russians and see a huge amount of food and alcohol on the table. And they are even more surprised - and frankly, they can’t stand it - when you have to keep up with every new toast, and not forget to have a snack, and then dance, sing and drink and eat again! And there is no point in arguing about which is better. To each his own!
2. Alternative treatments
Source:Russians love to be treated folk remedies, tinctures, decoctions and herbs. Reduce the temperature with an alcohol solution, apply an aloe or plantain leaf to the wound, garlic to the wrist to remove toothache, breathe over cabbage or potatoes, put mustard plasters on to cure a cough - yes, such remedies used by the Russians surprise German doctors.
3. Zelenka
Who among those who grew up far outside of Germany did not have green knees? Many people also remember painted in green color chickenpox spots on the body? Zelenka can still be found in almost every home. And it doesn’t matter that there are much more effective and affordable antiseptics. Zelenka was, is and will be among the Russian people. And try to explain to the Germans that better means can not be.
4. Signs
Source:Every nation has a whole range of signs and superstitions, but you must admit that the Russians have simply tons of them. Sit on the path, knock on wood, don’t whistle in the apartment and don’t come back if you forgot something - this is the minimum that almost everyone observes. It’s interesting to watch the Germans when they see how the Russians, before a long journey, suddenly sit down together and remain silent. On the path!
5. Buckwheat and seeds
You can buy buckwheat in Germany, but Germans don’t eat it. Moreover, many of them do not even suspect that it can be eaten, not counting, of course, those who have Russian relatives. And I can talk for a long time about the benefits of this dietary product, but the fact remains a fact.
And, of course, seeds. Despite the fact that sunflowers began to be grown in France and Holland in the 17th century, it was the Russians who took root in eating its seeds. And no one can understand these gourmets!
What is good for a Russian is death for a GermanThe expression “Balzac age” arose after the publication of Balzac’s novel “A Woman of Thirty” and is acceptable in relation to women no older 40 years.
Tyutelka is a diminutive of the dialect tyutya (“blow, hit”), the name for an exact hit with an ax in the same place during carpentry work. Today, to denote high accuracy, the expression “tail to neck” is used.
The most experienced and strong barge hauler, walking first in the strap, was called a cone. This evolved into the expression "big shot" to refer to an important person.
Previously, Friday was a day off from work, and, as a result, a market day. On Friday, when they received the goods, they promised to give the money due for it on the next market day. Since then, to refer to people who do not fulfill their promises, they say: “He has seven Fridays in a week.”
In French, “assiet” is both a plate and a mood, a state. Presumably, an erroneous translation of the French expression caused the appearance of the phraseological unit “out of place.”
One day, a young doctor, invited to see a hopelessly ill Russian boy, allowed him to eat whatever he wanted. The boy ate pork and cabbage and, to the surprise of those around him, began to recover. After this incident, the doctor prescribed pork and cabbage to a sick German boy, but he ate it and died the next day. According to one version, it is this story that underlies the emergence of the expression “what is good for a Russian is death for a German.”
When the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian reproached him for introducing a tax on public latrines, the emperor showed him the money received from this tax and asked if it smelled. Having received a negative answer, Vespasian said: “But they are from urine.” This is where the expression “money doesn’t smell” comes from.
The opening of the nail-like Eiffel Tower was timed to coincide with the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, which created a sensation. Since then, the expression “highlight of the program” has entered the language.
The expression “the game is not worth the candle” came from the speech of gamblers, who spoke this way about a very small win that does not pay for the cost of the candles that burned out during the game.
In the old days, village women used a special rolling pin to “roll” their laundry after washing. Well-rolled laundry turned out to be wrung out, ironed and clean, even if the wash was not of very high quality. Today, to denote achieving a goal by any means, the expression “by scraping, by skiing” is used.
In the 17th century, by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the distances between Moscow and the royal summer residence in the village of Kolomenskoye were re-measured and very high milestones were installed. Since then, tall and thin people have been called “Verst Kolomenskaya”.
“One scientist, having bought 20 ducks, immediately ordered one of them to be cut into small pieces, which he fed to the rest of the birds. A few minutes later he did the same with another duck, and so on, until one remained, which thus devoured 19 of its friends.” This note was published in the newspaper by the Belgian humorist Cornelissen to mock the gullibility of the public. Since then, according to one version, false news has been called “newspaper ducks.”
Photo from the website www.m.simplycars.ru.
