The Victory Day vs the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation: what should Ukrainians celebrate, and who manipulates history?

Can May 8th become a full alternative to the Victory Day?

Thinking out loud on this issue, the volunteer and PR specialist Anastasiia Obertas explained  DUMKA that the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation should really become a priority, but the thing is not only in an effort to separate Ukraine from the aggressor country. According to experts, the Day of Victory nowadays is not perceived by citizens at the proper level: the date and memory turned into concerts and fireworks filled with superfluous meanings and contexts.

“In my opinion, the date of May 8th should be more prioritized. I mean, even if this process is slow, I would, on the contrary, tooth and nail place the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation in the informational field of Ukrainians. And the thing is not only in separation from the aggressor country.

Today, May 9th, is so vulgar, commonplace and flooded with superfluous meanings that people have forgotten what exactly this date symbolizes. In fact, it’s not a holiday – it’s a date and a memory. The memory of thousands of dead, tortured, frozen. A memory of horror, which should never repeat again. Therefore, this should be a day for insight, not  for concerts and fireworks. Now it’s embarrassing for me to see posters, like “sports competitions in honor of May 9th, festive disco in the evening” (not a joke, a real this year poster in the Kiev region). It is very difficult to change the habit and outlook of a person, to convince that the Victory Day is not a holiday at all, especially when it is understood in this way from the very childhood (parade, fireworks, happy “veterans” who were born in  50’s ). But we can and we should make a new date, which “pobedobesie – exaggerated “victorious” hysteria” has not touched yet “, – convinced Anastasiia Obertas.

Valentyn Voitkiv, a political consultant and executive director of XPR, is convinced that the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation still has the chances to push celebration on May 9th away from the tradition, but this requires a rather long and systematic work. At the same time, it should be remembered: the Victory Day is a hot-button issue to many Ukrainians, and therefore the new dividing line should be prevented.

“This requires time and systematic information campaign on the Second World War and the participation of Ukraine in it. Sociologists record that the popularity of the Victory Day in the last 5 years has declined. If in 2013, 40% of respondents mentioned the Victory Day in the top five, and then in 2018 only 31% of them did. At the same time, this holiday remains one of the most popular secular holidays. It should be considered and there is no need to use the savage methods to erase it from the people’s memory. For many, this is a hot-button issue, and, acting in the best “traditions” of post-Soviet propaganda, we can only create a new dividing line in the society”, – the expert told DUMKA.

Valentin Voitkiv also drew attention to the fact that eventually the celebration of May 8th may help Ukrainians rethink some of the events of the Second World War.

“European countries celebrate May 8th, an important date for them, a remembrance and paying the tribute to the memory of the millions of victims of the Second World War. It is a nice tradition, and it’s good that all official events in Ukraine in the last 3 years are celebrated on that day. May 8th may be an important day that will help rethink certain events of the Second World War, ” – added the expert.

Oleksandr Kovalenko, Newwest Media editor-in-chief, supported the idea that the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation could eventually become a complete alternative to the Victory Day. According to him, this is quite possible, but one should not count on the fast implementation of such plans.

“There is no doubt,  that May 8, over time, may  replace May 9th. Nevertheless, it is a matter of great intervals of time. Similarly, in 2014, the celebration of the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland was canceled on February 23. However, despite the absence of an official holiday, Ukrainians continue to celebrate it without an official “permission” of the authorities.

Looking through the press records, you can find bylaws to cancel the holidays, dated back to 1918, and approved new ones instead. Those holidays, of course, are no longer celebrated. However, it is obvious that the substitution of dates, names, etc., despite widespread use, especially in the post-Soviet space, works exclusively for the long-term perspective “, – Oleksandr Kovalenko commented for DUMKA.

Octavian Moskalyuk, a rock musician and “DiagnozZ” group frontman, also spoke in support of May 8th, noting that escaping from the traditions and habits of the Soviet era could help us get closer to European realities.

“In my opinion, May 8th should suppress the soviet “Victory day”. The farther we will run away from the traditions, customs, habits of the Soviet Union – the sooner we will begin to understand the mentality of the developed countries.

