Note from the Editor «The Holocaust – Glue for Wallpaper?» In this issue we present the various aspects This is the name of the documentary film Ilya Altman, co chairman of the Holocaust of teaching and studying the Holocaust in by Russian director Mumin Shakirov, shown Center stressed the importance of the film to Russia. The Center organized a high profile at the 350 Moscow International Film Festival Russian young people and teachers and international conference in Kaliningrad and on June 22, the day Germany invaded the expressed hope that this film will become the held memorial events in the Smolensk and Soviet Union. It is significant that this is the subject of a dialogue between schoolchildren and Tver’ districts as well as in Stavropol territory. only Russian film of the eight films selected students in the seminars and youth discussion Five new books, including a new volume of for the festival in this category. The film is about clubs on the topic of Second World War and the Jewish letters and diaries written during the two Moscow students, Eugenia and Ksenia, Holocaust. «The film showed a teacher from Second World War and documents on the participants in the popular television show Vladimir (where the girls attended a boarding international conference «Remembrance of «Pretty smart», who go on a trip to Auschwitz. school), who emphasized that simply the Holocaust» which took place in Rostov on In the episode that aired in December 2011, mentioning the term «Holocaust» in the Don in August 2012, have been published in twins Karatygin were asked «What is the classroom – is not enough». the «Library of the Russian Holocaust» series. Holocaust?». They replied «It is the glue for «If I found more materials about the Our Center organized and held around wallpaper». A video posted on the Internet has Holocaust, I would certainly have an extra ten seminars supported by grants from the been viewed by hundreds of thousands of lesson devoted to it» – with these words she President of the Russian Federation and the people. It caused a serious debate about how concluded the interview. «I know that the Claims Conference. the history of the Second World War is taught Holocaust is covered in almost all schools A UN journal has published an article in schools across the country whose troops in Vladimir. Apparently, this is not enough. about the experiences of teaching the liberated Auschwitz extermination camp and Only the National Day of Remembrance of Holocaust in Russia. what young people know about the Second the Holocaust victims and liberators of the World War today. Soon after, Mumin Shakirov death camps allows pupils, their parents and invited the girls onto «Radio Liberty». Alla teachers to gain a deeper understanding of Gerber, President of the «Holocaust» the meaning of this term,»– said the co chairman of the Holocaust Center. This film is not only and not so much about the Holocaust, but about the attitude of modern Russian young people to the memory of victims of Nazism. The responses to this film on the internet are evidence of the different attitudes to the idea to show the Holocaust through the eyes of young people. Interestingly, during the first discussions of The Center’s international connections the film in Rostov and Taganrog almost all have also grown considerably. In addition to Foundation took part in the programme. That schoolchildren and students said that they our traditional contacts in Israel, the USA, is where the idea to take the sisters to Auschwitz wanted to learn more about this tragedy. In France, and Germany, we have established death camp and make a film about it was born. 2014 the Holocaust Center plans to show the new contacts and partnerships with our The film was made with the support of the film in three discussion seminars for teachers colleagues in Japan and Armenia. Russian Jewish Congress and several other in different regions of Russia. But the most important new project is the organizations. At a press conference after the planning and holding of international forums film, Mumin Shakirov thanked Alla Gerber, devoted to children who have been victims because she was one of the first who supported of terror in recent history. The central focus the idea. Yuri Dombrowski, Chairman of the of these forums is finding comparisons with Board of Trustees responsible for the project the Holocaust and using the experience of the «Remembering the Holocaust» spoke about Holocaust remembrance of victims. The next 400 burial sites of Jews in Russia. None of such forum will be held in Vladikavkaz at the the monuments have the nationality of the beginning of September 2014. victims and the word «Holocaust». THE PROBLEMS OF MEMORIALIZATION 2 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” Terror against children in modern history
The Holocaust Center was co organiser International Association of Cities where of the 1st International Conference such attacks took place, appealed to «Children – victims of terror in modern international organizations working with history: the problems of historical memory». children to fight for legislation protecting It was held in Vladikavkaz at the North the rights of child victims of terror attacks Ossetia State University (NOSU) named and the recognition of such acts as crimes after K.L. Khetagurov. against humanity, without a time limit. This was held on the ninth anniversary of Professor Alexander Asmolov at the Moscow the three day siege of the school in Beslan, State University, member of the Russian North Ossetia, Caucasus, Russia. 1,100 Academy of Education, Director of the Federal hostages—including 770 children— were Institute for Education Development (FIED), held hostage. spoke in his video message about the importance Aneta Gadieva, co chairman Beslan became known around the world of understanding and teaching about crimes of the «Mothers of Beslan» group in the wake of a Chechen suicide mission against children in Russia. In her paper «From The emotional speeches of Maxim Zhukov, that killed over 186 children and about 200 the Holocaust to Beslan», Alla Gerber, member former member of «Alpha» – a rescue group parents, teachers and rescuers. The total of the Public Chamber of the Russian for children in Beslan and Aneta Gadieva, one number is unknown due to the vanished and Federation and president of the «Holocaust of the leaders of the «Mothers of Beslan» were burnt bodies of both hostages and terrorists. Foundation» drew a parallel between the crime of particular interest. Both expressed support Greetings from Teimuraz Mamsurov, in Beslan and modern neo Nazism in Russia. for the idea of collecting evidence and president of the Republic of North Ossetia Ilya Altman, co chairman of the «Holocaust eyewitness accounts of the Beslan tragedy. Alania and Yuri Kanner, president of the Russian Center», professor at the Russian State There was a presentation on the textbook Jewish Congress (RJC) were read at the opening University for the Humanities (RSUH), «From Holocaust to Beslan», prepared with the ceremony. In March 2012 they signed an presidential adviser in the Russian Jewish participation of the Federal Academy of Teacher agreement on cooperation in preserving the Congress (RJC) spoke about the research and Training and the Museum of Jewish Heritage memory of the Beslan tragedy, the result of the importance of including in the school and the Holocaust on Poklonnaya Hill. Natalia which was the holding of this conference. curriculum the subject of terror against children Anisina has described the textbook as a «weapon Professor Tamerlane Kambolov, the First in modern history. against wretched» potential terrorists. Vice Rector of NOSU stressed the importance Kiril Feferman, member of the Commission Teachers Larisa Kochenova and Tatyana of international cooperation and the necessity of Righteous among the Nations Award Svetlova (North Ossetia), Olga Gorskikh of studying and preserving the memory of the (Israel) spoke about how children of different (Tomsk), Marina Tsyrenova (Ulan Ude) Beslan victims and other genocides. nationalities rescued Jewish children during and Elena Khodzher (Khabarovsk Krai) Dr. Shimon Samuels (France), Director the Holocaust. Hasmik Grigoryan, fellow shared their experiences of teaching about for International Relations at the Simon researcher of the Institute of the Armenian the Beslan tragedy. All of them had had Wiesenthal Center called Beslan the major