22.11.2011 11:26:30
How are Russians different from Germans? At first glance, the question is stupid. After all, people living in different countries, completely different mentality. It is generally accepted that Germans are neat, hardworking, punctual, and love order in everything. For the rest of my life I remembered how our school teacher, a German by nationality, wrote on the board “Ordnung muss sein”, which translated means “There must be order,” during the very first German lesson. At the same time, he looked at us so sternly that subsequently we behaved very quietly during his lessons.
The mentality of Russians is completely different. We can say that we are the antipodes of the Germans. It’s not for nothing that the saying “What’s good for a Russian is death for a German” was invented. Russians for the most part are lazy, they can allow themselves, as they say, to lie on the stove and spit at the ceiling, again, they love freebies, which is completely unusual for the Germans.
However, despite the obvious differences, we have a lot in common. It is not without reason that strong friendly ties have long been established between Russia and Germany. In both countries, Russian-German friendship societies operate successfully, and exchanges between schoolchildren and students are practiced. Also part Russian schoolchildren and students are studied German, and in some educational institutions Germany is taught Russian.
Friendship is friendship, however, as I had to see, not all Russians and Germans have a positive attitude towards each other... In different countries I found myself in similar situations, from which I drew two conclusions for myself. First: when traveling abroad, Russians and Germans behave in exactly the same way when they think that no one knows their language. Second: some representatives of Russia and Germany really do not like each other.
One story happened to me in Germany. German friends invited me to a show of military equipment. We arrived at the military unit where the day was spent open doors. Everyone could walk around the unit, see the conditions in which the soldiers lived, and also get acquainted with the arsenal. This, of course, surprised me very much, because this does not happen in Russia. Entrance to military units is closed to civilians, and even more so to foreigners.
When we arrived at the military unit, there was a long line in front of the entrance. But she moved very quickly. Standing in this line, I was very surprised when I heard Russian speech. At first this made me happy, because at that time I had lived in Germany for almost a month and was tired of the German language. However, then the behavior of the Russians outraged me.
My compatriots were standing not far from us, so I heard their conversation clearly. They said something like this:
These Germans are sick of me. They stand like sheep in this line. No one even tries to jump the line. Everything is too correct, it’s infuriating. Everything about them is not like people...
True, it sounded much ruder, and there were obscene expressions.
Having become quite indignant about the “wrong” line, they began to discuss the people who stood in front of them. Again in a rude manner. Someone was called “fat”, someone “freak”... Naturally, it was unpleasant to listen to them.
When my German friends asked what they were talking about, I was honestly confused. She said that they were unhappy that the line was too long. And the thought flashed through my head to approach my rude compatriots and ask them to behave decently. But I never made up my mind. Or maybe I was afraid that they would pour a bucket of dirt on me too...
It so happened that, leaving the military unit, we again found ourselves next to those same Russians from the queue. This time they loudly discussed how stupid the Germans were for showing their military equipment"just anyone." At the same time, they didn’t even have a thought that there might be Germans walking nearby who studied Russian and who might be offended by such statements...
After leaving the military unit, we went to the cemetery where Russian soldiers were buried during World War II. However, we were unable to get to the cemetery itself. It was surrounded by a high fence, and there was a guard at the gate. My German friends explained that this cemetery is opened once a year - on May 9th. On other days it does not work and is under guard, as there have been several cases of radical young people destroying monuments and desecrating graves.
“Probably, our compatriots are to blame for this, who publicly allow themselves to insult the citizens of the country in which they are guests...” I thought, but did not say out loud...
Another story happened in Turkey, where, as you know, tourists from Russia and Germany like to vacation. They are the majority there. So, my friends and I decided to go on a yacht. True, the tickets were purchased at a street travel agency, and not from a hotel guide, whose prices were twice as high. As a result, we ended up on a yacht where there was practically no free seats. To raise more money, they loaded a lot onto the yacht more people than it should be. Moreover, there were approximately the same number of Russian and German tourists.
Interestingly, the Russians had fun, danced, and took part in various competitions. The Germans at this time sat with dissatisfied faces. They were clearly strained by this proximity.
It so happened that a German campaign settled next to us. Two young women with children. While their children were having fun and playing with Russian children, the mothers were heatedly discussing something. At first I somehow didn’t listen to their dialogue, but then I suddenly became interested. After all, at school I studied German, and listening to live foreign speech, you can refresh your knowledge.
