An honest conversation instead of hype

Liberating our historical memory from the captivity it is still being held in by old totalitarian myths and stereotypes is an absolutely ne­ces­sary (but insufficient) precon­dition for spiritual and civilizational liberation of Ukraine as a whole, its true Euro­pea­ni­zation (not a slavish one, but exercised with due sense of national pride!). When we mark the 70th anniversary of the Nazis’ expulsion from Ukraine on Oc­tober 28 (actually, it was the army of the Nazis’ Hungarian ally that was expelled from the last locality they held in Trans­carpathia on that day), we do not need the usual hype, which is the least concern for either the heroes who fell in the struggle against the occupiers, or the gray-haired veterans, whatever their political and military allegiance was at the time, as Ukrainians fought in various armed formations, ranging from various units of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army to the Red Army. No, what we really need is an honest con­ver­sa­tion only. Some aspects of it will be briefly discussed here.

The first one: some people, having a great influence in the nation’s politics, are taking great pains to spread among the Ukrainians, especially among young people, a very insidious disease known as “historic sclerosis,” saying that the events of even 10 years ago are too ancient to matter, and the World War II is much more so... Meanwhile, we ought to recall a highly interesting event that occurred exactly 10 years ago, namely on October 28, 2004. It was a solemn parade held in Khre­shcha­­tyk Street and dedicated to another anniversary (the 60th one then) of Ukraine’s liberation from the occupiers (the very concept of “liberation” was then accepted by the authorities without any doubt). We saw Leonid Kuchma, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Yanu­ko­vych, Dmitry Medvedev, and some other members of the post-Soviet “elite” sharing the grandstand then. It is now becoming increasingly clear, and it was barely concealed even then, that the only real goal of this event was to show people Putin and Yanukovych, then aspiring to the presidency, together on one grandstand. Highly cynically, it was not held to honor the memory of the fallen and thank the veterans at all. It is just one example of how the memory of the Great (Patriotic) War (yours truly takes issue with the formula “Soviet-German War” – it sounds as if Ukraine was not the location where the fate of Europe and the world was decided, as if Ukraine was in that war just a victim or a bystander!) was shamelessly exploited for resuscitating imperial, Stalinist myths. Let us remember this.

The second one: we are now at war (we will not take into account here the word “undeclared,” although it is very important!). One of the fundamental lessons to draw from it is that peace, sought and demanded by our society, is possible only through a victory over the enemy, just as it was then, 70 years ago. Period! It is an absolute truth, no matter what statements our government makes, along with influential European politicians, that “there is no military solution to this problem.” Short of our victory, the desired peace can only be achieved through a shameful capitulation, even if a disguised one. Can we agree to that?

Now, to the third aspect: Lesia Ukrainka prophetically said in her day that “he who has freed himself will be free indeed, while he who was liberated by others will fall under their yoke.” We all have a vital need to keep this formula in mind while remembering the battles fought 70 years ago – and thinking about the war, another Patriotic War, which Ukraine is waging now.