Genocide (Armenia) gave an emotional pre training in the Holocaust Centre in different place in the world for crimes against sentation on the tragedy of Armenian children years. The conference participants agreed to children, proposed the creation of an who were killed during the 1915 genocide. work on improving understanding of the The school sports hall where the tragedy happened Beslan tragedy, memorialization of victims and rescuers and introduction of the subject into the school curriculum. The conference participants visited the school in Beslan, where they met with the head of the Beslan district and members of the «Mothers of Beslan» Committee and laid a wreath and flowers at the cemetery called «City of Angels» where the victims of the terrorist attack and the security officers killed during the rescue operation are buried. The conference was organized by the government of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania (led by Deputy Prime Minister Leonid Keselbrener and Minister for National Relations Soslan Fraev) and RJC and NOSU. 3 THE PROBLEMS OF MEMORIALIZATION THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” International Children’s Agencies are urged to endorse the Center’s designation of terrorism against children as a crime against humanity
September 3, Beslan, Russia Keynote speech by Dr.Shimon S. Samuels – Vladikavkaz, 3rd September 2013 Dr. Shimon Samuels, Director for Interna When the Israelites arrived in Israel 3,500 wrapped the children tightly in blankets tional Relations at the Simon Wiesenthal Center years ago, they found darkness and evil. The before they departed so that their limbs would was invited by the Russian Holocaust Center to city conquered by David – Jerusalem – not fall beyond the exploded mines. speak at the international conference «Children – where Solomon had built the first temple, These children were as much the victims of Victims of Terror in Modern History». Samuels has a valley outside its walls – Gehinnom Jihad as those killed in acts of terrorism. Our highlighted the distortion of religious principles or Gehenna – signifying «hell» for Jews and Center monitors the internet sites whereby on the sanctity of human life and the duty to Christians. It was here that the Amalekites they are indoctrinated and recruited to a protect children against the Jihadist indoctri sacrificed their first born babies. culture of death. nation into a culture of death. He also focused on The patriarch Abraham was set a task to test Beslan became known worldwide in the Nazis’ deliberate targeting of 1,5 million his loyalty to God: the sacrifice of his son Isaac, September 2004 as a place of atrocity. 1,100 Jewish children who were shot, starved and gassed. but was stopped with the knife in his hand. The people were taken hostage by Chechen The Center referred to a similar attack on a abomination of deliberately harming children Jihadists and kept prisoner in the school school in the Jewish Arab Galillee town of was illustrated with this example. Eighty years gymnasium on the first day of the new Maalot Tarshicha in Israel, that had occurred ago, a new Amalek appeared – Adolf Hitler – school year – 770 were children, the rest thirty years before Beslan. Twenty five children who deliberately targeted Jewish children. 1.5 were parents, families and teachers. were murdered by Palestinian terrorists. million were shot, gassed and starved. The total On the third day, at least 186 children and More recently, a Jewish school was annihilation of a people through the murder over 200 adults perished in a blaze of attacked by a Jihadist in Toulouse, France, of its children includes the slaughter of all the explosions. The statistics suggested many leaving four dead. unborn future generations. more, due to the missing and burnt bodies With the mayor of Beslan, the Minister A clear principle of monotheism – Jewish, of rescuers and terrorists. for Ethnic Affairs (responsible for counter Christian or Muslim – is the sanctity of Thirty years before, in 1974, a similar terrorism) and the Deputy Prime Minister human life and the protection of the child. attack had taken place at a school in the of the Republic, Samuels discussed the Today we are victims of a Jihadist terror that mixed Jewish and Arab Galilee village of establishment of a solidarity platform for has distorted that principle, as its mission of Ma’alot Tarshiha in Israel, leaving twenty mayors from cities where terrorist had been martyrdom includes the recruitment of five children dead. Only last year, a Jewish perpertrated against children. The Center children as agents of terror and violence. school in Toulouse was attacked by a will work with these cities to share the In the Iran Iraq war, children were given French born Jihadist leaving four dead. In lessons and ease the pain of these atrocities. plastic keys as talismans – the entry key to each case the targets were children. Furthermore, all children’s welfare Paradise. They wore the key around their necks To mark the tenth anniversary of Beslan next organizations from Save the Children to as they were sent by Iran’s Basij through the year our Center suggests the establishment of Oxfam, World Vision, Care and the Red Iraqi minefields to clear the way for the military a platform of solidarity bringing together the Cross will be called upon to join «the Beslan to follow. When the soldiers protested that they mayors of such long grieving cities around the Initiative» by endorsing the designation of had to walk past the children’s body parts world, beginning with Beslan, Ma’a lot and terrorism against children as a crime against on the way to the front, the Republican guard Toulouse. humanity. Dr. Shimon Samuels speaking «We hope that the 10th anniversary to be held in the burned down school and the «City of Angels» cemetery (see photos) in the presence of representatives from the targeted communities will commemorate all child victims of terrorism around the globe. We believe that this global initiative will be a powerful voice of outrage at such acts to ensure that Beslan, Maalot, Toulouse and other long grieving cities serve as a warning and not a precedent,» concluded Samuels. For further information please contact Dr. Shimon Samuels on 00 (33) 609770158 or the Russian Holocaust Center ([email protected]) THE PROBLEMS OF MEMORIALIZATION 4 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” Where Jihadism celebrates death we must Wiesenthal made clear: «There can be no From this podium in this place, on this day celebrate life, as well as making the world aware impunity for mass murder or terrorism, nor a time of commemoration, we invite all children’s of impending danger. To that end, in 2003 our limit for the prosecution of the perpetrators». NGOs: Save the Children, World Vision, Center drafted a Convention to designate Laying flowers at the «City Oxfam, Care, The Red Cross to endorse our suicide attacks a «crime against humanity» – of Angels» cemetery call «to designate terrorism as a crime against the most costly form of terror in terms of lives children, whether by recruitment as soldiers lost, especially those of children. or as victims of attacks». The Child Rights The document proposed the concept that International Network (CRIN) worked with the chain of terror begins with those who the UN on a «study of violence against preach, indoctrinate, finance, arm, shelter or children», to produce a detailed picture of the glorify such murder and they are all complicit. nature, extent and causes of violence against This would allow for such people to be children and to propose clear recommenda pursued by INTERPOL and to be prosecuted tions for action to prevent and respond to it. in third country jurisdictions. Such is the case The Report focused on violence in the home, for the six Iranians implicated in the 1994 poverty, schools, the justice system, the bombing of the Jewish Center in Buenos workplace and the community. Aries, leaving eighty five dead and over 300 Now we must include terrorism, so that wounded many of whom were children. Beslan, Ma’alot, Toulouse and other cities If the Convention had been ratified in 2003, that have been victims of terror against those who organized the Beslan atrocity, would schools and children – may serve as a not have peaceful lives. As the late Simon warning and not as a precedent. Remembrance evening to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht The remembrance