However, after listening to their words, I regretted being with them. After all, their dialogue went something like this:
It's good here...
Yes, everything would be fine, but there are only a lot of Russians...
After that, they began to discuss how disgustingly the Russians behave, how they interfere with their rest. And then they began to ridicule the shortcomings of the people around them... I immediately remembered the compatriots I met in Germany...
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It was a long time ago - when there were two Germanys, and the USSR was a great power. A group of tourists from the Kalinin region, through the Bureau of International Youth Tourism "Sputnik" of the Komsomol Central Committee, went to West Germany, to the city of Osnabrück - its German sister city Soviet city Kalinina.
My acquaintance with Germany began with international airport Frankfurt am Main. Having landed softly, our graceful Tu-154 made its way for a long time to the place where passengers disembarked among the herd of fat-bellied Boeings and Airbuses. At first glance, it became clear that everything here is organized according to different standards - different from those we are used to. The guests were received by one of the largest air transport hubs in Europe - so huge that, at first glance, it was easy to get lost in it. However, even with a quick acquaintance with this rationally organized space with its numerous boards, signs and escalators, we became convinced that it was impossible to get lost here, even if you wanted to.
The further road to Osnabrück ran through one small, almost toy German town, which politely sheltered us for the first night. Midnight was approaching, but the young envoys of the Upper Volga region could not wait to feel the German soil under their feet and breathe its air. Having settled into the hotel, we went out for a walk before going to bed.
Empty streets and squares froze in anticipation of the coming night. In the center of the town, at a lonely traffic light, looking respectfully at the red light, stood an elderly German with a dog. Having caught up with him and without hesitating for a second, the Kalinin residents confidently ran to the red light and crossed the roadway with jokes.
Why stand on ceremony: the cars clinging to the narrow streets are immobilized until the morning, respectable burghers are sleeping, so a traffic light at night is not a decree for a Russian person! The only witness - an old man - also does not count, since from amazement he seemed to have fallen into a state of suspended animation for a long time. I still remember the open mouth, bulging eyes and the German’s checkered hat slid down the back of his head. Perhaps his ancient Gothic ears, sensitive to historical memory, once (under other circumstances) already heard Russian speech? But most likely, the ordered consciousness of the German did not accept the very possibility of violating any instructions, especially the sacred Traffic Rules.
It was at that moment that I remembered the catchphrase: “What is great for a Russian is death for a German.” It accurately notes the presence of significant differences in certain features of Russian and German national characters. Then, during our journey, at every step we received convincing evidence that, in fact, the concepts of the rules of life among our peoples are often diametrically different.
The program of stay in Osnabrück included many events, among which the most exciting was visiting German families. The tourists were divided into pairs, and the Germans themselves chose which one to invite. My friend and I were chosen by the architect's family.
Architect, fat man about forty years old, he led us to an elderly mouse-colored Mercedes with big-eyed, acorn-like headlights, and, affectionately patting the hood, said enthusiastically:
- Diesel!
The rattling ancestor of passenger diesel engines slowly brought us to the outskirts of Osnabrück. Along the way, the owner, in every way, including displaying a glass of soda standing motionless on the dashboard, demonstrated the enviable smoothness of the German Autobahn, which, as apparently intended, made an indelible impression on us. But what impressed me even more was the architect’s home, which looked like a glass shelf, organically inscribed at the foot of a small hill covered with tall pine trees. However, the main novelty was not even this, but the fact that inside the living quarters there was completely no furniture made industrially. The architect proudly showed cabinets, sofas and shelves self made, practically built into the walls. Of course, in interior decoration The rooms were in immaculate order and cleanliness.
The stingy aesthetics of the house cooled the soul and restrained the overflow of friendly feelings. However, we did not lose hope of establishing closer contact and tried to communicate using a mixture of Russians and English words. How else to communicate: we did not understand German, and the German did not understand Russian; he basically did not know English due to his undisguised aversion to the Britons, Angles and various Saxons. Soon the limited resource of gestures and exclamations was completely exhausted. It was necessary to find some kind of life-tested method of consolidating the emerging sympathy, and I decided to resort to a proven national remedy - a bottle of vodka, which I fished out from a case filled with gifts to the receiving party, and which I immediately, looking eye to eye, solemnly handed over to the owner. So to speak, according to Russian custom, as a present, but still in the undisguised hope of a small drink - for getting to know each other!
