The eighteenth anniversary of Victory in World War II is not only an occasion for commemorative events, but also a mirror that reflects the political and cultural differences between countries.
Today, Russia and most of Europe read the same history differently.
These differences concern not just facts, but meanings: the role of the Red Army, the meaning of the occupation, the memory of the victims, and national responsibility.
Russia: Victory as the Foundation of National Identity
For Russia, the Great Patriotic War remains the main symbol of national heroism and unity.
The official narrative emphasises the “liberation mission” of the Red Army, its contribution to the defeat of Nazism and the liberation of Europe.
Victory Day on 9 May is not just a historical date, but a sacred ritual with parades; St. George ribbons and slogans like “We can do it again.”
Historical memory is used to foster patriotism and to strengthen the internal legitimacy of power.
However, critical topics such as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, mass deportations, or the role of the NKVD in the post-war repressions in Eastern Europe remain taboo.
The historical narrative in Russia is usually black and white: the Soviet Union is a liberator whilst it’s critics are “rewriters of history.”
Germany: Repentance & Responsibility
In Germany, the interpretation of World War II is radically different. Here, it is not about victory, but about defeat and guilt. Germany systematically works on the memory of the Holocaust, the crimes of the Third Reich, and the need for historical responsibility.
Monuments to victims, educational programs, and legislative bans on Nazi symbols are part of a cultural policy aimed at “never again” repeating the catastrophe.
German society perceives liberation from Nazism as salvation from its own dictatorship, not as external aggression.
At the same time, the attitude towards the Soviet army is ambivalent: on the one hand, the Soviets played a key role in the victory over Hitler whilst the Soviets also brought repression and occupation to East Germany.
Poland, the Baltics, France: Memories of Victimhood and Occupation
In Poland and the Baltic States, the Soviet Union is perceived not as a liberator, but as a new occupier.
For Warsaw, 1945 is not a liberation, but the beginning of another subjugation.
Such views intensified after 1991, when the Baltic republics gained independence… establishing their own school textbooks, museums, and memorial dates.
In Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, 9 May is seen more as a day of mourning than celebration.
France, being on the side of the Allies, traditionally honours the resistance, the Resistance movement, and the contribution of De Gaulle.
However, there is also growing interest in less heroic pages such as the collaboration with the Nazis, the fate of the Jewish population, and responsibility for crimes.
Historical memory unites and divides, shaping identities, politics, and the future depending on the version of the truth governments, groups, and individuals seek to preserve.
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