Our readers from the former USSR are probably interested to know what is happening in their homeland in connection with the 60th anniversary of the Victory. Now we are all very different - but maybe we are united by a festive mood?
UPDATE IN BELARUSIAN AND GEORGIAN
Last year, residents of Belarus restored almost half of the country's memorials. This year they plan to fix the same amount, bringing all 13 thousand places of military glory in order. In addition, three new monuments will be unveiled in the republic: border guards in Grodno, children in the Zhlobin district, and civilians in Nesvizh.
In Tbilisi, the reconstruction of the Victory Park, created 30 years ago, is timed to coincide with the holiday. By May 9, it is planned to create a new lighting system in the park, erect a wall with the names of Georgian natives - Heroes of the Soviet Union, and open a recreation pavilion for veterans. The updated Victory statue will have a guard of honor.
RUSSIAN HOLIDAY
Moscow authorities began to celebrate May 9 in January, inviting citizens to the Victory Tree. The Christmas tree was installed in the Hermitage Garden in memory of the first New Year's holiday in military Moscow in the winter of 1944-1945. The current guests were reminded of that time by war posters, military equipment, sounded bulletins of the Soviet Information Bureau, as well as songs by Claudia Shulzhenko and Leonid Utesov. Field kitchens treated the audience with army porridge.Now veterans are solemnly awarded medals dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Victory, and during the parade they plan to take them along Red Square in cars of military years.
BANDERVILLERS MAKE UP WITH RUSSIA
Kievans have different attitudes towards the Soviet army, but they know how to celebrate its victories no worse than Muscovites. When they celebrated the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Ukraine, local historians found that the Ukrainian Victory’s Banner over the Reichstag was hoisted by Ukrainian Alexei Beresta. After that, the Banner was delivered from Moscow and solemnly carried along Khreshchatyk.In May, Ukraine will enjoy new holidays: Easter, Europe Day, Kiev May Festival, Eurovision Song Contest 2005, as well as Kiev Day. In this regard, the capital will be decorated with 15 thousand begonia bushes - a gift from the Netherlands. In addition, the people of Kiev intend to widely celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Victory and hope for reconciliation in this regard of the veterans of the Soviet troops and the Ukrainian rebel army that fought with them.
AMERICA JOINED WITH EUROPE
In autumn, the UN adopted (at the initiative of Russia) a resolution proclaiming May 8 and 9 as "Days of Remembrance and Reconciliation." From now on, these days will be celebrated annually.Memory and reconciliation will be memorialized. Until May 9, the Moscow government is going to solemnly open a four-figure composition on Poklonnaya Hill. Warriors of the USSR, USA, Great Britain and France, shaded by the flags of their countries, will stand at the obelisk crowned with the UN emblem.
George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Gerhardt Schroeder, as well as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan united in their desire to participate in the Moscow celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Victory. They were joined even by the President of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga.
ESTONIANS reconciled the USSR with GERMANY
On May 8, a new monument is planned to be opened in Tallinn. This was announced by RIA Novosti Kuno Raude, chairman of the Tallinn Society of Freedom Fighters (it includes veterans of the 20th Estonian SS Division). According to him, the memorial complex will consist of flagpoles, crosses, plates with the names of Estonians who fought against the Soviet troops in 1944, and a cast-iron map of Estonia with dates and places of battles. All this will be placed near the memorial on the hill of Maaryamyagi dedicated to the fallen Soviet soldiers.As can be seen from our review, preparations for Victory Day in the post-Soviet space take a variety of forms. But it seems to us that in its content it is imbued with one common quality - the desire for harmony and reconciliation.
Ivan Sheiko-Little
