I needed a Nazi

A German historian studying the partisan movement in the Bryansk region, in Russia was declared an extremist

The works of the military historian Sebastian Stopper were in the Russian federal list of extremist materials.

Sebastian Stopper studies the partisan movement in the Bryansk region. He managed to find in the German archives and transfer to Russia the diary of the famous Bryansk underground and partisan Vali Safronova , materials about the execution in Hatsuni , the papers of the partisan commander Alexander Vinogradov .

The simple -minded shamelessness with which a deliberately unlawful decision has been made is stunned. Articles of the Professional historian undertook to evaluate the Bryansk laboratory of forensic examination of the Ministry of Justice

Based on his research in 2012, he defended his thesis in Berlin. With Sebastian Shtopper, the first channel of Russian television made an interview, he was accepted by the Bryansk governor, the article “Spark” published an article about him . However, last year everything has changed. Articles began to appear on the Internet in which Shtopper called a “historian playing Peple and Bones” and “ Bureaucrats on Blood ”, and then the court in Bryansk decided that in his blogs, Stopper justifies the actions of German invaders and belittles the significance of partisan military operations in the Bryansk region . According to the conclusion of the court, “this can contribute to the formation of a negative attitude among readers in relation to social ideals and spiritual values (the heroism of the ancestors, respect for veterans of the partisan movement and their military merits), existing in modern society, the history of the Great Patriotic War as a whole and partisan movement in the Bryansk region in particular, negatively enliven public and individual consciousness, The worldview, on the process of forming sociocultural identity among young people and on its maintenance by the older generation. " On November 5, 2013, the Soviet District Court of Bryansk admitted that Stopper's notes have an extremist orientation. In April 2014, they were included in the federal list of extremist materials.

The Human Rights of the Owls studied the notes of Stopper and came to the following conclusions: the “signs ” of the justification of the aggressive, violent actions of the German troops ” could not be found in the texts. We did not see the importance of partisan military operations in the Bryansk region and the negative assessment of their actions. We also notice that not only the recordings in the“ Living Journal ”are recognized as extremist’s decision” Shtopper, but also a few comments on them - quite innocent content.

Sebastian Shtopper answered questions from Radio Liberty.

- You have become interested in the partisan movement in the Bryansk region and what conclusions did you draw in your dissertation?

This is another step in forming the image of the enemy - you need a native "Hitler", there are no longer enough "traitors"

- When I read books about the time of occupation, the results of the previous studies disappointed me: there are too few specific results, too few numbers, for my taste. I found German archival documents and realized that you can write much more, although, of course, this takes time. I came to the conclusion that the previous ideas about the German occupation of the Bryansk region were inaccurate and one -sided. The most amazing thing is that among the Germans there was a desire to handle the population well - and no one writes anything about it. Please understand me correctly: National Socialism demanded the destruction of all Russians, the political elites in Berlin tried to enslave them and exploit them. This inhumanity and unceremoniousness is obvious in the Bryansk region during the occupation. But there were also other performances among German officers. Not every German was a fascist. From German and Soviet documents, I learned a lot of details about the Bryansk partisans. In my opinion, Soviet historians ignored compromising facts, so it is now important to write about it. In addition, the numbers prove that the resistance of the partisans and the damage caused by the German army were much less than approved so far. I think this is the most important conclusion of the dissertation.

- What kind of incriminating facts do you mean ?

- Soviet historians always said that then there was a popular struggle against the invaders, but I did not find this in the documents. It is in the Bryansk region that we know the example of the Kaminsky and the so -called Lokot Republic , it already follows that there was no popular struggle.

- You also found evidence that the partisans attributed to themselves the murder of General A Bornemanne. In fact, he died in 1979 in Vienna ...

- This is also a typical example. There was a detachment who claimed that he had killed this general, but in fact he was attacked, several German soldiers were killed, but the general himself survived.

- In Russia, your research reacted at first favorably, there was even a plot on the first channel, and now you were unexpectedly declared an extremist. What do you connect this? Is this state policy or dissatisfaction of one of the historians who are engaged in the same topic?

- Yes, this, of course, is a strange move. Naturally, there are several people in Russia who do not like the results of my work. When I find the disappeared diary, they applaud, but if the same study gives results that do not coincide with the previous ideas, then these people are angry. They do not work in a scientific one, they know that the current political line of Russia supports this behavior, the conservation of an outdated picture of history. I don’t only understand why they clung to me when I actually had not published anything in Russia. There are many books on the market on this topic. For example, in the book of Alexander Gogun “ Stalinsky Commandos ”is much more than documents discrediting Soviet partisans. In principle, nothing came out for me. The fact that they are now attacking me is amazing.

- I heard that your opponents use the manuscript that has not been published. This is true? And how did she get to them?

- Yes, this is also an interesting detail. Many people participate in the translation of my texts, Germans and Russians. Probably one of these assistants distributed this material. But this cannot be prevented. Thus, several chapters from my book, which I must publish in the fall in Bryansk, spread. But this is not a problem for me, I do not hide anything. Everyone can read what I am writing. If I am mistaken, you can fix me easily. But please, with arguments on the basis of sources, and not unfounded statements.

- You said that the state supports the distortion of the picture of the Second World War. Your view is interesting on how the war in the works of modern Russian historians understands .

- In my opinion, there are a lot of good books about the war in Russia. But professional historiography and emotions are often mixed. I understand this well, but I don't like the instrumentalization of events. In my opinion, the purpose of the patriotic education of the reader is erroneous, the goal of historical work cannot be nationalist or militaristic, it should be called for humanism and pacifism. Anyone who reads the book about the war must understand that this should not be repeated. This should be the main conclusion for the reader. I do not like the patriotic line, I do not support it.

- What do you think about the new law that introduces criminal liability for the rehabilitation of Nazism?

