Regarding the Situation with the Glorification of Nazism and the Spread of Neo-Nazism and Other Practices That Contribute to Fuelling Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
Regarding the Situation with the Glorification of Nazismand the Spread of Neo-Nazism and Other Practices That Contributeto Fuelling Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Moscow
2023
This report has been prepared to follow up the efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to draw attention to manifestations of various forms of glorification in foreign countries of the Nazi movement, neo‑Nazism, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
We note that the trend of public justification of Nazism and support of neo-Nazism, which sharply intensified in a number of states in 2022, continued throughout this year. Previous campaigns to distort history and falsify the USSR role in ensuring Victory over Nazism and creating a present-day system of international relations, received a powerful acceleration boost. Cynicism, historical revisionism and revanchism that reached a new peak appeared to be aimed at a complete conceptual masquerade to ultimately reverse the places of the authors of racial purity ideologies who unleashed the war and nations that opposed them. Moreover, the expression of support for Nazism practically turned out to be a test of the loyalty of a particular state to the "collective West." In addition, the development stage the world community is currently at features an increased activity in the historical sphere, nothing short of "historical wars", where the countries involved often show lack of professionalism in treating historical facts and an almost "tabloid" approach to the presentation of their pseudo-historical materials. Thus, the materials they construct have nothing in common with scientific approaches and go in the wake of the latest trends to seriously simplify and even oversimplify what is written and said.
Now we can clearly trace how historical concepts have been changing in the West over recent years – from comparing the Nazi regime to the "totalitarian" Soviet one to attempts to rest all responsibility for the war on the Soviet Union and declare it "a criminal worse than the Third Reich." These motives as well contribute to uprightly obscuring the meaning and, most importantly, the essence of verdict of the International Military Tribunal for the trial and punishment of major war criminals from European Axis countries (the Nuremberg Tribunal). Let us recall that this verdict outlawed war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis and their henchmen, also condemning Nazi leaders, thus putting everything in its place. It was during the Nuremberg trials that the world learned in detail about the horrors of National Socialism and the atrocities committed by the followers of this ideology. And that is precisely why the verdict of the Nuremberg Tribunal is an inconvenient obstacle for the current "rules-based order" adherents. Today, many observers note already that history is repeating itself, and templates developed in the Nazi Germany and militarist Japan are being applied again.
One can single out a whole layer of states where all this, susceptible to impulses from the outside, is being implemented at the most active pace. There is another category of countries, whose leaders turn a blind eye to such manifestations and at the same time seek to retouch the unpleasant scenes from their own past, i.e. the racist treatment of their own colonies and the extermination of indigenous populations. In practice, such attitude encourages a steady increase in racist incidents, various manifestations of xenophobia and ethnic and religious intolerance.
In the first group of countries, collaborationists who supported the Nazis have been declared members of national liberation movements who fought for the "independence" of theirs states. A number of educational and outreach activities are being developed and implemented, and, more broadly, attempts are being made to reconfigure public thinking. Curricula and cultural projects serve to glorify the "feat" of volunteer members of the national SS legions who fought for the Nazi Germany and were involved in numerous massacres of civilians. The authorities' encouragement has unleashed radical nationalists and right-wing extremists, who are often the main perpetrators of the cynical "war" against monuments to Soviet liberator soldiers. For their achievements in fighting the "Russian world" and Soviet memorial heritage, nationalists are privileged to preach the "correct patriotism" idea to the entire society (we also note that such approach of vesting "their own" with broad powers to any violence is also typical for Western "democratic world" adherents in a broader sense). In most cases, national authorities take no measures to suppress such bacchanalia; rather, on the contrary, they stimulate it. There has been virtually no response to protests from Russian diplomatic missions in connection with such incidents. Civil society members are simply ignored, or even taken measures against.
