APRIL 2015 Members’ www.memoryandconscience.eu Newsletter

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT NEWS FROM THE OFFICE Since the last Newsletter hearing as well as a pre-hearing in relation to the Dear friends, Contemporary Art, we staged another in the preparations for our Magnitsky legislation, which is now expanded April 2015 was a month the series of discussions called Searching conference on The Iron Curtain to all countries violating human rights and not only of preparations. With our for the Czech Identity on Earth Day, - Consequences of WWII in Russia. In order to target individuals who are violating Hungarian Member, the 22 April – this time, the topic was “Elites have been the main basic human rights we need that type of legislation Committee of National versus role models”. The debate was focus; however, simultaneously there is a lot of work in Europe too. At the Hudson Institute, Bill Browder Remembrance, we were communicating broadcast on Czech TV. going on with regards to the legal project that will presented his book about the Magnitsky case; I highly back and forth organizing the Platform’s At the end of the month, director Stefan be presented in Brussels on 27 May. recommend that all of you read the book; it is like annual conference, this time under the title Weinert came to and to the Czech- As I write this I am waiting for my flight from New a thriller, but unfortunately true. The Iron Curtain - Consequences German border for the last days of filming York to Budapest (via Istanbul). I spent a few days in Finally I took part in the conference Baltic Defense of WWII planned for 5-6 May in Budapest. the first Platform documentary film. Our Washington DC where Karl Altau from our member and Security After Ukraine arranged by Please see page 2 for more about the new intern in Prague, Suzie Irglová, a bright organisation JBANC set up a meeting agenda in order the Jamestown Foundation. Also here there was conference. We also sent a letter to student of translation and interpretation, to network, and I also attended every conference on a discussion about the historical connection. Mr Alexei and Mr Oleg Navalny, informing has been collaborating on the film project security to point out the connection between Europe’s Stephen Blank and Paul Goble made very clear the them about their upcoming award of and is quite excited about it. totalitarian past and Russia’s present behaviour. need for more and better cooperation in the field the Prize of the Platform of European Finally, I had also planned to write up My first day in DC started with a visit to the tenth of defence. Blank and Goble are definitely in the Memory and Conscience 2015, and we a 20-page publication for the upcoming conference arranged by Initiatives for China, where top ten when it comes to present clear and accurate found a suitable venue for the ceremony public event in the European Parliament I gave a short presentation about the Platform and analysis of Europe’s security situation; especially in – please see page 2. in Brussels which will take place on the importance of dealing with our historical past. regards to Russia. In the meantime, Gillian Purves flew to 27 May 2015, to present the results The next event was a forum on the Latvian Hopefully this trip will lead to new cooperation and New York to give a presentation of the of the International Justice for Presidency and EU Policy Towards Central Asia, new partners for the Platform; one new contact is Platform Reader for Schools “Lest We Communist Crimes project (please see which featured an interesting discussion on the the Human Rights Foundation, which arranges Forget. Memory of Totalitarianism in more on page 3), but we faced an audit situation in the five Central Asian states squeezed a meeting in Oslo every year; we will take part. Europe” on two evenings, on 2 and 9 of our grant funding in the middle of the between Russia and China, which at the same time The train to New York was an opportunity to digest April, at the Czech Center. We also got month. Two weeks of work went into badly need to get rid of their authoritarian regimes some of my impressions. invited to present the Reader for Schools answering the questions of the auditors. without a takeover by Muslim fundamentalists. On the evening of 1 May I opened our travelling at the annual conference of the European As of now, our responses have been sent. Carl Bildt’s speech on “Europe Surrounded by a Ring exhibition in the Bohemian Hall in New history teachers’ association EUROCLIO in We hope that all went well and that we of Fire” at the Center for Strategic & International York. Around 20 interested people came to the Helsingör, Denmark. I gave a presentation have complied with the requirements. Studies was very inspiring, and at the same time scary. opening. Hopefully the exhibition will continue there on 23 April – please see more on A couple of blackbirds have built a nest on Carl did also touch on the historical connection