International Human Rights Movement
The World Without Nazism
info AT worldwithoutnazism.org, www.stopnazism.net, tel: +33(0)3 55675605,
Address: 18 avenue de la Marseillaise, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
Appeal
On behalf of our non-governmental organization, I would like to appeal to all who share the ideals of a harmonious world and who cares about the future of their children. To all people regardless of religion, ethnicity or nationality, race, age and sex. To all who consider unacceptable the idea of racism, fascism and xenophobia.
On May 9, 2010 Russia, along with the countries of the former Soviet Union and the member countries of the anti-Hitler coalition celebrated the 65th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War. On June 22, 2010 at an international conference in Kiev our organization, "World without Nazism", was formed, and today it includes more than 140 organizations from 30 countries worldwide.
Why was our organization established? It was created as a response to the rise of neo-Nazism and right-wing radicalism, which we are witnessing around the world in recent years. We see the geographical expansion of the inter-ethnic and religious conflicts, as well as growth in numbers and scope of activities of the radical groups. The positions of the radical right, using the aggravation of social contradictions in the world economic crisis and ideological vacuum created by the collapse of the communist system, grow stronger every year.
It is irrelevant what clothes does the right wing radicalism uses – the garb of religious extremist fundamentalism, secular ultra-nationalism or ultra-violent revanchism that aims to review the outcome of the World War II. Some carry out bombings in major cities around the world, while others organize riots with xenophobic and Nazi slogans. Still others deny the crimes of the Nazis in the WWII, deny the Holocaust and announce that the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg “was the biggest legal farce in history”. And still others pursue a policy of forced assimilation of the national minorities. All of these are the different forms of the same phenomenon – the radical right.
At a recent meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in Vilnius, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that "it is impossible to ignore the extremist groups, neo-Nazi efforts, not to mention trying to glorify the Nazis and their accomplices, who have been recognized at the Nuremberg Trial as criminals." In this regard, the Russian Foreign Minister urged the participants to respond to the offer made by our branch, "Lithuania without Nazism" during a meeting to discuss issues related to the resurgence of nationalism and Nazism in Europe. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister Adronisa Ažubalis’ backlash on this quite obvious propostion was surprising considering that the recent events in Norway, Germany and Italy confirm the relevance of the raised issues.
A. Ažubalis attacked our Lithuanian colleagues, the anti-fascists, accusing them of bias. I would like to say in this connection that "Lithuania without Nazism" would not have been formed, if it was not for objective reasons present in the Republic of Lithuania itself. It is in this country that the Neo-Nazism is intensifying, and at the annual so called “National March” on March 11th the air is filled with radical slogans such as "Lithuania for Lithuanians", "Lithuania without Roma" and anti-Semitic rhethorics. None of the activists of right-wing organizations of Lithuania has been brought to justice. And at the same time, the leader of the anti-fascist movement Algirdas Paleckis is being prosecuted for questioning the official interpretation of history saying that he believes that on January 13, 1991, during the famous Vilnius events, “our own shot at our own”. This alone is cause for concern. We consider this position of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regard to the Lithuanian anti-fascists and Algirdas Paleckis unacceptable. It indulges neo-Nazis in the EU member state.
We need a common understanding of the events of 1933-1945. Therefore, "World without Nazism" proposes to issue a single textbook of the history of the Second World War, which would be required to study at schools of all countries - members of the Council of Europe. More recently, in December 2011 we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi troops near Moscow. In those cold days in 1941 the myth of the invincibility of the Nazi war machine was dispelled, which led to its final defeat on May 9, 1945. This day will forever remain in our hearts as a sign of unparalleled courage and heroism of our fathers and grandfathers.
This war has brought together the states and nations of different socio-political structures, whose leaders have rejected political prejudices in the face of the Nazi threat. Despite the fact in the World War II more than 50 million people were killed on all continents, neo-Nazis in some European countries today want to forget the heroism of the fighters against fascism and rewrite history. They confuse the issue, calling the liberation - "occupation" and the murderers and executioners - "freedom fighters". They question the Holocaust terrible numbers, all documented by international experts, and whitewash their collaborators. They dupe our youth.
How can we fight it? Only through our unity and continued efforts to combat followers of ideas of racial and national superiority. This work can be successful if we employ the full potential of European human rights, anti-fascist organizations, and especially the media. People need to know the truth. And we are convinced that this work brings results. The Nazi threat is growing in the world again, which is apparent not only in crisis, but also in wealthier countries.
Today the civilized world suffers from spiritual crisis, which is being retouched by the ideological surrogates and primitive ideas. This can lead to a repetition of the 1933-1945 disaster years. Therefor, I urge the citizens and public organizations of the world to unite. I am confident that we are many, and together we will be able to resist neo-Nazis of all stripes and preserve the peace for our children and grandchildren.
Sincerely,
Chairman of the international human rights organization World without Nazism
Boris Spiegel