Besides Ukraine, the most threatening situation in this area has developed in the Baltic States, Poland and the Czech Republic. During the past two years, unimaginable hysteria with Russophobic motives has unfolded in these countries in connection with 9 May celebrations. As part of the hastily launched campaigns to "liquidate the legacy of the totalitarian regime," the main monuments in honour of Red Army soldiers were destroyed along with many other such monuments. The public was prohibited from paying tribute to the fighters against Nazism in any form. For participating in such actions and even defending the right to honour the memory of the Red Army heroes, activists and ordinary citizens are subject to arrest and criminal prosecution.
All these facts are appropriately reflected in the present report.
At the same time, the active measures taken by the authorities of a significant number of states to form mono-ethnic societies on the basis of titular ethnic groups and the increasing glorification of Nazi collaborators (as part of the "new" national history being created) are markedly aggravating the problem of protecting the rights of national minorities and ethnic groups, primarily linguistic and educational. Persons belonging to them are subjected to discrimination in many forms. Particularly large-scale persecution has been launched against the Russian-speaking population of such countries. The most alarming situation in this regard is again in the Baltic States and Ukraine, where the authorities are making every effort to squeeze the Russian language and Russian culture out of all spheres of public life. Moreover, probably fearing the penetration of Russian culture from outside, the Baltic States, acting as if on cue, initiated the closure of a significant part of the European space, i.e. the European Union, to all Russian citizens, and then began to develop the idea of collective expulsion of Russian-speaking residents under far-fetched pretexts.
Along with this, the political elites of the overwhelming majority of European and North American "democratic" states are demonstrating the cynical use of a policy of double standards. Following the narrowly approved guidelines, they are still trying their best to conceal the Nazi essence of the policy of the authorities in Kiev from the international community. It has even come to openly whitewashing the supporters of neo-Nazism – the fighters of the radical nationalist battalion Azov and other similar Ukrainian extremist groups that openly demonstrate their racist ideological nature. Any mention of the numerous brutal crimes committed by their members in Donbas is carefully excluded from the information space. The apotheosis of this approach was the blasphemous honouring in the Canadian Parliament of the former SS man Y. Gunko (Hunka).
Certainly, all such activities received additional impetus and motives for justification after the Russian Federation launched a special military operation in February 2022 to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine and protect the civilian population of Donbas. In practical terms, this has resulted in a shockingly savage total discrimination against Russians and Russian-speaking residents of European states and some other members of the "Western bloc".
This report builds on the provisions of the traditional profile resolution "Combating glorification of Nazism, Neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance" annually submitted for consideration of the UN General Assembly by Russia together with a wide range of co-authors. The text of the resolution and the table reflecting the results of the voting at the 77th UNGA session are included as annexes.
We consider it important to remind you, with regard to this resolution, that the world community by an absolute majority has sided with the Russian approach towards the glorification of Nazism and justification of racism. Unprecedented pressure from the Washington-led "collective West" failed to change this trend. In 2022, 32 states, including Russia, became co-sponsors of the document adopted on 15 December during the 77th session of the UNGA. The resolution was supported by an impressive majority of countries – 120. 50 delegations voted against it, including the United States and Ukraine (which traditionally opposed the initiative), as well as EU member states (which previously abstained from voting, but now, under external pressure, are publicly demonstrating support for neo-Nazism).
With regard to the voting, the odious position of the Western countries, which, following the United States of America, voted against the document condemning the glorification of Nazism and manifestations of neo-Nazism, is striking. Serious concern is caused by the cohesion of the former Axis member states, which casts doubt on the sincerity of the repentance of Germany, Italy and Japan for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Second World War. Through their actions, those states demonstrated a blasphemous attitude towards the memory of the victims of German Nazism, Italian fascism and Japanese militarism.
Let us also recall the thematic focus of the resolution: it condemns the glorification of the Nazi movement and former members of the Waffen-SS, including through the unveiling of monuments and memorials, as well as public demonstrations to glorify the Nazi past, the Nazi movement and neo-Nazism. It is particularly stressed that the erection of monuments in honour of the SS, the organization of their processions and other similar actions desecrate the memory of countless victims of fascism, have a negative impact on the younger generation, and are absolutely incompatible with the obligations of UN Member States. The co-sponsors of the resolution cannot ignore the fact that in some countries those who fought against the anti-Hitler coalition or collaborated with the Nazis are persistently trying to be elevated to the rank of national heroes and heroes of national liberation movements. The Russian Federation and its associates are convinced that this is not a question of political correctness, as its ideologues are trying to convince us, but of the most blatant cynicism and blasphemy towards those who liberated the world from the horrors of National Socialism.
