The conference "Small Nazisms: From Extremist Ideology to Terrorist Practices" was held at the RIO House.
The event, organized under the auspices of the Russian Historical Society, was attended by historians, political scientists, and foreign diplomats. During the discussion, they addressed the history of the emergence and development of Nazi ideology in the modern world, as well as discussed ways to combat the promotion of hateful ideas and methods to counteract the falsification of history.
Ruslan Gagkuev, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Historical Society, delivered an opening speech. He reminded the audience that this was not the first time that such discussions aimed at the international community were held at the RIO House, and he also highlighted some of the reasons for the emergence of Nazi ideology: "The phenomenon of the return of the 'brown plague', which has infected many Eastern European countries in recent decades, is largely a sad and expected outcome of the short period of unipolarity. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some of the national elites in these countries, with the tacit support of the West, attempted to distance their countries from Russia. This was achieved, among other things, by actively supporting extremist movements and replacing a healthy and objective view of their past with historical revisionism. What does such a policy lead to? Let me give you an example from the Baltic states. It's no secret that regular neo-Nazi marches have become commonplace there, and monuments to Hitler's henchmen are being erected in place of the destroyed monuments to Soviet liberators." "As you know, the deliberate destruction of religion and culture is one of the hallmarks of Nazi ideology. This is exactly the policy pursued by the Kiev regime today, which first banned the use of the Russian language and is now massacring monuments on the territory of the Russian Federation. The project "Memory Under Fire," initiated by the Russian Historical Society with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, will document these crimes. I am confident that every cultural heritage site destroyed in the border region and every damaged church that we document will serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of glorifying Nazism," – added Gagkuev.
The participants in the discussion were also welcomed by Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. According to him, in a number of countries that have recently emerged as independent states on the map of Europe, many leaders are returning to Nazi practices in order to construct their national identities. "Countering the rehabilitation of Nazi ideology is not only a requirement of the times, but also a moral imperative that is enshrined in the decisions of the Nuremberg Tribunal, numerous resolutions of the UN General Assembly, and Russian legislation. Finally, it is our moral duty and obligation to honor the memory of our ancestors who fought against Nazism at the cost of millions of lives. That is why it is important to form a stable public immunity to xenophobia, nationalism, and attempts to justify terror for higher purposes. The academic community plays a key role in this process. It is the responsibility of historians to prevent the politicization of the past, to expose myths based on a selective approach to facts, and to promote public and international dialogue," - said Alexander Grushko.
The discussion was continued by the presentation of a special issue of the journal International Life, dedicated to the phenomenon of "small Nazism" in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, which was presented by Yevgeniya Pyadysheva, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the journal International Life. She noted that the publication introduces the term "small Nazism" into public and scientific discourse: "This collection includes a wide range of articles on this topic. They cover both scientific and theoretical aspects, as well as historical and factual information. To be honest, I have never seen a collection that offers materials on Nazism, modern state terrorism, and genocide in this way."