evening was the key in the Soviet Union, at the monument event at the Forum dedicated to the 75th erected in front of the GRH. GRH director anniversary of the Kristallnacht. It took Andrei Portnyagin announced an place in the «German Russian House» exhibition, devoted to the Kristallnacht and (GRH) in Kaliningrad and was dedicated organized in Germany. to the International Day for Tolerance. On the evening itself greetings were read At the beginning of the evening the out from Sergey Ivanov, Chief of Staff in the participants held a minute’s silence, in Presidential Administration of the Russian memory of the repressed German minority Federation. The basic message said: «Both Mr.Shapira we and future generations should not forget the lessons of this tragedy. Condoning any nationalism, racism, xenophobia, basic instincts, and burying the past inevitably leads to terrible disasters». Dr. Yuri Kanner – President of the RJC, Elena Volova – Deputy Governor of Kaliningrad Region, Eddie Shapiro – Israeli Consul General in St. Petersburg, Daniel Lissner – German Vice Consul in Kaliningrad, Dr. Shimon Samuels – one the directors of the Wiesenthal Center and David Shvedik, Chief Rabbi of Kaliningrad spoke at the event. Unique documentary footage from Rabbi David Shvedik Kristallnacht and a video interview with Jewish Choir managed by Alexander Nehama Drober, eyewitness of the pogrom Tsalyuk was greeted with a standing ovation. in Koenigsberg was shown. Viktor Shapiro, The evening was hosted by Alla Gerber, Head of the Jewish Community of member of the Public Chamber of the Kaliningrad spoke about Nemaha Drober’s Russian Federation and president of the fate. The performance of the RJC Male Holocaust Foundation. Photographed by Igor Zarembo 5 THE PROBLEMS OF MEMORIALIZATION THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” Russian Protestants remember the Holocaust
In late December in a small synagogue in victims. Vasiukov said, «We decided to speak Chistye Prudy in central Moscow, a regular about the Holocaust in our churches, we meeting of the «Remembrance of the uploaded photographs of these places onto Holocaust Working Group» took place. our website and we have started fundraising. Fifteen representatives from leading Russian The idea to erect a memorial and open a Protestant churches in Moscow, St. Path of Righteous of the Nations in Russia Petersburg and Yaroslavl shared their in Lubavitch met with considerable interest. experiences of actively organising We not only raised more than $70,000, we educational and remembrance projects. also invited the sculptor and architect, and Boris Vasiukov, national director of «Even found builders to make the idea come to Russian Protestants in the Ezer» in Russia learned in May 2010 that fruition. We participated in the creation or synagogue at Chistye Prudy there are more than 400 sites in Russia, renovation of several other monuments. where Jews were murdered during the The last of these was erected in November the commemoration remembrance of Holocaust, where there are either no 2013 in the town of Monastyrshchino in Holocaust victims in fifteen more Russian monuments or the erected monuments have Smolensk region. cities». The Chairman of the Advisory no indication of the nationality of the Close cooperation with the RJC and the Board of the RJC project «Holocaust Holocaust Center have allowed us to not Remembrance», Professor Yuri Dom Boris Vasiukov speaking only participate in the erection of browski and co chairman of the Working at the memorial monuments, but to begin educational Group Ilya Altman expressed sincere projects, including internal and extramural gratitude to the Russian Protestants for their courses on the Holocaust. As a result, three noble work. Rabbi Shmuel Kuperman groups, including several pastors, who concluded by telling them «It is a pity that completed training courses, have already so little is known about your work in Israeli attended seminars at Yad Vashem. Now they and Jewish communities around the world. themselves speak about the Holocaust and I’m amazed that it is precisely you, not the the dangers of anti Semitism in churches. Jews, who erected this memorial in our holy Our plans for 2014 include participation in place of Lubavitch». The Exploit of Sobibor Uprising participants should be recognized in Russia
Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) and getting the Sobibor Unprising heroes resides in Russia. During the event, clips Russian Holocaust center conducted on honored with Russian state awards is at its from the film were shown from the film October 14, a memorial evening dedicated final stage and it is bound to lead to concrete «Arithmetics of Freedom» directed by to Sobibor Uprising that took place 70 years results. Alexander Marutyan and featuring ago. The event was attended by war veterans, Among the honorary participants were documentary footage of the liberation of schoolchildren, representatives of relatives of Alexander Pecherski and Aleksei Sobibor camp. diplomatic cosps, Russian Ministry of Vaitsen, the latter being the only remaining Participants Forein Affairs, Russian Ministry of Defense, participant of the Sobibor Uprising who in the Remembrance Evening and Moscow City Board. The evening was moderated by Ilya Altman. Among those speaking at the event were the RJC President Yuri Kanner, Member of the Public Chamber Nikolai Svanidze, German Ambassador to Russia Ulrich Brandenburg, Bulgarian Ambassador Boiko Kotsev, acting Israeli Ambassador Olga Slov, and other dignitaries. Speaker of Knesset Yuli Edelshtein sent his greetings to thse participating in the event. The participants empasized that the process of RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS 6 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” International forum marking seventy five years since the Kristallnacht
On 14 17th November 2013 Kaliningrad responses to the Kristallnacht. Another key hosted an international forum marking speaker Dr. Shimon Samuels, Director for seventy five years since the Kristallnacht, the International Relations at the Simon first wave of anti Jewish pogroms organized Wiesenthal Center (Paris), addressed the by the Nazis and directed against contemporary issue of Holocaust synagogues and Jewish neighborhoods in remembrance, anti Semitism, and the Germany, including East Prussia in 1938. growing anti Israeli attitude in Europe. The forum, which included an international One of the conference panels analyzed conference and seminars for teachers in Jewish the subject of the Kristallnacht. The schools in the CIS and Baltic states, was held presentation by Professor Alan Steiweis, on the initiative of the RJC and the Russian from the University of Vermont, a major Holocaust Center and Foundation. It brought expert on the topic and author of the book together more than fifty scholars, public figures «Kristallnacht, 1938», was particularly and teachers from Belarus, Estonia, Finland, significant. He spoke about the historical Germany, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Moldova, background against which the pogrom took Poland, Russia, the United States, and Ukraine. place and how it’s viewed in contemporary The international conference «Lessons of German society. Particularly illuminating Alla Gerber speaking the Holocaust and Contemporary Russia» were Professor Steiweis’s observations on The memorial in Yantarny was held at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (Kaliningrad) on 14 16th November 2013. The city was chosen to host the conference because Konigsberg, as Kaliningrad was named before 1946, was the only place in contemporary Russia where the Kristallnacht took place. One of the most prominent contemporary Holocaust scholars Professor Michael Berenbaum from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles was a key speaker. He spoke about the causes and consequences of the Kristallnacht, while putting the event in the context of Jewish history. Special emphasis was placed on analyzing American Professor Michael Berenbaum whether the Kristallnacht could be insights were provided by Professor Ilya considered a premeditated act in the Altman, Head of the Russian Holocaust unfolding of the «Final Solution». Professor Center, and Professor Chizuko Takao from Johann Chapoutot from the University of Rikkyo University, Japan, who spoke about Grenoble shed light on the hitherto the passage of Jewish refugees through the neglected international aspects of the USSR with the visas issued by Sugihara and Kristallnacht. Dr. Jurgen Zarusky, from the the embassy in Japan respectively. Kiril Institute of Contemporary History in Feferman from the Russian Holocaust Munich, provided historical background to Center examined how escape with visas was the Kristallnacht which started with the viewed in rabbinical circles in Lithuania. arrests of Jewish men and their subsequent On the morning of 17th November, the fates in Nazi concentration camps. conference participants commemorated Another panel looked at the activities of victims of the Holocaust at the memorial in the famous Chiune Sugihara, who during Yantarnoe village where the SS had the Kristallnacht served as Japanese Consul massacred some 7,000 Jews on 30th January, in Konigsberg and was honored Righteous 1945. This was the last and biggest execution among the Nations. Particularly important of Jews in the Second World War. 7 RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” The Holocaust through the eyes of an Orthodox bishop