The German's face lit up with an inner light. He perked up, tenaciously grabbed the neck of Stolichnaya with his meaty fingers and carefully placed the bottle in a cabinet of his own making.
- Oh, gut, gut - rusishe votka! – he was sincerely happy, rhythmically waving his tousled eyebrows and patting himself on his capacious belly.
The joy, however, was short-lived, since it was not general, and a languid silence hung in the room again. After consulting, we wholeheartedly, without hiding the innermost desires written on our faces, presented a second bottle of vodka, which immediately suffered the same fate as the first. Then the third. But she, too, inevitably took pride of place in the neatly lined up worldwide famous brand. The result of the alcohol intervention was disappointing: a) three-quarters of the collective reserves of “second currency” brought from snow-covered Russia were wasted (each tourist could carry no more than a liter of vodka across the border); b) the desired result was not achieved.
Time writhed in a pause, which carried my friend’s thoughts somewhere far, far away, to where the bottle physically could not remain in the closet for a long time. Traces of memories, apparently, were reflected so clearly on our mournful faces that the German, fussily moving his feet on the shiny parquet floor, hurried to the kitchen and brought from there a wicker basket with two bottles of beer at 0.33 each:
- Bitte.
We quickly uncorked them, offered them to the owner for the sake of decency, and after the expected refusal, with a feeling of deep satisfaction, we emptied the unimportant containers. The silence became oppressive. The owner, sighing heavily, went back to the kitchen and put out two more small-caliber bottles. Yes, he was clearly lacking in imagination! Drowning our nerves in beer, we stared blankly at the empty container. With a doomed look, breathing noisily, the architect went for the next portions of beer, which without delay poured into our stomachs. It seems that the German finally realized that beer is not vodka and the conversation will not stick together. He looked sadly at the cabinet with vodka and thought intensely about something.
The situation was defused by the pretty hostess, who invited guests and family members to the table. It was covered with a brand new scarlet tablecloth, which, as soon as everyone was seated, was stained by the owners’ son, pouring juice. The head of the family pointed his finger at the spot and sternly reprimanded the boy.
I felt sorry for all the Germans: what is German swearing compared to the widest range and high destructive power of Russian profanity?! According to our classification, German swearing is a meaningless verbal form that does not have well-deserved international recognition and, most importantly, does not evoke reciprocal feelings. Here they are, of course, far from us. However, the notation still had an effect: everyone became disciplinedly quiet.
The smiling Frau suggested starting with salad. The friend became embarrassed, and in order to maintain the momentum gained over the beer, I boldly scooped it up with a beautiful silver spoon directly from the bottom of a huge porcelain salad bowl, towering exactly in the center of the table. The pile of green vegetation mixed with mayonnaise turned out to be so large and unstable that those sitting at the table froze. I also tensed, but this was only internally, and externally - easily and confidently, maintaining, as expected, the necessary balance, I led the hay in a straight line towards my plate. And such an international embarrassment must have happened that, right in the middle of the journey, the green-white lump treacherously slid onto the scarlet firmament of the table.
Seconds began to stretch into minutes. While those sitting at the table were silently hypnotizing the pile, which was cheerfully enlivening the ceremonial array of plates and cutlery, the owner’s daughter - a girl of about eighteen - scooped up the ill-fated mountain with two (!) spoons and, smiling warmly at me, decisively moved it to my plate. There was a huge stain left on the tablecloth, which the owner looked at doomedly, while everyone else stared at me and remained silent. I... ate a salad. No problems! So to speak, in order to mitigate the international tension that has arisen.
The next day, the host Osnabrück party, led by the burgomaster, organized a grand celebration in honor of the Soviet delegation, where Kalinin residents were given plenty of beer from aluminum barrels and treated to various German delicacies such as pork legs with sauerkraut and delicious sausages. They drank just enough to communicate without the help of translators, dance German dances and sing Russian songs. Members of the German families who invited the tourists generously presented the guests with gifts. Unfortunately, no one from the architect’s family came...
For another week we traveled by bus through the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, a country of strict geometric lines, outlined by a giant compass. Outside the window flashed, as if in an animated film, like drawn pictures: like a field, but unusually well-groomed; like forests, but translucent through; toy towns, villages and boringly smooth roads. This kingdom of form had everything, and yet something was sorely missing.