Well, the fact, that Ukraine suffered during the Second World much bigger than any other country, is even more important. That is why, it is up to us to choose when to remember the heroes who fell for our future. Whether Russia likes it or not. And they can boil over for another 1000 years “, – rock musician told DUMKA.

In return, a political analyst Dmitro Franchuk believes that, despite the possible links and association with the Soviet Union, we should not forget about the Victory Day, because on that very day, few veterans feel at least some kind of care and attention. In particular, from politicians who do not lose the opportunity to make some PR on this date and once in a year mind their electorate.

“As we have seen for several years, the civilized part of the world celebrates the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on May 8th. Perhaps, nowadays the Victory Day is associated with the Soviet Union, but those Ukrainians, who fought for peace in that terrible for the world times should not be forgotten. Among these young people were many of our relatives, grandparents, who pass away every year. For them it is the only holiday in the year, when all of them are remembered and cared for a little while. In my opinion, these are completely different dates, with a completely different  magnitude. Of course, on May 9th, many politicians make their PR campaign, working on his electorate and mentioning it once a year “, – in the DUMKA comment referred.

Serhii Bykov, a political consultant, the head of the Institute of Public Policy and Consulting INPOLIT, is also convinced that the Victory Day is an important holiday for Ukrainians. In particular, the expert links it with the Great Patriotic War, calling it one of the conflicts of the Second World War. Bykov also stressed that May 9th is now tried to be politicized, but this holiday must remain until at least the last child of the war is alive.

“May 8th, the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation is an international commemorative day celebrated in the EU. It is timed to the day of the signing of an act of surrender by Germany (it was still on May 8th of the Middle Europe time, but in Moscow it was already the 9th). This memorial day was founded in order to reconcile countries and peoples – neighbors who fought in Europe during the Second World War. But this is not the day of the end of the Second World War. As we know, it ended with the capitulation of Japan on September 2nd, 1945. So, the Second World War is a complex of military conflicts in the period from September 1st, 1939 to September 2nd, 1945. One of such military conflicts is the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Namely this one is the most related to Ukrainians, not wars in Africa or Asia. Due to this the Victory Day is an important holiday for Ukrainians, which is ultimately tried to be politicized.

A very adverse role in the conflict kindling between May 8th and 9th is played by the Institute of National Remembrance, headed by Vyatrovych. Unfortunately, historian Vyatrovich often speaks with political statements that should not be inherent to the head of such an organization. Moreover, the political positions the head of the Institute of National Remembrance should  left behind the organization or leave the building himself.

Of course, most of Ukrainians celebrate on May 9th, as no politician has the right to steal the history from citizens. And this holiday must remain at least until the last child of the war is alive “, – Serhii Bykov emphasized .

Is the Victory Day  a political tool in the hands of Russia?

Yurii Shulipa, the head of the Institute for National Policy, told DUMKA that, he believes, that the celebration of the Victory Day on May 9th was founded by the leaders of the former USSR, in order to win a victory and use it in the future.

“In all civilized countries, all around the world, May 8th is celebrated as the Day of Victory and Reconciliation. This is the Victory Day of the united anti-Hitler coalition over German Nazism. The celebrations of May 9th came up with the leaders of the former Soviet Union with a purely propaganda purpose for two reasons:

1)    the assumption of the victory of the Soviet Union, although, besides the USSR, 53 states participated in the victory over Hitler’s Nazism;

2)    to pass the assumed victory as the sole victory of communism over Hitler’s Nazism “, – the expert believes.

Yurii Shulipa stressed that Russian authorities are the only one, who need  “the victory cult”, and which parasitize on this cult and appeals to it regularly. Today’s RF presidents are kept in their place solely because of the constant emphasis on succession to the USSR, which “saved us from Hitler”.

“The Great Victory of May 9th” is today the last myth that justifies, legitimizes the existence of the historical Russian’s great power; a myth that closes the peoples and regions in the frame of an empire that has long since vanished its age. The cult of “victory” is profitable and needed only for the Moscow-centric government, which thrives on this cult, appeals to it, trying to prove and substantiate its historic legitimacy and necessity.