The Round table, dedicated to interesting life story. Father Jovan is a well remembrance of the Holocaust, took place known public figure; he has been working on yesterday at the RJC Memorial Synagogue. the establishment of an interfaith dialogue The organizers were the Public Chamber between the Serbian Orthodox Church and Commission on Interethnic Relations and Judaism as well as between Serbians and Jews. Freedom of Conscience, the Serbian Embassy, Father Jovan studied theology, took an MA in the RJC, the Russian Holocaust Center and Jewish Culture at Yad Vashem and Hebrew the Holocaust Fund. President of the RJC University of Jerusalem. He also received the Yury Kanner opened the meeting. The chair Golda Meir Award and defended his thesis on man of the Public Chamber Commission on the Holocaust. Interethnic Relations and Freedom of His book «Historiography of the Holocaust Conscience, Nikolai Svanidze, hosted the in Yugoslavia» deals with the terrible massacre
meeting. of Jews, Serbs, and Gypsies on the territory of Photo by N. Anisina Serbian Ambassador Slobodan Terzic also Yugoslavia, concentration camps in Croatia, Bishop Jovan Culibrk attended the meeting. In his speech he noted and about how not only the German Army, but According to him, such research work «could that nowadays it is really important to confront also the local people destroyed countries that have been of great interest to the Russian the recent attitude of historical revisionism; had been established for centuries. Father Orthodox Church, because the latter professes nations should not forget tragedies such as Jovan’s work has stirred up a lot of interest humanistic principles and reaches out to its genocides and the Holocaust. Slobodan Terzic among Russian historians and public figures. audience, regardless of its ethnical affiliation». expressed his support for the activities of the Nikolai Svanidze expressed his concern that it All the participants of the meeting supported RJC and the Russian Holocaust Center and is necessary for our country to invest in serious the view that the Church should express a Holocaust Fund, as well as his willingness to historical research projects on the tragedy of greater interest in this issue. participate in events, devoted to the the Holocaust, such as Father Jovan’s Co chairman of the Russian Holocaust remembrance of the Holocaust. historiography, because «the Holocaust was Center I. Altman expressed his hope that Father The main hero of the meeting was Father carried out on Soviet territory in a terrible way Jovan Culibrk’s work would be translated into Jovan Culibrk, Vicar Bishop of Lipljan in the and on a massive scale». Unfortunately, today’s Russian and become a part of publications Serbian Orthodox Church, a person with a very absence of such study is a very big problem. of the Library of the Russian Holocaust. International Forum «Nazi Genocide of Roma and Jews in Eastern Europe»
On the 6 of February, the Jewish Heritage and research on the topic of the Romani annihilation Russia and Head of the «Romen» Theatre Holocaust Museum in Moscow on Poklonnaja during the Second World War. Leonid Nikolai Slichenko, attended the Forum in Gora hosted the International Forum «Nazi Tyorushkin devoted his report to documental spite of ill health and for the first time in his Genocide of Roma and Jews in Eastern Europe: sources concerning the Holocaust and destruc life told of how his father saved a Jewish Research, Methodology and Source Issue», tion of Romani in Latvia, noting the contempo neighbor of theirs during the War. dedicated to research on the genocide of Roma rary conditions of this issue. Kirill Feferman gave Anna Abakunova, a Head of the Inter Ethnic and Jews during the Second World War period, a talk on Jewish attitudes towards evacuation and and Cross Cultural Relations Research Center at the site of the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) escape from the Wehrmacht invasion of the Left to right: Nikolai Slichenko, with the scientific and organizational assistance territories of the USSR in early 1941. Nadezda Demetr, Anna of the Russian Research and Educational After the ending of the Forum’s academic Abakunova and Ilya Altman Holocaust Center. Leading scholars from 8 part, a ceremonial opening of the exhibition countries, namely Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, «Routes of Disappearance. Jewish and Roma Moldova, Romania, Sweden, Israel, and France Memory of Transnistria» dedicated to the fates presented and participated in the Forum. of Jews and Roma during the Romanian Dr. Ilya Altman gave an excellent talk occupation of the Bessarabia and Northern summarizing the overall development of Bukovina territories at the time of the Second Holocaust Studies in Russia over the last 20 World War, took place in the frame of the Forum. years, while Dr. Nadezhda Demeter presented The audience were treated to a surprise, a very interesting report on modern Russian when People’s Artist of the USSR and RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS 8 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” The Unknown Holocaust» Discussion Club
Russian collaboration Was Nikita Khrushchev an anti Semite?
On 28th February the regular meeting of The regular meeting of the «Unknown the «Unknown Holocaust» discussion club Holocaust» Club took place on 21st March. took place at the Russian Holocaust Center. Dr. Gennadi Kostyrchenko, author of many It involved the presentations of the books works on the history of state anti Semitism, and projects by military historians Ivan leading researcher at the Institute of Russian Kovtun and Dmitriy Zhukov (from left to History and a board member of the Russian right on the picture) on the Holocaust and Holocaust Center, gave the lecture «Was collaboration on Russian territory during Nikita Khrushchev an anti Semite?» This the Second World War. There was a lively was also the first presentation of the author’s discussion on the Russian SS Brigade new book «Khrushchev’s secret politics. Dr. Gennadi Kostyrhchenko «Druzhina» under the command of F. Gil Power, intelligentsia and the Jewish Problem» Khrushchev. While recognizing the pragmatic Rodionov. This is a very important (Moscow: «International Relations», 2012). nature of Stalin’s attitude toward the Jews and publication, given the fact that there have In his presentation the lecturer compared anti Israel, Dr. Kostyrhcenko also highlighted been attempts in Russia to misrepresent and Jewish statements to the actions of Stalin and Khrushchev’s impulsiveness and anti Semitism. gloss over the history of this group, to the Ivan Kovtun and Dmitriy Zukov I Saw It: Ilya Selvinsky and the Legacy of Witnessing the Shoah
On 1st December 2013 the Holocaust Center held the first presentation in Russia of the new book by American professor Maxim D. Shraer (Boston College, United States), «I Saw It: Ilya Selvinsky and the Legacy of Witnessing to the Shoah» (2013). It was Ilya Selvinsky, who first spoke about Maxim D. Shraer point of depicting its commander as a partisan hero and overlooking the crimes committed by Russian SS soldiers against the civilians in Poland and Belarus, on their participation in the mass murder of the Jewish people (particularly in Slutsk ghetto) and anti partisan activities carried out by «Druzhina» before joining Soviet partisans in summer 1943.