There was not enough space, air, and therefore the breadth and scope of the soul. Tightness in everything! We longed for the free wind in a wild field, for Russian uncertainty and disorder - for our unreasonableness. In the end, we even missed the dirt - ordinary Russian dirt, which covered Russian roads, directions, car wheels and shoes in abundance. The same dirt that more than once saved the Fatherland from various misfortunes.
Truly, what is good for a Russian is death for a German. And vice versa.
Reviews
I read it with my wife and was painfully offended by the usual Russian laxity, dirt, and lack of grooming in everything. But we can, if we want to do no worse, and there is no need to refer to the vast expanses, huge distances, and so on. Everyone just needs to start from their own home, yard, the same fence, and the authorities from the road and discipline in everything. And there will be no boredom. We had the opportunity to visit the Baltic states and Paris more than once and see something similar to what is in your story. And it was so ashamed and painful for our... My wife and I try not to imitate them, but simply to settle down as our conscience and upbringing allow. Although we are already approaching seventy. Smart story! Everyone would like to have it on their bedside table as an instruction manual. Woke up and looked, looked and did...
Victor, thank you for the quality and substantive review. I agree with you. Still, I want to clarify the following (since the story failed to focus the reader’s attention on this).
First. Honestly, I couldn’t live in Germany for even a month: I would feel bored, cramped and sick of the order that paralyzes the will and imagination, although I love order. But the order is different - within a different relationship of time and space. Now I’ll try to build a bridge from the specific to the general.
Second. Why are we - Russians and Germans - so different, what is the essence of the differences?
In Germany, with its compact territory and favorable climate, time seems to flow more evenly, equally, than in Russia, where during the short summer it was always compressed to the limit in order to prepare, at the cost of much greater effort than in Germany, for the extended period of time. harsh winter and survive it. I remind you that before today In Russia, the current agenda is: “On measures to prepare for the end of the heating season.” The Germans quickly established order in their small living space, based on absolute respect for the law and total regulation, and it turned out to be easier for them to do this, again because of good climatic conditions. But due to overcrowding, the consciousness of every German turned inward, acquired an individualistic character and did not allow intrusion into personal space. Russians have a collectivist consciousness of space, with a spirit of conciliarity, solidarity, ease of contacts, and the ability to open up to everyone they meet. In our large spaces, instructions do not work so effectively; they get stuck in time zones; for us, those proven over centuries are more important ethical standards, traditions and rules of behavior that shape the atmosphere of society. For example: a sea of laws has now been adopted, but the desired result has not been achieved because the appropriate atmosphere has not been created in society.
Third. There is an opinion that the vector of all changes that last decades shook our country, has a starting point in climate change- It’s gotten warmer, they say. I wish it were colder...
There are many interesting expressions, proverbs and phraseological units in the Russian language. One of these sayings is the famous phrase “What is good for a Russian is death for a German.” Where did the expression come from, what does it mean and how can it be interpreted?
Difference between Europe and Russia
It is known that the physical constitution of a person largely depends on the natural and climatic conditions in which society is forced to live. The European climate, like the Russian one, gives rise to a corresponding character.
The climate in Europe is mild and moderate. The life of the peoples inhabiting these lands has always been the same. The time when it was necessary to work was distributed evenly throughout the year. While the Russians were forced to either rest or work beyond their strength.
The natural conditions of Russia cannot be called soft. Short summer and long lasting Cold winter contributed to what is commonly called the Russian soul. Forced to constantly struggle with cold winters, Russian people have a special character that cannot but be called a little aggressive. In addition, climate has a significant impact on the formation of the physiology of a nation. This must be kept in mind when explaining the meaning of the saying “What is good for a Russian is death for a German.” And of course, every nation has its own history, which affects the mentality of people, their way of life. The difference between Western European countries and Russia in this case is very significant.
The first version of the origin of the proverb “What is good for a Russian is death for a German”
This expression is used in everyday speech all the time. When pronouncing a proverb, people do not think about its origin. “What is good for a Russian is death for a German” - no one will remember who said this for the first time and where this phrase came from. Meanwhile, according to one version, its origins should be found in history Ancient Rus'. On one of the holidays in Rus', they set a table rich in various delicious dishes. In addition to them, they brought traditional sauces, horseradish, and homemade mustard. The Russian hero tried it and continued the feast with pleasure. And when the German knight tasted the mustard, he fell under the table dead.