to Washington DC; our members are working on page 2. the roof of the Prague office and the rose and the need to know our recent history in order finding the right venues. In April, we also submitted two large bushes on the terrace have sprouted fresh to understand and deal with Russia, but also the After a week filled with conferences I embarked on grant applications for future funding of greenery. Spring is here :-). history of the Middle East leading to the current my trip back to Europe and the conference Platform activities – please see page 3 for Please plan to come to Brussels on 27 May! situation where they are in a similar state as Europe in Budapest. more details. Wishing you a lovely time until then, during the 30 Years War in the 17th century. Göran Lindblad In cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer Neela Winkelmann Bill Browder was in town for a formal committee President Stiftung and DOX, the Centre for Managing Director 1 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu Platform PRESENTATION OF THE PLATFORM PRESENTATION OF THE News READER FOR SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK PLATFORM READER ANNUAL PLATFORM CONFERENCE: ON 2 AND 9 APRIL 2015 AT THE ANNUAL “THE IRON CURTAIN - CONSEQUENCES On 2 and 9 April 2015, the Platform Reader for schools “Lest We EUROCLIO CONFERENCE OF WWII“ ON 5-6 MAY 2015 Forget. Memory of Totalitarianism in Europe” was presented by the IN ELSINORE, DENMARK editor of the book Gillian Purves at the Czech Center New York, as IN BUDAPEST part of the Czech Center’s Acts of Courage programme. The screening ON 23 APRIL 2015 of a documentary about Czech war pilot Josef Bryks: A Man Who The purpose of the annual Platform conference was to contribute Overestimated the Czech Soul on 2 April was followed by a discussion The beautiful Konventum Centre in to the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII with Jiři Verner and a brief presentation of the reader Helsingör, or Elsinore in English, was the by demonstrating that, for half of Europe, it meant a transition by Gillian Purves. The reader was presented in more detail on 9 April, venue of the annual conference of the into another violent totalitarian system concealed behind the Iron following a screening of director Jan Mudra’s documentary The Case European history teachers’ association Curtain. The Committee of National Remembrance procured the of Dr. Horáková about the show trial of Milada Horáková and her EUROCLIO. About 160 participants from Delegates’ Hall in the beautiful Parliament building on the Danube colleagues. As the life stories of both Josef Bryks and Milada Horáková several continents attended the week-long as the conference venue. Platform representatives and Member are included in the Reader, these screenings were an ideal opportunity event with various visits, presentations and organisations were invited to give presentations in Budapest. We to present the publication to an interested and engaged audience. discussions. Thanks to liaising work by Johann even addressed the office of the President of Hungary, inviting Grünbauer from the Netherlands, the new Mr János Áder to open the event. Agnieszka from the Platform’s EUROCLIO Director, Mr Jonathan Even-Zohar Brussels office took care of the registrations. offered us a slot in the programme to present the Reader – an evening called “Political cafe” on 23 April 2015. Neela Winkelmann presented the pdf version of the Reader on PREPARING THE AWARD OF THE PRIZE screen to about 30-40 history educators from OF THE PLATFORM 2015 ON 6 MAY 2015 Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East. There was a lively discussion about the book, In cooperation with the office of Mr Zsolt Németh, Chairman of which was well received by the teachers the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament, we including representatives from Greece, Spain, found a nice location close to the Parliament in Budapest to present Denmark, Iceland and India. The approx. 40 the Prize of the Platform 2015 to the Navalny brothers – the Duna free copies of the Reader disappeared quickly. Palota hall near the embankment. The prize-giving ceremony would There is no similar publication on the market. take place after the closing of the conference in the Parliament. We There was even a suggestion to translate the got in touch with Mr Alexei Navalny. Unfortunately he cannot travel book into Icelandic! because of charges pending against him, so we asked for a person P.S.: Currently, a fifth language version of who could accept the Prize on the brothers’ behalf. Mr Mikolaj the Reader is underway – the Institute of Ostaszewski, the talented Polish artist and sculptor, cast another Gillian Purves presents the reader “Lest We Forget. National Remembrance is preparing the Polish edition of the bronze Prize statuette for us. Memory of Totalitarianism in Europe” at the Czech Center in New York translation. 2 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu

Platform DO NOT MISS: PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT PROJECT “INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE FOR COMMUNIST CRIMES“ AND DOCUMENTARY N ews FILM IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT IN BRUSSELS ON 27 MAY 2015, ACCOMPANIED BY THE INSTALLATION OF A WORK OF ART IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARLIAMENT!

Wednesday 27 May 2015 should be a big day for the Applications for funding Platform. Together with the Reconciliation of European submitted Histories group in the European Parliament, we will be staging the final event of our year-long pilot project aimed at bringing us a big step closer to international application to the HERA (Humanities in justice for the Communist crimes. Between 3-6 p.m., the European Research Area) call with we will have a conference in room JAN6Q2 in the the title “Uses of the past”. Thanks to Parliament, which seats 217 people. Originally, we had publicised that we would be presenting at least six living the idea of and together with Simone perpetrators of international crimes of Communism who have never been taken to court for their deeds. After a year of research and documentation work and legal analysis and assessment by our International Legal Expert perception of the former Secret Police Team, we now know that we will be presenting a two- in Central and Eastern Europe after digit number of living perpetrators responsible the fall of the Communist regime. We for crimes against humanity, as an initial result representing the outline or backbone of the structure of perpetrators, which needs to be further researched in follow-up work. Our legal experts will hold presentations on the topic. The results are supported and documented by our new film with the working title “JUSTICE 2.0” a video clip of which will be screened in the last hour A screenshot from the Platform documentary currently in production. June 2015. We also sent a Letter of of the event. The Platform will be launching a call to the Miroslav Lehký and Ľubomír Morbacher. international community as the conclusion. As a very special surprise for the parliamentarians and the broad district Ixelles is also ready to give his consent. The sculpture will International Human Rights programme, public, we will also be unveiling a work of politically involved be presented in front of the entrance of the Parliament for art by the Czech artist group Pode Bal in front of the entrance of a week. We are hoping for the EU Commissioner for Education, asking for continuing funding of the the European Parliament – on the Esplanade Solidarność on 27 Culture, Youth and Sports Mr Tibor Navracsics to unveil it. As soon “International Justice for the Communist May 2015. Based on a letter initiated by Ms Sandra Kalniete, MEP, as we know the time, we will send out invitations. and signed by 35 MEPs from 14 EU Member States, the European Parliament has given its permission to install the sculpture. In If possible, please reserve the date and plan to come. We look fulfilment of a second precondition, the mayor of the Brussels forward to meeting you in Brussels on 27 May 2015! 3 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu ember M of the Month www.okupacijasmuzejs.lv

