The textbook presents a modern holistic understanding of the history of the Germans of Russia, taking into account the latest achievements of domestic and foreign historiography, as well as previously unused archival materials. The economic, social, political and cultural development of the German ethnic group in Russia from the moment of the appearance of its first representatives in the Old Russian state to the present is considered. Considerable attention is paid to the peculiarities of the history of the Germans of Russia, the logic of its development in the context of the general history of the Russian Empire, the USSR and the Russian Federation in comparison with similar processes among other peoples of the country. The textbook was created taking into account the modern concept of Russia's development and existing history programs. It is supplemented with a textbook and methodological materials, drawn up in the form of an electronic application, which contain the necessary factual material, historical documents, a methodological apparatus, including questions and tasks for independent work.