© РИА Томск. Яна Резниченко © РИА Томск. Анна Ярославцева TOMSK, Nov 24 –
RIA Tomsk. The meeting of the Federal Government
Commissioner for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers and National
Minorities Bernd Fabritius and representatives of Tomsk organizations of
Russian Germans took place on Sunday afternoon; this is Fabritius's first visit
to Tomsk, RIA Tomsk correspondent reports from the scene.
On November 24,
Fabritius met in Tomsk Russian-German House (RGH) with representatives of
public organizations of Russian Germans, grant recipient organizations, as well
as heads of educational institutions with in-depth study of the German
language.
"One of the
main things for me – is to get acquainted with the life of Russian Germans
living here in different regions. The federal government (of Germany) wants to
support them, restore their identity and restore the knowledge of the German
language, which they could not use for decades. I can do this, only if I see on
the ground how they live, when I talk to them – learn about their customs and
what they need", – Fabritius said RIA Tomsk through an interpreter.
He explained
that the Federal Government Commissioner area of responsibility includes 26
countries. In Russia, he had already managed to visit Barnaul, Novosibirsk and
Kaliningrad, where there are also organizations of Russian Germans. However,
Fabritius is visiting Tomsk for the first time.
"In Tomsk
<...> I am very deeply impressed, in particular, by the wooden
architecture. I had conversations with Russian Germans – with the mayor of the
city (Ivan Klein. – Ed.), the former governor (Viktor Kress. – Ed.) ... All
these Russian Germans they combine the warmth and hospitality of Russians with
German diligence and punctuality. And this, I think, is a very successful
combination, and this makes them Russian Germans", – the Commissioner
added.