OCCUPATION MUSEUM ASSOCIATION OF LATVIA

The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia 1940–1991 The Museum of the is supported and managed by the Occupation Museum Occupation plays an Association of Latvia (OMB). OMB is a private non-profit essential role in restoring and charitable organisation. It strives to be independent from reinforcing historical awareness political influence so that the choice of materials exhibited and consciousness in Latvia. and problems investigated in the Museum is as objective During the occupation period as possible. (1940–1991) history was In February 1993, History Professor Paulis Lazda of the the handmaiden of alien University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire proposed to the Ministry totalitarian ideologies and of Culture of the Republic of Latvia the establishment of regimes. Their censorship had a museum dealing with the period 1940-1991, when Latvia removed or grossly distorted was an occupied country. In the spring of 1993, 11 persons historical events that the ruling founded the Occupation Museum Foundation (OMF) – now regimes wanted to erase Occupation Museum Association (OMB) – to establish, from human memory, such administer and finance the Museum of the Occupation of as the Hitler–Stalin pacts, the Latvia. As a private museum, the Museum of the Occupation Holocaust, mass deportations, is financially and thus politically independent. The support repressions and many others. of each donor is important to maintain the Museum as an The mission of the Museum of On 16 April 2015 the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, visited the Museum of Occupation independent institution. the Occupation is expressed during his state visit to Latvia. He was welcomed by the Museum’s Board Chairman Valters Nollendorfs in its motto: Remembering, and the Museum Director Gunārs Nāgels. The President was introduced to the temporary exhibition On 1 July 1993 the first exposition of the Museum was opened Commemorating, Reminding. and he signed the Museum’s guest book. in the building of the former Latvian Red Riflemen’s Museum. The exposition presented and explained the atrocities of Since 2005, the Museum has against the state and the people of Latvia from 1940 to 1991; the Soviet regime in Latvia 1940/41. In the following years been visited by more than 100,000 visitors annually, including to preserve historical memory of the Latvian people about the permanent exposition was augmented and expanded many statespersons as a part of the Latvian State Protocol. the occupation period; to include the entire occupation period. The Museum is to inform and educate the people of Latvia and other accredited by the state and is internationally recognized THE MUSEUM’S MISSION nations about the history and consequences of the occupation as an important memory site that objectively reflects recent to identify, research, elucidate and commemorate the period in order to strengthen the Latvian state and its place Latvian history. wrongdoings committed by the foreign occupation powers amongst the free and democratic nations of the world. 4 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu

N e w s from Members www.ipn.gov.pl …FROM THE INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE

TUNISIAN TRUTH AND DIGNITY COMMISSION IN THE IPN - , 13-17 APRIL 2015

Seeing the personal file of President Ben Ali, who was overthrown in 2011 and who in 1980-1984 was the Tunisian ambassador in Warsaw, stirred up the most excitement among the members of the Truth and Dignity Commission. The 15 members of the Commission, who reappraise crimes and villainy of the regime ruling in Tunisia for decades, is visiting Warsaw at the invitation of the Institute of National Remembrance. The experts from the Institute of National Remembrance worked on the so-called “Act on transitional justice”, which appointed the Commission. Also, through study visits in Poland the Tunisians had a chance to get acquainted with our experience. According to Sihem Bensedrine, the president of the Tunisian Commission: misappropriation of public funds, and election fraud. “Our aim is mainly to break the authoritarian system and facilitate the transition to the rule The Commission is intended to work for four years with the possibility of an extension for of law by showing the truth about the violations that have occurred in the past. This is to a year. Its power will be very broad. The Commission has unrestricted access to all documents take place by determining the liability of the state for these violations, bringing the individuals held both by public institutions and private individuals. This applies even to court records of behind the violations to justice, restoring rights and dignity to the victim, and promoting cases that are pending. It can also conduct a search. No immunity protects individuals called for remembrance and national reconciliation.” questioning by the Commission. The self-immolation of 26-year-old unemployed Mohamed Bouazizi on 17 December 2010 The Commission is directed by a woman, Sihem Bensedrine, which is unusual in a Muslim triggered a wave of protests that swept away the authoritarian regime of President Ben Ali country. Previously, Mrs. Bensedrine was an uncompromising journalist and human rights who had ruled for 23 years. The democratic change in Tunisia was the beginning of civil events activist. For that, she was repressed and imprisoned. Tunisia devotes a lot of attention to the throughout the Maghreb and the Middle East, commonly called the “Arab Spring”. Today, in role of women in public life. The Act on the Commission of Truth and Dignity states clearly that the region, Tunisia is the leader in building democratic institutions of the state of law. It also at least 1/3 of it must be women. attempts to account for its own past and build a civic society. In Warsaw, members of the Commission met with Łukasz Kamiński, the president of IPN and The Tunisian Commission of Truth and Dignity is an important institution of the new system. got acquainted with the work of all divisions of the Institute. The programme of their visit also Its aim is to reveal the truth about human rights violations in the years 1955-2013. It collects includes meeting with representatives of the Chancellery of the President, the Office for War documents, conducts investigations into repression of the regime, creates a compensation Veterans and Victims of Oppression, prof. Andrzej Rzepliński, the president of the Constitutional programme for the victims, but also takes care of the “national remembrance” of the victims Court and lawyers involved in the protection of human rights of the Office of the Ombudsman, of repression. Interestingly, it also has the right to investigate cases of financial corruption, the Supreme Bar Council and the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. 5 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu

