Thus Der Spiegel today. “The view Germans have of Russia is skewed by romanticism and historical baggage,” explains the newspaper. “Without taking a sober look at Moscow, we will never find an adequate strategy for dealing with Vladimir Putin’s conservative, anti-Western approach to power.” Indeed. What attracted me to the article was not the title or the byline, though, but a picture. It shows a large number of people smiling from ear to ear. The caption explains that they are enthusiastic supporters of the Russian president in Simferpol, Crimea. One of them carries a big red heart with Putin’s name written on top. Now, most of the people in the picture are women. And their smiles remind me of stories about the way women across Europe welcomed Hitler’s troops. They, too, were smiling from ear to ear. Reportedly, many of them had spontaneous orgasms, as well. In short, the title of the article about Germany and Russia should be somewhat different: “It’s Time to Stop Romanticizing Power.” And women are the first to be taught this simple lesson. I am only kidding, of course. Humans are unteachable, women included.