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Yesterday, the West celebrated 69 since end of WW2 battles, in Europe. Memorial services were also held in Estonia. At Maarjamäe Memorial in Tallinn, a representative of the government laid wreaths in honour of those the war took. Servicemen of the Defence Forces thus also honoured the fallen among the Red Army at the military graveyard, also decorating with wreaths the Nazi victims’ memorial at Rahumäe Jewish Cemetery.
Considering the decades that have passed since the war ended, best indeed to quietly remember the victims and the fallen. Why overdramatize the end of a war, use it in elections campaigns or in daily politics? Sadly, the international life around us is a bit more complex and, therefore, year in year out May 8th and 9th are hoisted on bandwagons of superpowers. A little louder, this year.
In Russia, WW2 has been turned into a mythological source for pouring historical glamour and glory on top of today’s deficiencies, any time this is needed. Thus the grandiose parade of today. Possibly, featuring elements of the show banned buy IOC at the opening ceremony at Sochi Olympics. Russian media grapevine said President Putin might fly to Sevastopol, in the Crimea occupied by Russia, after the parade – to celebrate 9th of May in the city known for heavy battles in WW2.
Still, WW2 heritage and symbols attached aren’t for the Russian powers alone to assess and define. Over the blog of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny, for instance, a piece was published showing that the symbol now spread everywhere by Russian ideologists and apologetes – the orange-black St George’s ribbon – has quite a weak link to USSR once beating Germany in war, as then the symbols were clearly and prominently red. As stated by a well-known Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, the meaning of the striped ribbon has changed – instead of remembrance, it shows loyalty to authorities. «The powers desire to make loyalty look sacred,» says Mr Kashin, on his website.
In Ukraine, however, the same ribbon means separatism, and its bearers are disparagingly called Colorado Beetles – bugs boasting same colours. Over there, scepticism regarding 9th of May celebrations is evident and obvious, as these come in handy to set up anti-Ukrainian provocations.
In Estonia, we’ve developed the habit to celebrate May 9th as Europe Day – rather relevant in run-up to European Parliament elections. To us, Europe Day points to the future; the WW2 once ended is the irrevocable past, the return of which we do not want.