The Putin’s Kremlin is only maintained by constantly emphasizing its succession to the Stalin Kremlin, which “saved us from Hitler.” The traditional imperial model of power in Russia ultimately outlived and degenerated into a mafia structure, locked in its criminal interests. This government needs “the cult of victory” to create the illusion of a “national unity” in society and to continue to thrive in a loose, awkwardly huge country that has already exhausted its historical resource.

So, May 9th – is a sense-bearing dome by which the Kremlin tries to cover the post-Soviet space in order to at least mentally reunite all to the united imperial phantom “Motherland”, and at least so symbolically restore the Soviet Union with its freaking “common destiny”. It is significant, that the leaders of Ukraine and Georgia were not mentioned in Putin’s message (Putin congratulated only the citizens of these countries!), And the Baltic states were not mentioned at all – why should he congratulate them: they got out! Therefore, the real Victory Day is on May 8th, not 9th “, –Yurii Shulipa is convinced.

Valentyn Voitkiv, a political consultant and executive director of XPR, is convinced that May 9th for the aggressor country is one of the very symbols that are intended in the foundation of the myth of ” unconquered Russia.” Considering our neighbor’s approach, according to the expert, we must give a corresponding and correct answer.

“For Russia, this is one of the symbols, with the help of which it tries to build the myth of ” unconquered and strong Russia”, of ” Russia, that is capable to conquer the Western world”, and so on. The Russian leaders seeks to “privatize” this day and this victory. Just like it goes with The Christianization of Kievan Rus’ Prince Volodymyr the great.

So, that is the systematic work aimed at reframing the historical past, the identification of certain symbols for the consolidation of Russian society and the strengthening of influence in the post-Soviet space. In this situation, we should give a corresponding answer, offer our own vision of a historical past, which is based on facts”, – noted in comments for DUMKA.

How to resist the manipulation of the aggressor country?

Andrii Rybalko, the head of the national patriotic education department of the Kyiv regional state administration, explained DUMKA readers, that until 2014 almost all Ukrainian were under Moscow myths. Such myths’ components, in particular, include the “St. George’s ribbon”. However, now the situation has started to change, and we have the power to make our own point of view among the past. Andrii Rybalko says: public policy should not move opposite to the Victory Day celebration, but to the celebration of the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, as our main victory is ahead.

“Any official holiday is a part of the humanitarian policy of the state. Every nation has its own view over the past. Unfortunately, until 2014, Ukrainian society was almost entirely influenced by the mythological “Great Patriotic War”, which was constructed in Moscow. It should be noted that even the action “St. George’s ribbon” was launched only in 2005, and its founders are ideologists from the Kremlin. Manipulation with national memory is a powerful tool in the hybrid war. Already mentioned “St. George’s ribbon” has not accidentally become a symbol of Pro-Russian militants in Donbass, because both the military and the ideological components of aggression against Ukraine were developed in one center.

Of course, we can not ignore the events of the Second World War and erase them from the history of Ukraine. But we should make our own view over the past. After all, for the Ukrainian people, the war began in 1939, and Ukrainians fought against the Nazism  in the ranks of many armies. But even a heroic and selfless warfare did not bring the Ukrainian people independence in the middle of the XX century. This should also be remembered. Therefore, the state policy should move from the celebration of the Victory Day on May 9th to the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. After all, we are in a war for our national unity and independence. And the victory in it is still ahead “, – Andrii Rybalko thinks.

Whether the 8th and 9th of May should be compared?

Oleksandr Verbytskii, a political consultant, assured DUMKA, that such comparisons are rather complicated, since the memory of the war is still alive. According to the expert, the major role in this issue doesn’t play the war with Russia, but the aspiration and the will of the citizens. It is on them, according to the expert, it depends what will this day turn into in the future.

