Now the central and east European correspondent of The Economist, I have 20-plus years experience reporting from and about the region. Articles from The Economist publications are copyright. But this site has no connection with The Economist Newspaper, which does not necessarily endorse anything posted here. There is also a weekly mailing of the same material: to receive it, send an e-mail to edwardlucas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Google Authors
You can see me talking and answering questions at Google HQ here
The comparison of Soviet Union and current Russia to the third reich is striking but also very true. I wonder if you've ever tried to present this point of view to a Russian. How do they react? I've once tried to explain Katyń to a Azerbaijani soviet-union-fan student at the LSE but he didn't believe me that it was true. In fact he said that he had learned at school that it was all done by Germans.
It is beyond any reason why would anyone, especially in political circles in Moscow would pursue Stalinist viewpoint on Katyń. As the Russian saying goes: "Rossiy umom ne poniyat." Along with the claims that Estonia did not exist and that Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was just another diplomatic pact, Putins ultra-nationalist revival has also shed the dark shadow on the Katyń massacre among other past Soviet crimes. You should not be surprised by the ex-Soviets, who were brainwashed constantly on everything, including Polish question. Surprising is that, after Yeltsins numerous attempts to finally acknowledge this tragedy of Katyń and accept it as the way it was (or even bare some responsibility), current Russian FSB run state apparatus has plummeted into Stalinist apologist policy. Why would a country in the 21 century peruse policy like that is hard to understand or comprehend.
Some Russians find this comparison very offensive and after the Google talk one of the audience asked me with great emotion not to use it again. So I package it a bit more carefully now But I still think it is a good thought-provoker
The comparison of Soviet Union and current Russia to the third reich is striking but also very true. I wonder if you've ever tried to present this point of view to a Russian. How do they react?
ReplyDeleteI've once tried to explain Katyń to a Azerbaijani soviet-union-fan student at the LSE but he didn't believe me that it was true. In fact he said that he had learned at school that it was all done by Germans.
Mr Ptaszek,
ReplyDeleteIt is beyond any reason why would anyone, especially in political circles in Moscow would pursue Stalinist viewpoint on Katyń. As the Russian saying goes: "Rossiy umom ne poniyat." Along with the claims that Estonia did not exist and that Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was just another diplomatic pact, Putins ultra-nationalist revival has also shed the dark shadow on the Katyń massacre among other past Soviet crimes. You should not be surprised by the ex-Soviets, who were brainwashed constantly on everything, including Polish question. Surprising is that, after Yeltsins numerous attempts to finally acknowledge this tragedy of Katyń and accept it as the way it was (or even bare some responsibility), current Russian FSB run state apparatus has plummeted into Stalinist apologist policy. Why would a country in the 21 century peruse policy like that is hard to understand or comprehend.
Dear Ptaszek
ReplyDeleteSome Russians find this comparison very offensive and after the Google talk one of the audience asked me with great emotion not to use it again. So I package it a bit more carefully now
But I still think it is a good thought-provoker
regards
Edward