The most important regulatory framework for combating these adverse phenomena and the basis for the development of multilateral cooperation come from the provisions of international human rights treaties, and first of all, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The overwhelming majority of the UN Member States, including countries that vote against the Russian initiative or abstain are parties thereto.
In accordance with Article 4, the States Parties to the Convention particularly undertake to:
- condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form;
- declare an offence punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred;
- declare illegal and prohibit organizations, and also organized and all other propaganda activities, which promote and incite racial discrimination, and shall recognize participation in such organizations or activities as an offence punishable by law.
Article 4 is one of the key provisions of the Convention. It is important, primarily, because it draws a clear line between acts punishable by law and the rights to freedom of assembly and association as well as freedom of opinion and its expression. That is why claims by certain states that marches of Waffen-SS veterans and various collaborationists, erection of monuments to Nazis or other manifestations are but the implementation of the above liberties have absolutely no basis. In this regard, we are convinced that it is imperative that the states promptly withdraw reservations to this treaty, including reservations to Article 4.
Based on data from international and national sources the document summarizes the factual information on new displays in any form of the glorification of the Nazi movement, Neo-Nazism, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in focal countries. It shows their systemic and even programmatic nature, consistently shaped by the policies of the authorities of these states in this area. It also takes into account the recommendations of international and regional human rights mechanisms, in particular treaty bodies (committees) and regional (especially European) law enforcement institutions to the states in question. Besides, the report draws on the relevant research by the civil society organizations. Therefore, thorough work to identify former members of Nazi units and collaborationist structures remains a major asset.
As part of the efforts to establish the Victory as a common heritage of the UN Member States and prevent, in line with the provisions of the UN GA resolution on combatting the glorification of Nazism, the destruction and desecration of monuments and memorials dedicated to fighters against Nazism, this report traditionally focuses on the treatment by European countries of statues, monuments and memorial complexes dedicated to the Red Army soldiers who liberated Europe from the Brown Plague, antifascist warriors and members of the Resistance Movement, as well as their preservation. The increased focus on this issue is also due to a sharp rise in attempts by several countries, first of all Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia, to settle a historical score with Russia, and in broader sense with their historic past, by blasphemously destroying monuments to Soviet liberator soldiers.
The report further traditionally highlights the problem of the discrimination of national minorities, as well as Russian and Russian-speaking population, especially in the Baltic States and Ukraine. This includes persecution of national communities in public life, hindering them from preserving their national culture and using their native language, harassment of the media, etc. As noted above, in 2022, this kind of discriminatory practice was given a major impetus by the "cancel Russia" campaign in European countries. It continued in 2023, by the Baltic States demonstrating their mood for a total cleansing of their space through the prepared deportation of Russian-speaking residents, including the elderly.
As for all sorts of pseudo-historical concepts, "historical aggressions" and falsifications of historical facts, we would make it clear again and again: Russia will always remember that all the people of the Soviet Union together played the crucial role in winning the Victory over Nazism. The importance of this historic event for all mankind can hardly be overestimated. There is no need to explain its significance in our country. We will always remember it as the Great Patriotic War. Its horrors and hardships impacted every single family in Russia.
The above-mentioned trends and manifestations only re-confirm the Russia-defended thesis that such manifestations of racial discrimination and glorification of Nazism pose a direct threat to the fundamental values of true democracy and human rights and a serious challenge to international and regional security and stability. However, there seems to be no urge for unification and meaningful cooperation in the interests of sustainable development and equal partnership on the part of certain states so far. The events of the recent years have been increasingly reminiscent of the "values" of the superiority of one race or nation over other peoples and cultures that were in force over half a century ago. Naturally, Russia, together with its opinion allies, does not intend to put up with such neo-colonial approaches and will resist them in every possible way.