“Comparing the 8th and 9th of May (the International Day of the End of the War in Europe and the Victory Day, traditionally celebrated in the USSR and in the post-Soviet countries) is difficult today. Today, when there is still memory of that war, and tomorrow, while the memory will be alive. This is not understood only by very narrow-minded politicians or frank provocateurs. And this is not the metter of current relations between Russia and Ukraine, called war. the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation? For whom is it created? Most likely, for the defeated. I do not see Ukrainians in this role. We remember in any way …

A reconciliation? We have be reconciled  by time. In decades, the Victory Day will turn into a National Day of remembrance of the victors in the Second World War over the Nazi invaders and their satellites. I believe in this. Most likely, it will be a normal working day, and maybe not: everything depends on the will of the people and their elected representatives. Today both days have been politically polished “, – the consultant thinks out loud.

Oleksandr Verbytskii emphasizes that Russia has, to a certain extent, granted this date to itself, restraining Ukraine and leaving us with a film “Only the old ones are fighting” only. At the same time, the speaker stressed: we are very slowly moving away from the Soviet past, not realizing that from this past, it is still necessary to take history.

“Yes, today Russia” privatized ” the Victory Day, using it both from the point of view of ideologization of domestic political life, and in the foreign policy arena. One can safely say that, unlike Ukraine, Russia has long since found its “role” in a general victory, restricting or leaving Ukraine only in the film ” Only the old ones are fighting”. And our own neighbor took away the “right” of the world march “We Can Repeat”, in which both projects include parades, and shows with songs, and demonstrations with fake tanks in the same uniform, worn on children, and anything else that can cause even a smile. Even in the USSR everything was pompous, solemn, powerful and at the same time measured.

We are very slowly moving away from the Soviet past, but we can not understand one thing: from the past it is necessary to take history (without it there is simply no future) and the best things that were in it. We also apply the principle of negation. We deny the past (in our independence since 1992, everything turns out to be bad, all the presidents are bad!) And at the same time we deny the Ukrainian SSR (and everything was bad … badly built, we fought badly and not with the right party). Our policy changes every 4-5 years! Manipulation of public opinion has reached unprecedented heights. People in dreams of a bright future are happy to be deceived, and journalists are happy to help them in this. What then is to be said about the remaining from the first to the third branches of power? “, –  Oleksandr Verbytskii stated in DUMKA.

Is there any reason  to celebrate these days?

Yurii Trachuk, a lawyer and patent attorney of Ukraine, in his comments to DUMKA expressed the point of view, that in fact no victory should be menioned, because the de facto war was started by the leadership of the USSR itself. However, at the same time, we can not celebrate the Day of Reconciliation, because many combatants still do not have the same legal status, were not heard and did not hear each other.

“You know, answering your questions, I would like to refer to the phrase of Viktor Suvorov (ex-officer of the GRU – Russia’s military intelligence service):” Stalin began the Second World War, Stalin lost the Second World War. ” What is the victory? The USSR, in its deal with Nazi Germany (the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact), officially began a re-division of Europe, starting an invasion of Poland. So, the country of the Soviet Union was one of the Hitler’s allies, who are de Jure Nazi. Here is my assessment of this war. The USSR undoubtedly lost in it. Everything was destroyed, millions of lives were lost … Terrible country management, as it is now said. And all this because of  the Red Guards. Hitler’s aggression was a preventive action – there was no other chance. And he would have defeated, but for the famous Lend-Lease, but for a huge victim of the United States – people, ships, resources.

Regarding reconciliation, unfortunately, there is nothing is celebrated either … the Ukrainian Insurgent Army soldiers, fighters of the “Nachtigal” battalion, the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS are not reconciled. They still do not have the same legal status, they did not hear each other, they were not given the opportunity to confess, to admit mistakes – their own or others – in the end, to pray together for the victims and the heroes of the fighting. Without this, even formally, we do not have the right to celebrate the Day of Reconciliation.

Everything seems to have turned upside down. Somewhere murder is called heroism, and ignobility is a virtue. The war is always a pain, especially it is understood by Ukraine – it left the biggest amount of blood in this battle. Until now, we can not recover … “, – Yurii Trachuk says.

Text: Dmitro Zhuravel