Selvinsky’s photographs from the front line. A lively discussion took place about how the Holocaust in Soviet Russian poetry. The Jewish poets who had witnessed the Shoah event was hosted by Ilya Altman, who (Holocaust) in the occupied Soviet presented the author. territories illustrated unprecedented tragedy The poet’s daughter, artist Tatyana in their work. There was a discussion on the Selvinskaya, who came with Igor ways in which poetry prevented the silencing Selvinsky’s granddaughter Oksana and demeaning of the memory of the Nekrasova made a welcome speech. Maxim Holocaust in the USSR. In conclusion, Ilya D. Shraer vividly and excitedly spoke about Altman expressed the hope that the book his work on the monograph, illustrating will be translated into Russia. 9 RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” International cooperation
Helsinki – Moscow. New documents and on Kamchatka in 1936; the reasons for the The attitudes of Russians and Poles to the facts emerge about Chiune Sugihara rejection of a Soviet visa at the beginning of murder of the European Jews during the 1937, when Sugihara was appointed to be a uprising in the Warsaw ghetto in 1943 On 25 26th February in the capital of member of the Japanese Embassy team in th Finland the Round table on the subject Moscow; the dramatic circumstances of the On 26 April the open seminar «The «Documents about the life and activities of return of the ship with refugees by the attitudes of Russians and Poles to the murder Chiune Sugihara in the context of the Cold Japanese officials and obtainment of visas of the European Jews during the uprising in War» took place. Sugahara was honored in Vladivostok in March April 1941. the Warsaw ghetto in 1943» took place at the Righteous among the Nations. He was a University of Warsaw. The discussion Japanese consul in Helsinki, Kaunas, The international conference dedicated to moderator Professor Adam Rotfeld, who had Konigsberg and Bucharest, who adopted the 70th anniversary of the uprising in the been former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Orthodox Christianity in 1936 at the age of Warsaw ghetto Poland, excellently analyzed historiography on twenty four and worked in the USSR in the subject and the prospects of cooperation 1960 1974. Ilya Altman spoke about the On 22nd 23rd April the international between Russian and Polish academics in emergence of new documents on Chiune conference dedicated to the 70th studying the history of the Holocaust. Sugahara, provided by the Archive of anniversary of the uprising in the Warsaw Professor Andzej Zbykovsky, who has taken Foreign Politics in the Russian Ministry of ghetto took place in Warsaw. The part in many conferences organized by the Foreign Affairs, the archive directors in the conference was organized by leading Polish Russian Holocaust Center, analyzed the major Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. academic institutions in the field: the stages of the uprising and its remembrance. Ilya Ishida and Dr. Siraisi, and Professor Takao Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute, the Altman, a keynote speaker and co chairman from the University of Rikkyo in Tokyo. Center for Holocaust Studies at the Polish of the Russian Holocaust Center spoke at the A Round table titled «Chiune Sugihara Academy of Sciences and Institute of conference by video link from Moscow. He and the USSR: New documents, facts, Remembrance. The fact that the conference focused on the responses in the Soviet press to hypothesis» took place in Moscow on 12th took place with the support of the President the murder of the Polish Jews and the uprising March at the Holocaust Museum in the RJC of Poland attests to its importance. in the Warsaw ghetto as well as the prohibition Memorial Synagogue on Poklonnaya Gora. Among the speakers were famous on publishing thematic books in the USSR in Co chairman of the Russian Holocaust historians such as Dan Michman (Yad the 1960s. Ilya Altman also looked at the Center Ilya Altman and Professor David Vashem and Bar Ilan University), Michael interpretation of the part the Poles played in Wolf (University of Hokkaido, Japan) spoke Marrus (University of Toronto) and Yan helping the rebels and their clearly exaggerated about the life and deeds of one of the most Grabovsky (University of Ottawa). Dr. Kiril roles in collaborating with the Nazis in Leonid famous people to receive Righteous of the Feferman, who gave a lecture on «The Mlechin’s new movie «Uprising 43». The Nations, a significant part of whose life was attitude of Soviet Partisans towards Jews seminar took place as part of the joint Russian directly and indirectly connected with the and the Holocaust», represented the Polish academic project, devoted to different USSR. It was the second meeting (the first Russian Holocaust Center. aspects of the history of the two countries. one took place in Helsinki on 23rd February 2013) of Russian and Japanese historians and archivists working on the project of the Russian Holocaust Center and University of Rikkyo (Tokyo). It covered the filming of the documentary about the famous Japanese diplomat and the circumstances of the transit of Jewish refugees through the USSR in 1940 1941. The historical and diplomatic department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with whose assistance unique documents were obtained from the Archives of the Russian Foreign Policy Department, supported the project. These documents allow us to clarify the dates during which Chiune Sugihara worked in the Japanese Consulate in Petropavlovsk RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS 10 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” International conference Evidence of the Holocaust in the USSR in Tel Aviv Employees of the Russian Holocaust Center In the program of the Round table it says: On 3rd 5th November, the international Leonid Terushkin and Kiril Feferman, along with «The evidence found in the USSR and for a conference «Independent Histories and other researchers from France, Israel, the United long time censored is very poorly studied in the Studies of the Holocaust» was held in Tel Aviv. States, Great Britain, Ukraine and other post Soviet territories as well as in the rest of It was organized jointly by the Tel Aviv and Bar countries, participated in the international two the world. Unlike Western literature that tells Ilan universities. The conference was attended day round table «Evidence of the Holocaust in us of remote extermination camps, these works by world renowned scholars, among them the USSR» which took place at the Mahler Center tell us about the genocide that occurred in close Professor Dan Diner (Hebrew University of in Paris on 16th May. Head of Archives Leonid proximity – in view and within the hearing of Jerusalem), Professor Steven Katz (Boston Terushkin took part in the Round table discussion countless witnesses. Could they not testify, or University), Professor David Engel (New York «Overage and Flaws of Archives». Kiril Feferman, did they just not want to?» University), and Professor Zvi Gitelman Head of the Research Department spoke on the The head of Archives at the Russian (University of Michigan). The Russian «Holocaust as the second Civil War in Russia». Holocaust Center Leonid Terushkin spoke Holocaust Center was represented by Dr. Kiril His presentation was a part of the following on the topic of «Letters and diaries of Soviet Feferman who spoke on the peculiarities of meeting «The Plexus of Violence and the Jewish soldiers during the Second World Jewish and German sources in covering the Difficulty of Remembering». War: research, study and use». Holocaust in the occupied Soviet territories. Museums and memorial sites of the Holocaust in post Communist countries