Another version of the origin of the proverb
“What is good for a Russian is death for a German” - it is difficult to say whose expression this was before. Exists interesting story, explaining the origin catchphrase. A doctor was called to see the sick craftsman boy. After conducting an examination, he concluded that he did not have long to live. The mother wanted to fulfill any last wish of the child, to which the young doctor allowed him to enjoy any food. After the child ate cabbage with pork, which the hostess had prepared, he began to recover.
Then a German child who suffered from the same disease was invited to dinner. When the doctor ordered him to eat cabbage and pork, the unexpected happened: the boy died the next day. The doctor wrote in his notebook: “What is good for a Russian is death for a German.”
Russia will save the world
What else is so different that it allows many great minds to call Mother Russia the savior of the world, in particular of Europe? Some differences appear even in privacy. Case in point the banal habit of washing can serve. Many Western historians can find notes indicating that the Slavs have a strong habit of constantly pouring water on themselves. In other words, Russians are accustomed to washing in running water.
What is good for a Russian is death for a German, or Everyday habits of different nations
To compare historically established European and Russian customs, it is necessary to do small excursion to the past. During the Roman Empire, cleanliness was always the key to not only health, but also a full life. But when the Roman Empire fell, everything changed. The famous Roman baths remained only in Italy itself, while the rest of Europe amazed with its uncleanliness. Some sources say that until the 12th century, Europeans did not wash at all!
The case of Princess Anna
“What is good for a Russian is death for a German” - this proverb expresses the essence of the differences between representatives different cultures and nations. An interesting incident happened with Anna, a Kyiv princess who was supposed to marry King Henry I of France. After arriving in France, her first order was to take her to the bathhouse to wash. Despite the surprise, the courtiers, of course, carried out the order. However, this did not guarantee deliverance from the princess’s wrath. She informed her father in a letter that he had sent her to a completely uncultured country. The girl noted that its inhabitants have terrible characters, as well as disgusting everyday habits.
The price of uncleanliness
Surprise similar to that experienced by Princess Anna was also expressed by the Arabs and Byzantines during the Crusades. They were amazed not at the strength of the Christian spirit that the Europeans had, but at a completely different fact: the smell that reeked a mile away from the crusaders. Every schoolchild knows what happened afterwards. A terrible plague broke out in Europe, killing half the population. Thus, we can safely say that the main reason that helped the Slavs become one of the largest ethnic groups and resist wars, genocide and famine was precisely cleanliness.
An interesting fact is that after Galicia came under Polish rule, Russian baths completely disappeared there. Even the art of perfumery itself arose in Europe in order to combat unpleasant odors. And this is reflected in the writer’s novel “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.” In the book, the author vividly describes what was happening on the streets of Europe. All biological waste poured out of the windows directly onto the heads of passers-by.
Pharmacy legend
When Russian troops captured Prague on November 4, 1794, the soldiers began drinking alcohol in one of the pharmacies. Having shared this alcohol with the German veterinarian, they accidentally took his life. After drinking the glass, he gave up the ghost. After this incident, Suvorov said popular expression: “What is good for a Russian is good for a German,” which translated means “pain, suffering.”
It should also be noted interesting fact. The proverb “What is good for a Russian is death for a German” does not exist in German. It is offensive, so it is better not to say it in the presence of representatives of this people. For us it means the following: what may be useful to one person may be harmful to another. In this sense, its analogue can serve as the well-known proverb “Another person’s soul is darkness” or “To each his own.”
It is also necessary to remember that previously in Rus' not only people from Germany were called Germans. All foreigners bore this name. Those who did not know local traditions, Russian customs and could not speak Russian were called dumb, or Germans. Because of this, they could find themselves in various comical and sometimes unpleasant situations. Perhaps this proverb was born as a result of such cases.
This phrase has deep practical meaning. Very often people are incapable of empathy. It is not for nothing that ethical sense among children is considered giftedness. But for adults, the ability to put themselves in the position of another person and “try on their skin” is very important for successful interaction in society. There is also a similar meaning that says that you should not make judgments about a person or judge him in any way until the person who wants to make a judgment has spent a day in his shoes.
What is beneficial for one person is extremely undesirable for another. And maybe even fatal. Take, for example, the widespread statements that you should not recommend to your loved ones, friends and acquaintances medications that have helped you - they can not heal, but aggravate the disease. And this will also help to fully understand the true meaning of the famous proverb, which in fact does not contain a single drop of nationalist views.