POLISH-HUNGARIAN AGREEMENT ON RESEARCH N e w s from AND HISTORICAL EDUCATION - BUDAPEST, Members 22 APRIL 2015

On Wednesday 22 April 2015 in the building of the Hungarian period of the Communist dictatorship. The Committee’s task is parliament in Budapest, Réka Földváryné Kiss, the head of the to collect and analyse data, generate reports on the structures of Hungarian Committee of National Remembrance (Nemzeti power and those in leadership of the Communist party and state Emlékezet Bizottságának – NEB) and Łukasz Kamiński, president of apparatus. In addition to research activities, the Committee will the Polish Institute of National Remembrance signed an agreement also have an educational role e.g. it will publish its findings on cooperation in the field of education, historical research on the Internet. and archival documentation. On the same day, at the National On the basis of gathered information the Committee has the right University of Public Service in Budapest both presidents gave to set off a criminal procedure in the Attorney General’s Office. a lecture to its students and faculty professors on the memory of It will cooperate with the department of the Prosecutor’s Office, totalitarianism in the twentieth century. which is responsible for prosecuting crimes of the past. Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Gergely Gulyás in his Independently of the Committee, there are the Historical Archives speech stressed the role of IPN as the most important authority and of the Hungarian State Security, which play a similar role as the source of knowledge about the history of Communism. IPN was IPN’s Office for Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Records. also praised by the president of NEB Réka Földváryné Kiss. She said Members of the Committee are appointed for a 9-year term. the Institute is the most important centre reappraising the period Three are chosen by the Parliament, one by the president of IPN appeals to Russians to submit of dictatorship in Central and Eastern Europe. the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and another one by the information about the leaders of the The agreement entails promoting joint projects, translating and Minister of Administration and Justice. NEB started its work issuing publications of both at the beginning of 2014. entities, exchanging experts Interestingly, there is an age IPN published the announcement in the and employees, organizing limit for the members of exhibitions, scientific the Committee – none of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” newspaper on 27 and educational projects them could be born before March 2015, marking the 70th anniversary of aimed at popularising 14 February 1972, which the abduction of the 16 leaders of the Polish the historical and cultural guarantees that at the time Underground State by the NKVD. heritage of both countries of reorganisation of the IPN is seeking information on the sixteen lead- and exchanging archival Communist security services, ers, especially those who did not survive the documentation. none of them was more than The Hungarian NEB 18 years old. Government Delegate at Home, Gen. Leopold is a scientific institution. The NEB delegation with its It is to create academic and president Reka Földváryné Kiss Okulicki, the last Commander of the Home research programmes for visited Warsaw in October a thorough examination last year, when the main the Government of the Republic of Poland. of the mechanisms and items of the agreement were Please send information to: [email protected] structures of power in the established. 6 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu

from N e w s …FROM THE UKRAINIAN Members INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE

www.memory.gov.ua

PARLIAMENT OF UKRAINE of the independence of Ukraine, the successor of the Ukrainian People’s Republic proclaimed in 1918. ADOPTED A PACKAGE OF LAWS Furthermore, the members of the Organization of ON DECOMMUNIZATION Ukrainian Nationalists, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and other organizations of the liberation movement were recognised as fighters for independence of Ukraine. On 9 April 2014 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted The bill No. 2539 “To commemorate the victory a package of laws on decommunization – banning propaganda over Nazism in the Second World War 1939-1945” of the Communist and Nazi regimes, the opening of the KGB consolidated the official use the worldwide term archives, honouring the fighters for freedom of Ukraine in the “Second World War 1939 -1941” instead of “Great 20th century, commemorating the victory over Nazism in the Patriotic War”, and introduces the Day of Remembrance Second World War. and Reconciliation – the 8th of May, with the aim of Experts of the Center for Research on the Liberation immortalization of the memory of all victims of the Movement, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, Second World War, to honour the memory of the fallen and the group of activists participating in the Reanimation and commemorate the victory over Nazism. The bill also Package of Reforms were involved in the drafting of the abolishes the use of Soviet symbols during celebrations. legislation. The bill No. 2558 “About the conviction of the The bill No. 2540 “About access to the archives of the Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) totalitarian repressive structures of the totalitarian Communist regimes and the prohibition of propaganda of their regime, years 1917-1991”: besides the opening of all archives symbols” includes not only responsibility for propaganda about the crimes of Communism and massive violations of of the Communist and Nazi regimes and public use human rights, the bill also establishes the duty of digitization of of their symbols, but the cleaning of country maps – documents. renaming of cities, streets, etc. that bear “Communist” For administration, declassification and providing access to the names, the demolition of monuments and symbols that archives a special branch of the State Archive will be created at praise the functionaries of the totalitarian regime. the Institute of National Memory, which will be independent of In addition, the law provides for the investigation of the political will of the security agencies. crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war The bill No. 2538 “About legal status and honouring the crimes committed by members of totalitarian regimes. memory of participants in the fight for independence It also establishes the Remembrance Day of victims of of Ukraine in the 20th century” recognises the fact of Communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes on 23 August, aggression, occupation and annexation of Ukraine by the Soviet when the Stalinist Soviet Union and Hitler’s Third Reich Union, and also the fact that in 1991 there was a restoration made a deal, which began the Second World War. 7 APRIL 2015 www.memoryandconscience.eu