The second international conference Russian Holocaust Center. The book is Kaylis presented the book to the new Jean «Museums and memorial sites of the dedicated to the act of bravery by Righteous of Lipke museum, with whom the cooperation Holocaust in post Communist countries: the Nations Janis (Jean Lipke).Director Maris agreement was reached. Challenges and Opportunities» took place on Leonid Terushkin 27 28th May 2013 in Riga at the Latvian Academy of Sciences. The organizer of the event was the Jewish community «Shamir». The Ministry of Culture of the Latvian Republic and Riga City Council showed great support. This year participants in the conference were researchers from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, as well as representatives of Israel, Poland and Hungary. Leonid Terushkin, Gregory Reikhman, Dmitry Alekseev, Natalya Anisina, Tatyana Pasman, Daniil Tunin, Vadim Brodsky, as well as Dr. Irina Rebrova (Russia), Alexandra Cherkasski (Germany) and Dr. Aron Schneer (Israel), who collaborate with the Russian Holocaust Center presented their projects. During the conference Vadim Brodsky presented a new edition of David Zilberman’s book «Like a Star in the Darkness» by the Photo by G. Reikhman
Holocaust Education in the 21st Century
From 7th 9th October, the University of museum centers from Germany, Israel, Russian Holocaust Center was represented Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany) hosted the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and by Dr. Kiril Feferman who spoke about the international conference «Holocaust the United States shared their experience Center’s long experience and its Education in the 21st Century». Experts in working with various audiences using achievements in teaching Holocaust in representing educational and research different methodological approaches. The Russia. 11 RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” History of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe: Study and Remembrance
The University of Hamburg launched a Professor Altman responded to the on collaboration, in which Dr. Anya Tippner, series of public lectures on the history of the questions from the workshop participants, Professor at the Slavic Institute, took part. Holocaust in Eastern Europe. Well known most of whom were students. He also held talks Ilya Altman and professor Frank Golczewski expert on German Ukrainian relations Professor Frank Golczewski played a key role in the seminars about this region’s history. Ilya Altman became the first foreign researcher to give a speech. He spoke on «The Historical Narrative of the Holocaust in Russia», and discussed a wide range of issues from the creation of the Russian Holocaust Center and its activities, as well as looking at how the Holocaust is covered in school textbooks and how it has been integrated into the research on the Second World War. Remembrance evening devoted to International Holocaust Remembrance Day It was held on 27th January in the Great Hall also attended by the President of the RJC Yuri of the Central House of Writers. A former Kanner, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar, intelligence officer, Yuri Rivas Korobkov, one Director of Research at the Higher School of of the first to enter the camp with the 60th Army Economics Yevgeny Yasin, and the German, of the 4th Ukrainian Front, shared his Israeli, and U.S. Ambassadors to Russia. memories in a unique film «Documents of the Israeli Ambassador Dorit Golender Auschwitz Liberation by the Red Army». A posthumously awarded Righteous among the fragment from a new documentary by Galina Nations medals to the direct descendants of Yevtushenko, «Dodik», (about ghetto and the soldiers of the army. The relatives are now partisan Semyon Dodik) was also shown. The living in Moscow and the Moscow region, St. hero of the film was present. The evening was Petersburg, and Togliatti.
Michael McFaul, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation It was followed by an award ceremony for the winners of the XI Annual International Competition for teachers, pupils, and students, «The Holocaust: Memory and Prevention». Such remembrance evenings have been held on this date in Moscow every year since 1995. It is organized by the Center and Foundation for the Holocaust, with the participation of the Government of Moscow, the Israeli Embassy in Russia, the RJC and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia. RESEARCH. CONFERENCES. BOOKS 12 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” Letters and diaries of the Second World War Lev Simkin, An hour and a half of retribu New books tion, Moscow: Zebra E, 2013. 352 pages. On 20th June, on the eve of the Day of The book is published to commemorate Collection of materials from the 7th Memory and Sorrow, there was a presentation the seventieth anniversary of the uprising in International Conference «Lessons of the on the third edition of the unique non fiction Sobibor death camp. The author has found Holocaust and Contemporary Russia», book «Save my letters…» at the Library of the interesting information about Alexander Rostov on Don, 12th 14th August 2012. Russian Holocaust. It was published as part of Pechersky, who led the uprising. Pechersky the «Library of the Russian Holocaust» series. Alexander Minkin, a «Moskovski Komsomo lets» journalist who wrote the foreword (his grandfather’s letters, written on pieces of elm, were also included in the collection), Alla Gerber, the President of the Russian Holocaust Center and member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, the collectors – co
was a witness at the trial of former camp guards. This trial took place in Kiev in 1962. The book was written with the help of recently declassified material about the On the eve of the 71st anniversary of the trials and eyewitness accounts, as well as tragedy in Zmievskoy Beam the collection documents from the Holocaust Center. Lev «History of the Holocaust in the North Simkin tells the story of the hero up to his Caucasus and the fate of the Jewish death in 1990. intelligentsia during the Second World War» was published as part of the «Russian Yanina Chevelev, Zmyiv beam, Contrary, Library of the Holocaust» series. The Rostov On Don: Phoenix, 2013. 446 pages. collection was part of the materials from the This book by a famous Rostov journalist tells 7th International Conference «Lessons of not only the history of the Holocaust in the the Holocaust and Contemporary Russia», Rostov region, but also gives a detailed history th which was held in Rostov on Don, on 12 – chairman of the Russian Holocaust Center Ilya of the memorialization of the largest execution th 14 August 2012. The book is about the Altman and the Head of Archives at the center site in Russia where Jews were murdered in experience of understanding the Holocaust Leonid Terushkin, as well as Vadim Brodsky, and August 1942. The book, published in the in the North Caucasus in the Soviet Union the Editor in Chief of «Polimed» – the and contemporary Russia, as well as the fate publishers of the book, spoke at the presentation. of the Jewish intelligentsia during the The collection of letters and diaries continues. Second World War. A considerable part of The next issue in the series is being published the book is devoted to reproducing an with help from the RJC and is scheduled for accurate picture of the Holocaust in the release on the 70th anniversary of Victory Day. Caucasus and in particular in Rostov on Alexander Minkin shows a «postcard from Don and its memorialization in the post the forest» on a birch bark, sent off by his war years. For the first time the book covers grandfather on 22nd June 1942 such topics as the collaboration of local people in the murders of Jews and the depiction of the Holocaust in Soviet Library of the Russian Holocaust series, cinema. The book is intended for includes eyewitness accounts, photos and researchers of the Second World War, archive documents which confirm the museums employees, archive collections, names of the dead, as well as the transcript education authorities, teachers, students, from the 2012 trial regarding the authorities’ and organizers of investigations. The book removal of a plaque with the word «Holocaust». was published with the assistance of the It is largely thanks to this book that a new «Dynasty» Foundation and the series itself plaque will reappear with an inscription is published with the support of the RJC. stating the nationality of the victims. Photo by Vadim Brodsky Фото Вадима Бродского 13 PEDAGOGICAL PAGES THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” 14th Annual Summer Session for Russian teachers of the Holocaust
