"Are There Historical Truth and Historical Lies?" such was the topic of the final meeting of YABLOKO’s Discussion Club closing this season. The topic of the meeting was connected with the recent resolutions of the Political Council of the party on debolveshevisation and destalinisation as a pre-condition for Russia’s modernization. The meeting also gave assessment to the creation of the Presidential Commission entrusted with “fight against distortions of history harming Russia’s national interests”.
The key speakers were Prof. Viktor Sheinis, member of the Political Committee of the YABLOKO party, Doctor of Economics, Prof. Sergei Chernyakhovsky, Professor of the Moscow Independent University for Ecology and Political Science (MNEPU), Doctor of Political Science, member of the Academy of Political Science, Ludmila Alexeyeva, Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group and Alexander Daniel, member of the Board, the Memorial human rights society. The anchor of the meeting was Galina Mikhalyova, Secretary of the Political Committee of the YABLOKO party.
Sergei Chernyakhovsky stated that the “state commission and the state bodies can not operate with the categories of historical truth and engage in interpretation of historical facts.” According to him, such things are unnatural. Chernyakhovsky said that history had been turned into a mere profiteering. He also added that “there are obviously historical and ethical taboos, for example, the victory in the Great Patriotic War [the Second World War]. “Victory Day May 9 represents a national consensus, and any speculations on the topic are ruining such consensus”, he said.
Viktor Sheinis spoke about multiple facts of sheer fraud and irresponsible interpretation of historical facts, such as “closing of the Khatyn archives, use of the image of the Second World War for creeping rehabilitation of Stalinism and imprinting in schoolchildren’s minds the image of Stalin as an “efficient manager’”. He also noted that creation of the presidential commission was in line with such facts and proved once again that the statement “Overcoming bolshevism and Stalinism as a key factor for Russia’s transformation in the 21st century” adopted by YABLOKO’s Political Committee in March was extremely urgent for Russia’s agenda. Sheinis characterized the commission as dangerous and harmful adding that “this is not the business of the state, at least proceeding from the fact that Constitution of the RF directly prohibits this.”
Writer and human rights activist Alexander Daniel said that for our citizens “the memory of victory ousted the memory of war,” or rather “a memory of one day only - May 9”. He noted that presidential commission would be either useless or even harmful; whereas the latter has more chances. He also forecasted that “the commission would take up education on all levels: primary, secondary and higher. It may come out that the notorious [history] textbook by Filippov would look even quite liberal.”
Ludmila Alexeyeva, Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, shared her opinion of the commission, “First of all we should bear in mind the terrible composition of the commission, as it includes representatives of “siloviki” [law enforcement and security agencies]”. She doubted the ability of such a commission to conduct constructive work and called to public actions against it.
The anchor of the discussion Galina Mikhalyova, Secretary of the Political Committee of the YABLOKO party, said that “history represents an important resource for legitimization of the authorities who after search of a national idea decided to turn to the topic of broad public consensus – the victory in the Second World War. The problem is that this event is being decorated with myths and becomes even glamorous, however, the victims every family had and the pain and losses, and barrage troops are simply left aside. Our task is to stimulate a broad public discussion on our Soviet past in general. Without answering the question what our totalitarian past really meant we shall have no future and won’t become a democratic and economically developed state.”
The dispute lasted for about three hours. There were more speeches, as well as multiple questions and discussions. However, all the participants noted the urgency of the topic for modern Russia.
Sergei Chernyakhovsky, Galina Mikhalyova and Viktor Sheinis
Sergei Chernyakhovsky
Galina Mikhalyova and Viktor Sheinis
Alexander Daniel
Ludmila Alexeyeva
See also:
Only truth can be set against distortion of history. Press Release. May 27, 2009
Towards creation of another Presidential Commission.
Special for YABLOKO’s web-site by Viktor Sheinis, May 20, 2009
Overcoming Bolshevism and Stalinism as a key factor for Russia’s transformation in the 21ST century , 11.03.2009
Yabloko and the Grim Symbols of the Soviet Era
Freedom of speech
| 