THE MEMORY OF WAR N e w s from AS PUTIN‘S GEOPOLITICAL Members INSTRUMENT - CONFERENCE IN PARIS

On 16 April in Paris, experts talked about the Kremlin’s speculation with regard to the Second World War. What themes are sacralised by Russia and what themes does it maintain silence on? How is historical mythology used to justify the modern wars against neighbours? And how is the Great Patriotic War different from World War II? The conference “Using the theme of the Second World War in the Russian political discourse” was the setting where experts from France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic States debated features of the interpretation of history and its use for political purposes of the Kremlin. Soon Russia will loudly mark the 70th anniversary of the “Victory in the Great Patriotic War Stéphane Courtois; Photo credit: Yann Revol 1941 - 1945”. This myth is one of the main foundations of modern Russian identity. Russia strongly suppressed the fact that the flipside of the liberation of Europe from Nazism was the As though continuing the opinion of Alexander Podrabinek, Volodymyr Viatrovych noticed that imposition of Communist regimes in some countries, mass repressions and deportations. The the terminology of Soviet propaganda used during the Second World War was used again with contribution of the Allies to victory over Hitler is diminished, and there is a general attempt not regard to Ukraine: “The war with Ukraine is not an act of aggression against a neighbouring to remember the cooperation with the Third Reich in 1939 - 1941, the secret protocols of the state, but rather a struggle against the fascists who threaten Russia and the world. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, and war crimes of the Red Army during the war. Ukrainian military is called ‘karatieli’ (punitives) – this was what the soldiers in the German At the same time, Putin’s regime in every way prevents attempts at revision of the official Soviet- army were called. The tragic fire in Odessa on 2 May 2014 was called a ‘Hatyn’ – the name Russian vision of the Second World War, and the rhetoric of the “Great Patriotic War” for the of a Belorussian village burned by Nazis. These stereotypes are significant in the minds of the purpose of its geopolitical interests (the annexation of Crimea, the invasion of the Donbass inhabitants of the former Soviet Union, even after refutation through documents and studies”. region as a fight against the “fascist junta”). At the same time, Andriy Kohut pointed out the reasons for such Russian propaganda – Russia behaves as if Europe is indebted to her for the expulsion of the Nazi occupiers. But, profiteering on the theme of the Great Patriotic War: “The cult of the ‘Great War’ is used to as noted by Professor Stéphane Courtois (France), “the Soviet liberation of the countries of explain current events. The Great War is shown as a tool that is able to solve all social problems. Central Europe had nothing to do with freedom”. Moreover, Prof. Courtois is convinced that the Myth says that it is the Russians who won the last great war. Russians are the ones who historical policy of Putin can be called memorycide – as it is intended to destroy the true memory defeated fascism and those who defeated Nazism can not be bad or perpetrators.” of the past. The conference was organised by the European Forum of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute Ex-minister of culture of Latvia Sarmīte Ēlerte compared the annexation of Latvia in 1940 and of National Remembrance supported by La Règle du Jeu (Paris), International Renaissance Crimea in 2014; it was the same scenario, only with a difference of 74 years. Except that the Foundation (Kyiv), the Schumann Fund (Paris), the Embassy of Ukraine in France, the Committee occupation of Latvia took 2 months, while the special operation in the Crimea and the staging of the Ukrainian community in France, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Kyiv), the French Association for of the referendum – only 2 weeks. Ukrainian studies, Kyiv Club (Paris). The secret of the efficiency of Russian propaganda was aptly formulated by the Russian human A video of the conference can be found here (working languages - French and English): rights activist Alexander Podrabinek, who pointed out that you need far less time to create http://crcuf.fr/evenement/conference-internationale-16042015 a fraud than to refute it. And only a few people will see the refutation, while fraud can be seen Photos at the link: http://laregledujeu.org/2015/04/17/20566/le-colloque-la-seconde-guerre- by thousands. mondiale-dans-le-discours-politique-russe-en-images/ 8 Members’ APRIL 2015 Newsletter www.memoryandconscience.eu Platform 2015

ews The International Conference N and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania.

The seminar “Education about : methodology and implementation possibilities” will be held in Vilnius. A follow-up seminar for 25 graduates teachers and educators who participated

A concert

prisoners, students of Vilnius schools, residents and city visitors. The event will be organised by the Vilnius Association of Political Prisoners and Exiles together with the Secretariat of the International Commission and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania.

European Parliament, Brussels. Presentation of the results of the Platform project “International Justice cases of international crimes of Communism for which perpetrators are still alive, as well as witnesses

lecture The lecture will take place in the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia

www.memoryandconscience.eu 9 2015 www.memoryandconscience.eu APRIL APRIL Calendar – will be presented – will be presented of the Day of Mourning and Hope and of the Day of Mourning and Hope and 10 report for the EU Commission report for the EU – Stalag VIII A – forget or suppress? organised by organised suppress? VIII A – forget or – Stalag workshop

The opening of the Centre of Lithuania, Research Victims of the Genocide and Resistance Lithuania. of the Republic of in the Parliament will investigate the history of the Stalag VIII A, of the POWs and the culture history of the Stalag VIII A, of the the will investigate present their own and the future. They will organise, develop of remembrance and [email protected] of Communist regarding the current situation research Memorial has done in 11 countries. of compensation The result – a 600-page , Germany. 10117 The opening of the Centre of Lithuania, Research Victims of the Genocide and Resistance Lithuania. Museum in Kaunas, in the Vytautas the Great War The the Day of Occupation and Genocide. among Centre of Lithuania will participate The Genocide and Resistance Research Ministry of National Defence, Government, Lithuanian Parliament, History pupils and seniors German and Polish e.V. MESSIAEN MUSIC the MEETINGPOINT

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