On 29th June in the Moscow region the Holocaust on Soviet territory (by Dr. Ilya professors and employees of the training 14th annual session for trainee teachers of Altman) and modern methods and institutes about the Center, its projects and the Holocaust topic ended; representatives innovations of the Yad Vashem its future plans. from more than thirty regions of Russia, International School on teaching the Participants of the session from Vladivostok to Pskov and Nalchik, Holocaust (by Masha Pollak from Israel). took part. Seven regions took part in such a There were also practical group workshops, seminar for the very first time. The during which the participants worked on a participants of the session talked about the project for a textbook on the topic «From lessons they had learned and shared their the Holocaust to Beslan» and discussed the experiences of organizing extracurricular structure of the textbook with others by activities. They listened to lectures on the multimedia. At the final meeting co history of the Holocaust in Europe (by Dr. chairman of the Russian Holocaust Center Kiril Feferman) and the features of the Ilya Altman spoke to the teachers, Seminars for Russian teachers
In 2013 the Holocaust Center held nine were held in the regional (republican) by the local branches of leading Russian workshops in different regions of Russia; the Institutes for Advanced Studies in Teaching. radio stations and television stations. Public Urals (Orenburg and Yekaterinburg), In Elista, they were held in the national debate in the media resulted in public Central Russia (Tver and Orel), Siberia museum, in Rostov and Taganrog – in interest, but also in a surge of anti Semitic (Tomsk), the Northern Caucasus (Rostov libraries. The «Ethno cultural Mosaic» statements. In Tomsk local nationalists on Don, Taganrog, and Nalchik), as well as youth forum was held in ten educational attempted to ask provocative questions in Kalmykia. They were attended by more institutions in Tomsk. The subject of the during the lectures and on their websites than 1,000 teachers and students. All Holocaust in these workshops was discussed they distorted the content of the discussions. seminars included lectures and round tables in the context of inter ethnic relations in Workshops were held with the support of for teachers, as well as lectures for students modern Russia. In Tomsk and Elista grants from the President of the Russian from local universities. Typically, classes Holocaust Center staff were interviewed live Federation and the Claims Conference. Seminar of the Russian teachers at Yad Vashem
A week long (2 10th April) seminar for teachers of Russian educational institutions took Dr. Aharon Shneyer
place in the Yad Vashem International School teachers participated in remembrance events at of the Holocaust. Twenty four representatives Yad Vashem, dedicated to the 70th anniversary from more than twenty cities and regions of of the rebellion in the Warsaw ghetto, and Russia took part in the spring seminar. Russian attended a tour around Israel. PEDAGOGICAL PAGES 14 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST”
Educational seminar in Berlin
On 5th May Russian teachers gathered in On the evening of 8th May the teachers «Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp» Berlin. A seminar was held at the famous House visited a new exhibition (that opened on 24th memorial complex and to the memorial at of the Wannsee Conference. Deputy Director April) about the Second World War and the Grunewald train station, from where the of the Museum and the head of its educational Nazi occupation regime (including an exhibit trains left with deported Jews. The results of programs Dr. Wolf Kaiser, one of Europe’s on the Holocaust) at the Russian German the seminar were summarized in a productive leading teachers on the Holocaust, gave a lecture Museum in Karlshorst. At 10pm, in the hall, discussion with German colleagues. on the history of Jews in Germany and the where the document on the full and Participants in a seminar establishment of the Nazi dictatorship. He led unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany at the House of Wansee Conference the seminar which was dedicated to a discussion had been signed, the remembrance ceremony of anti Semitism and racism. Dr. Kristof was held, attended by the Russian Kroitzmuller convincingly demonstrated the use Ambassador to Germany. On Victory Day the of images as sources in studying the history of participants laid flowers in Treptow Park at the Holocaust. Ingrid Damerow and a volunteer the monument depicting a Soviet soldier at the House of the Wannsee Conference and holding a girl in his arms, and in the evening former employee of the Russian Holocaust Center the visitors went to the Reichstag building. Tatyana Manykina gave the museum tour. The seminar ended with a visit to the The third seminar of the regional coordinators of the Russian Holocaust Center at the Memorial de la Shoah in Paris The third annual seminar for regional Shoah» and author of the recent monograph focused on projects, as well as demonstrating coordinators of the Russian Holocaust Center on the fate of Jews in North African countries the latest training aids used by the Memorial was held in the capital of France. Teachers during the Second World War. Dr. Tal Brutman de la Shoah. The museum tour evoked huge from nine regions of Russia took part. The (University of Grenoble) spoke on the interest. seminar opened on 1st July at the Shoah development of Western historiography about The second day of the seminar started with Memorial Museum in the center of Paris. The «The Final Solution for the Jewish Issue». He the visit to the Drancy internment camp and Center of Jewish Documentation, a part of the gave definitions of the death camps, continued at the Educational Center in the museum, celebrated its 70th anniversary. Luke concentration camps and places of extermi countryside. Students from Paris as well as Levi, director of international programs at the nation (the last existed mostly on Soviet from other regions of France make active use museum greeted the Russian teachers. On the territory). Employees of the pedagogical of the new technologies and the museum’s first day there were active debates after the department talked about the methodology of exhibition. One of the senior employees of lecture of Dr. George Bensoussan, the education in the museum, which is more the museum Philipp Bukara spoke about famous historian, editor of «Revue de la France on the eve of the Holocaust. Nicolas Wert speaking The third day of the seminar was memorable above all because of a brilliant lecture on political repressions in the USSR given by France’s leading specialist on the topic Nicolas Wert. Valerie Posner spoke about how the Holocaust is depicted in Soviet documentary and feature films. Professor Anne Applebaum presented her recent book on Soviet literature about the Holocaust. Dr. Alan Blum spoke about the methodology of interview writing and building a memorial to the victims of deportations on the eve and after the War. The participants of the seminar eagerly listened to the lectures about little known events such as the Armenian genocide in Russia in 1915 and the Tutsis’ tragedy in Rwanda. 15 RUSSIAN YOUNGSTERS LEARN ABOUT HOLOCAUST THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST” 9th Annual Wiesenthal Center «Verbe et Lumiere» Russian Holocaust Center Essay Winners Feted at UNESCO
