Since I am neither ethnicity I am not going to characterize them.
I will say post war Germany has been the best thing that ever happened to Germany in terms of wealth, peace and prosperity for her people and Europe in general (Euro problems notwithstanding) and under Putin Russia has been the freest and wealthiest it has ever been even under the Czars. That may not be saying much but it is the truth for most of her people. The average Russian under Putin at his most despotic is more free and has more wealth than they did under the Czars which is the last time Russia was prosperous to some degree (even with the current freefall from oil and gas).
I can, and do. I have spent enough time with both to have come to some basic conclusions.
I have explained some of that to you.
Take it or leave it.
That had nothing at all to do with the war. It was totally related to the Regan/Thatcher/ Pope John, administrations and the merging of East and West Germanys. It gave them a labor edge against their competition and they really exploited it in manufacturing for which they already held a expertise and education base.
Russia's economics are similar to our Canadian brethren to the north. The price of oil and raw material dictates their wealth. Today, their wealth is essentially gone.