9th of May: Russia’s Contradictory Commemoration of WWII
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B5Westpress Kaliningrad archive, image # / CC-BY-SA 4.0
By Maksym Valchuk
In the beginning of May, the world remembers the victims of World War II, honouring those who lost their lives and fervently hoping that such devastation never recurs. "Never again," everyone says. But is there a country where citizens would go out parading, shouting, "We can do it again"? Unfortunately, there is.
“Sacred holiday”
On the 9th of May, the Russian Federation celebrates Victory Day in World War II, or more precisely, in the Great Patriotic War as they call it. In 2020, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (RPORC) conducted a study on Russians' knowledge of World War II, revealing that 48% of respondents believe the war started in 1941, while only 33% named 1939 as the start year (ВЦИОМ, 2020).
The celebrations include military parades in Moscow and other major cities, concerts, and an Immortal Regiment. The latter might sound unfamiliar, but it is an activity warm loved by Russians—a procession featuring pictures of relatives who died during World War II. However, amidst the spotlight of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, pictures of Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine are also added. The initial idea is to honour the memory of all those who fought and died, yet after the event, the pictures from the parade can be found on the ground or in trash bins all around.
The scale of celebration has exponentially increased throughout the Putin era. The original idea of remembering victims and fallen soldiers has been transformed into massive celebrations all around the country. It’s not surprising that the 9th of May has become a cornerstone in the pantheon of Russian propaganda. The country, unwilling to acknowledge its atrocities and mistakes in history, clings to the memory of the “Great Victory” 79 years ago (Snegovaya, 2023).
In June 2017, 63% of Russians believed that they could win without any help from the allies (Levada-Center, 2017). Soviet dictator Josef Stalin raised a toast during the Tehran conference in 1943, acknowledging that the United States was the country of machines and without the machinery received through the Lend-Lease, the Soviet Union would have lost the war. The same idea was later shared by Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, in his memoirs. However, current generations in Russia hold opposite opinions regarding the importance of help from allies compared to those who directly experienced the war (Coalson, 2020).
The 9th of May is full of slogans and symbols, the most famous being the St. George Ribbon. Having its origins from the medals of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, in the 21st century, it acquired a new ideological meaning. In 2014, during the Russian attack on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the occupation of Crimea, the invaders used the St. George Ribbons as identification markers. In 2022, during the full-scale invasion, it retained its status not only as a symbol of Victory Day but also, together with the “Z,” as a symbol of aggression against Ukraine. The St. George Ribbon is banned from display in Ukraine, Germany, Moldova, Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, as it was declared a 'symbol of military glory' by the Russian government (St. George Ribbon, Banned In Several European Countries, Made Official ‘Symbol Of Military Glory’ In Russia — Meduza, 2022).
“Victory frenzy”
In February 2020, only 22% of Russians felt grief for the millions who perished in WWII, while 43% felt only happiness that their country was victorious in WWII (Levada-Center, 2020). It's no surprise that feeling happiness during the remembrance day leads to absurd celebrations. These celebrations are humorously referred to as “Pobedobesia,” meaning 'Victory frenzy.' The activities include not only state-organised military parades or the Immortal Regiment but also car rallies, children dressing in military uniforms, or citizens reconstructing battlefields.
Car enthusiasts decorate their vehicles with Soviet, Russian, and St. George flags, military-themed stickers, or even transform their cars into tanks!
During such rallies, it is possible to find cars of any brand, from Ladas to Land Rovers, which only demonstrates a truly national celebration, regardless of income or social class. The slogans on cars and stickers can vary from “For the Motherland” (“Za Rodinu” - “За Родину”) to “To Berlin” (“Na Berlin” - “На Берлин”). The latter, in combination with the unsettling slogan “We can do it again” (“Mozhem Povtorit” - “Можем повторить”), appears as a direct threat.
In a totalitarian society, it is important to indoctrinate children starting from kindergarten. Remembering Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” in which children were taught to spy and snitch on their own parents, it's unsurprising that in modern Russia, the Victory frenzy is cultivated from kindergarten. The sight of little boys dressed as Soviet soldiers and girls as military nurses should at least raise concern, rather than evoke feelings of happiness and fascination. Transforming a trolley into a tank or a plane prepares children to the thought that being inside a tank is an honourable mission. One might argue that they are being raised to defend their country, but cultivating a militaristic cult among younger generations won’t turn them into peacekeepers in the future; instead, it will make them people ready to fight and kill for any idea they believe in.
In 2017, the "Reichstag storming" was recreated in the Moscow region. It involved a wooden building with 1500 actors dressed as Soviet and German soldiers, along with planes, vehicles, and tanks (RIA News, 2020). The model of the building resembles the modern version of the Reichstag building rather than its 1945 version. The desire to recreate the horrific, painful, and bloody pages of history and turn them into a spectacle leads people to perceive wars as something heroic, spectacular, or even romantic.
“Now what”
This year, Russian state-owned media are promising huge festivities all around Moscow, including a military parade on Red Square. It will feature 9 thousand soldiers and only around 75 military vehicles in total, including aviation. Comparing with 2021, the year before the full-scale invasion in Ukraine, there were 12 thousand soldiers, more than 190 ground military vehicles, and 76 planes participating in the parade. DW in 2021 quoted Putin from the parade, where he stated that there is no forgiveness or excuse for those who are again plotting aggressive plans for an attack (Жуков, 2021). (Less than a year later, the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine at 5 o’clock in the morning).
In less than two weeks, the Russian Federation will immerse itself in a Victory frenzy. Millions of citizens will watch the military parade and listen to a speech by the self-proclaimed president of Russia about neo-Nazism, NATO, and western values threatening their 'traditional'. Absence of “Never again” leitmotif throughout their festivities, strengthen confidence that they can really “do it again”. The only question is: do they mean victory or genocide and endless violence?
References:
Coalson, R. (2020, May 7). “We would have lost”: Did U.S. Lend-Lease aid tip the balance in Soviet fight against Nazi Germany? Retrieved 25 April 2024.
Levada-Center (2017, June 22) Великая Отечественная война. (2017, June 22). (In Russian) Retrieved 24 April 2024.
Levada-Center (2020, May 28) VICTORY IN WORLD WAR II. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
RIA News (2020, March 3) Бой за Берлин и штурм Рейхстага – реконструкция последней битвы ВОВ в Кубинке (In Russian). Retrieved 25 April 2024.
Snegovaya, M. (2023, July 26). A backward looking nation. CEPA. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
St. George ribbon, banned in several European countries, made official ‘symbol of military glory’ in Russia — Meduza. (2022, December 29). Meduza. Retrieved 25 April 2024
Вторая мировая: что помним, о чем забыли. (2020). ВЦИОМ. Новости (In Russian).
Retrieved 25 April 2024.
Жуков, Е. (2021, May 19). В Москве прошел военный парад в День Победы. DW In (Russian). Retrieved 25 April 2024.
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