A Holocaust essay competition in education in accepting that history. He spoke Ambassador, Michael Worbs, congratulated universities across the former Soviet Union of his own work on the reparations process and the Russian Holocaust Center for its «post that began in 2004 with twenty five quoted the title of Jacques Semelin’s book Soviet initiative to meet the past, not to repress submissions exceeded 2,000 this year. «Neither Heroes nor Villians». it». Vatican Ambassador, Monsieur Follo, The competition was launched by «Verbe Father Hofmann called the Holocaust «a emphasized that «just studying the events of et Lumiere Vigilance» the Moscow based neo pagan method to wipe out the divine race the Holocaust is not enough, one must apply Russian Holocaust Center’s and the Simon from history», speaking of «Nostra Aetate as the knowledge – we may know the dictum Wiesenthal Center’s French educational the Magna Carta of the Catholic church and «thou shalt not steal, but still steal». United affiliate. The five winners are welcomed the Jews.» He also addressed the issue of States Ambassador, David Killion, annually by UNESCO in Paris. Catholic collaboration and resistance, and of congratulated «the Simon Wiesenthal Center Opened by the Wiesenthal Center’s the «passive spectators who closed their eyes». for encouraging UNESCO to be what it should Director for International Relations, Dr. He elaborated on today’s «binding be», adding, «We all bear collective guilt for Shimon Samuels and the co chairs of the commitment» of the Church to the Jews. slavery and not intervening quickly in the Russian Holocaust Center Alla Gerber – The four winners and their papers were: Holocaust and Rwanda». first female MP in post Soviet Russia – and Ms. Nadiia Skokova, Ostroh National President of Verbe et Lumiere Vigliance Dr. IIya Altman, the event was attended by University of Ukraine, on «The Holocaust in Richard Odier concluded the meeting, the Permanent Delegates to UNESCO – Volhynia during the Nazi occupation»; Mr. emphasizing the obligation of the Holocaust France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Russia, Nikita Vrazovskiy, Russian State University for to act as a call for action in contemporary cases Ukraine, the United States and the Vatican. Humanities, Moscow, on «The Uprisings in the of mass murder in places such as Darfur and The meeting was chaired by UNESCO Warsaw and Bialystok Ghettoes»; Ms. Svetlana Syria or regions where the media is absent. Deputy Director General, Getachew Engida, Antonova, Moscow State University, on «The Dr. Altman and Dr. Samuels noted that who declared the Holocaust «a dark legacy for Holocaust in Israeli media – A comparison of «thousands of students over the past nine humanity» and thanked the student laureates the Hebrew and Russian language press»; Ms. years from across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine for their dedication to its study. Alla Gerber Vera Beletskaya, Moscow State Institute for and the Baltics have passed through this responded, warning of growing xenophobia in Foreign Relations, on «The Holocaust and the program, learnt the history of the Russia, «it was slogans like today’s “Russia for Guilt Complex of the Germans». Holocaust, especially on the territory of the the Russians” that led to mass murder». The diplomats’ responses included: Soviet Union. With forty five winning essays This year’s keynote speakers were David Hungary’s Ambassador Katalin Bogyay, who and thousands of other submissions from Kessler, the Elysee Palace’s Cultural Adviser is also President of the UNESCO General Archangelsk to Vladivostok, they proposed and Father Norbert Hofmann, Secretary of the Conference, spoke of plans to commemorate that «for the tenth anniversary, this wealth Vatican Commission on Relations with the the 2014 70th anniversary of the deportation of material be edited and published as a Jews. Mr. Kessler focused on «the paradox of of the Hungarian Jews. As a former journalist volume with the sponsorship of UNESCO». French history as both collaborator and he also mentioned «the challenges of engaging Dr. Shimon Samuels, Ms. Vera Beletskaya, resistance». He stressed the role of reparations, young people in this dialogue and finding new Ms. Svetlana Antonova , Dr. IIya Altman, Ms. Nadiia Skokova, Mr. Nikita Vrazovskiy, the opening of the archives and the role of ways to teach the teachers». German Mrs. Alla Gerber , Mrs. Gracialla Samuels CHRONICLE 16 THE NEWSLETTER “HOLOCAUST”
January 24, Moscow June 5, Voronezh September 1, German Ambassador Ulrich Branden Ilya Altman spoke at the ceremony that Dr. Kiril Feferman, head of the educational burg awarded the Order of Merit of the took place June, 5 at the War Memorial in and research department at the Russian Federal Republic of Germany, the Knight Rudkino village near Voronezh. There rest Holocaust Center was honoured with a special cross to the President of the Holocaust the remains of approximately 2,000 scholarly award from the Egis Foundation Center Alla Gerber. Hungarian Jews from so called labour sponsored by the Israeli Trade Union The ceremony was attended by members battalions. The co chairman of the Russian (Histadrut). The award was given for Dr. of the Holocaust Center and Fund Yevgeny Holocaust Center called those people, Feferman’s important book «The Holocaust Yasin, Rena Lesnevskaya, Leonid Gozman, whom the Hungarian soldiers deprived of on the Russian Ethnic Frontier: The Crimea well known human rights activists Lyudmila weapons, forced them to starve and sent and the North Caucasus». The book will be Alexeyeva, Lev Ponomaryov, Mikhail them to the minefields, a peculiar pub lished in English by Yad Vashem in 2014. Fedotov, and Arseny Roginsky, in addition to «sacrificial battalion deprived of the right to September 19, Moscow friends and colleagues of Alla Gerber. All rehabilitation». He noted that the Jewish congratulate her for this well deserved award. symbol – menorah – is amongst all the In the Holocaust Museum on Poklonnaya German Ambassador in Russia Mr. Ulrich other commemorative symbols at this Gora co chairman of the Holocaust Center Ilya Brandenburg (right) and Alla Gerber memorial. However, there are no such Altman and director of the Armenian Genocide commemoratives symbols and inscriptions Museum Hayk Demoyan signed an Agreement at any other execution site in the Voronezh of Cooperation. It involves joint organization of region. The following representative temporary exhibitions, the development of delegation from Moscow took part in the cultural ties, the exchange of knowledge and ceremony: the Israeli Ambassador to Russia experience in the study of the Armenian Geno Dorit Golender, Chief Rabbi of Russia cide and the Holocaust, the exchange of Adolf Shaevich, Secretary General of the employees between the collaborating organi Eurasian Jewish Congress Michael Chlenov, zations consultations and exchange of educatio and the head of the Jewish community in nal materials, joint research and sharing of experience Voronezh Michael Segal. The remembrance in teaching human rights, mutual cooperation on ceremony for the Hungarian Jews, who the organization of projects to prevent xenophobia, against their will fought on Nazi Germany’s racism and other human rights violations. The side, took place in Russia for the very first director of the Armenian Genocide Museum, RJC time. This happened due to the efforts of the President Yuri Kanner and President of the March 28, Moscow family of Ian Verkhaymer, who is buried at Holocaust Center Alla Gerber also held talks The exhibition «Power of Civil Society: the memorial under Voronezh. After the war and meetings. The first result of the The fate of the Bulgarian Jews» opened in the Verkhaymer’s family moved to Israel, and it collaboration will be the textbook «The History Memorial Synagogue of the RJC Holocaust was only after seventy years that his of the Holocaust», for schoolchildren, written Museum on Poklonnaya Gora. The exhbition granddaughter Carney Gerstein found her in Armenian and published in 2002. It was was dedicated to their rescue during the grandfather’s grave with the help of Israeli translated into German in Austria in 2003. Holocaust with the active support of the Bulgarian President Shimon Peres. Orthodox Church. For this act of bravery the Ilya Altman speaking December 10, Rostov on Don Church was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize The Rostov on Don authorities decided to in 2013. The Bulgarian Ambassador to Russia erect a new memorial plaque in the Zmievskoy Boyko Kotzev opened the exhibition. Alla Beam, where in 1942 thousands of Holocaust Gerber (Member of the Public Chamber of the victims were murdered. The plaque was Russian Federation), Anatoly Shein (Minister inscribed in 2004 but in November 2011 it was in the State Duma of the Russian Federation), replaced by the inscription «peaceful Soviet Beni Briskin (RJC director), and Efim citizens.» After a lengthy and public trial, Gologorsky (Head of the International Union protests in the media and public appeals the of Former Ghetto Prisoners) spoke at the word «Jews» (but without the term exhibition opening hosted by Ilya Altman. «Holocaust») reappeared on the plaque.
Circulation: 999 copies Editor: Dr. Ilya Altman Co editors: Gregori Reikhman (Israel), Leonid Terushkin, Dr. Kiril Feferman. Address:115035, Moscow, Sadovnicheskaya St. 52/45. Tel./fax: (495) 953 3362 E Mail address: [email protected] Our site: www.holocf.ru The publication of this newsletter was made possible thanks to a support from Claims Conference (USA)