In the wake of strained ties with the West, Russia has increasingly emphasized the suffering of Soviet people in WWII, overshadowing Holocaust remembrance. This shift is evident as officials are not invited to the Auschwitz anniversary commemorations, prompting criticism from Jewish leaders and advocates for Holocaust education.
Russia's Emphasis on Soviet Victims of WWII amidst Strained Relations over Holocaust Commemoration
Russia's Emphasis on Soviet Victims of WWII amidst Strained Relations over Holocaust Commemoration
The focus in Russia on the suffering of Soviet civilians during WWII highlights a shift from acknowledging the Holocaust, particularly as officials are excluded from the Auschwitz liberation anniversary events.
On the outskirts of St. Petersburg, a towering memorial dedicated to "Soviet civilians who fell victim to the Nazi genocide" captures the attention of visitors. This 40-meter high monument, which features a mother and her children at the summit and an eternal flame below, stands as a disturbing reminder of the horrors of war. Despite the memorial’s focus on victimhood, the narrative surrounding the Holocaust itself appears marginalized in this context.
During a recent tour, children were educated about the notorious extermination camp Treblinka-2, yet the guide notably refrained from emphasizing that the majority of its victims were Jews. In stark contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin, upon unveiling the monument last year, spoke not of the Holocaust's impact but rather the broader "genocide of the Soviet people," emphasizing the collective suffering of the Soviet Union during what is known domestically as the Great Patriotic War.
January 27 holds dual significance in Russian history—marking both the 1944 lifting of the two-and-a-half-year siege of Leningrad and the Red Army’s entry into Auschwitz in 1945. However, this year, Putin was not invited to the ceremonies for the Auschwitz liberation, a reflection of deteriorating Russian-Western relations since the invasion of Ukraine.
Though Holocaust-related events have taken place across Russia, there is a noticeable shift in the narrative, centering on the collective suffering of the Soviet people rather than exclusively acknowledging the targeted genocide of Jews, as pointed out by Israel’s Ambassador to Moscow. Historian Konstantin Pakhaliuk noted that this move emphasizes a victimhood narrative for Russia, asserting that “if you are a victim, you cannot bear responsibility.”
As the Soviet Union largely downplayed the Holocaust discourse for decades, with scarce public acknowledgment of the systematic extermination of Jews, recent discussions remain contentious. Putin has revisited the topic of Holocaust remembrance, albeit in a diminishing light compared to the narrative surrounding Soviet losses.
The absence of Russian officials at the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz has drawn criticism, including from Rabbi Alexander Boroda, who described it as offensive to the memory of wartime liberators. He stressed the shared values between nations of the anti-Hitler coalition, noting that despite varied political ideologies, collaboration was key to victory over fascism.
This disinvitation from commemorative events underscores a continuing trend of estrangement between Russia and the West, raising alarms among Jewish community leaders in Russia. With the rise of nationalist sentiments and increasing Holocaust denial, figures like Anna Bokshitskaya, Executive Director of the Russian Jewish Congress, advocate for robust education to ensure that the atrocities of the past are neither forgotten nor repeated.