Putin considers Ukraine as part of the so -called “Russian world”, which he invented

- This is an unnecessary law. Racism and humiliation of human dignity are so punishable, and former laws are enough to punish such crimes. Probably, the new law will serve another goal - to suppress professional historical discussions. As I understand it, it is no longer allowed to deny the facts established in the verdict of the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal. This, of course, is a wide scale. I investigated one of the crimes that the Soviet prosecutors represented in this process was the use of the blood of Soviet children for the needs of the Wehrmacht. This is a difficult topic. The results of the study, in my opinion, are very interesting, amazing, offer a lot of material for discussions. I will write and publish this article in Russian, but I'm afraid that they will then accuse me again. Let's see what will happen.

- In s, you are a blog in Russian and are interested not only in the history of war, but also by modernity. The other day they participated in Berlin in the protest against the annexation of Crimea. What do you think about what is happening now in Russian-Ukrainian relations?

- Yes, this is now a very sad theme. I believe that the accession of Crimea was illegal. Russia guaranteed in 1994 that the peninsula remains part of Ukraine, and now forcibly violated the contract. In fact, Crimea is now part of the Russian Federation, but not a single state of the world recognizes this annexation, and the referendum was a funny show. Russia's attack on Crimea and riots in the east of Ukraine are, in my opinion, shares of Moscow to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. Putin does not want to allow the new Ukrainian government (who has many shortcomings, of course) to turn to the west. Putin considers Ukraine as part of the so -called “Russian world”, which he invented. He believes that he can intervene everywhere where the Russians live, if it serves his interests. This understanding of politics is very obsolete, in my opinion. Putin was afraid that the sphere of influence of Russia would be reduced, and now he is trying to get a little more political capital by all means. In domestic politics, the annexation of Crimea brings him, of course, great advantages, but he sacrificed the sake of this international reputation of Russia, relations with the so -called fraternal people, as well as the fragile stability of the Russian economy. Let's see what will happen to Russia further, what sanctions will still be. I don’t know what plans US and Europe have.

- Maybe you saw the last issue of the magazine "Spiegel", which came out with a question on the cover: "War in Europe?" What feeling you have a military historian - the war is inevitable now or the West (Germany, in particular ) to prevent it ?

- I don't think the war will be. Russia cannot take risks, enter the western border in the fight against the enemy, which is supported by Europe and the USA. Such a war would mean the total isolation of Russia, and the country's economy would be in ruins a few years later. Germany, who has good relations with Russia, tried to give Putin the opportunity to calm down and solve the provoked conflict through negotiations. All official and unofficial channels, as we see, remain open to Russia. But I'm afraid that the Russian government is not ready to end the Ukrainian adventure.

The historian Alexander Gogun reflects on the persecution of Sebastian Stopper. After the Ukrainian revolution, his monograph "between Hitler and Stalin. Ukrainian rebels" began to withdraw from Russian stores :

"Probably, Sebastian’s shelter is first on the Internet, and then in court - one of the stages of planned twisting of the nuts.

They began to publish an Akhinei about his national socialism at the very moment when angry letters began to come to the places of my professional affiliation, including from a person who browed his connection with a well-known structure. They cursed that I allegedly slandered the enkawadeshnik, who during the war first served in the police, and then ran to the partisans and headed the connection to them. Khrushchev. The lawsuit was threatened, they did not start the process. By the way, the name of this bloody Judah Ivan Khitrichenko is still called school No. 13 in Kyiv.

Then the “Decree” on the condemnation of the unpublished text of Stopper adopted the veteran association of Belarusian border guards, and in Soviet times they were part of the KGB.

Synchronously walked in absentia against Sebastian and its texts. They were included in the federal list of extremist materials on those days when my book about Bandera was quietly removed from sales.

He rackled his head why, under the legislative arbitrariness, first Seva hit, not me. Perhaps this is the next step in forming the image of the enemy - you need the indigenous "Hitler", there are no longer enough "traitors". In addition, his articles and the dissertation with the long -awaited truth about the partisans are devoted to the territory of the Russian Federation - Bryansk region, and my books are mainly about Ukraine, all the same by the neighboring country.

After such a promotion, unfortunately, Sebastian is unlikely to be able to publish his book in some large publishing house in Russia in the near future. Now the idea of the revival of Russian Tamizdat is becoming more attractive. "

Comment by Mark Solonin, author of books “June 22. Anatomy of the disaster ”,“ June 23: Day m “”, “Brain. The false story of the Great War”:

"To begin with, let's draw attention to the date of the court decision: on November 5, 2013 there was neither Maidan nor mass hysteria on the topic" Stolkronash ", nor the law of the deputy of the spring and other struggle against Bandera ... so that we have another" brick "to the old dispute about what is primary and what is secondary: the television is a secondary person zombie unfortunate illiterate people, or state Propaganda only reflects (and even in fairly soft forms) a popular dream of returning to the "scoop".

In fact, the case is stunned by the simple -minded shamelessness with which a deliberately unlawful decision is made. The articles of the professional historian undertook to evaluate the Bryansk laboratory of forensic examination of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. If I don’t confuse anything, specialists of a completely different profile sit in such laboratories: corpses, poisons, bullets, sleeves ... Next. We still have a constitution, which is the basic law. In accordance with this law, there is no and cannot be state-mandatory ideology in the Russian Federation. Accordingly, the emergence of such phrases in the indictment of such phrases as “can contribute to the formation of a negative attitude among readers in relation to social ideals and spiritual values ... to negatively influence social and individual consciousness, worldview” is already complete lawlessness. Such a rhetoric would have been suitable for accusation under Article 70 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR ("anti -Soviet agitation and propaganda"), but with this the comrades from the Bryansk court were clearly late (or, conversely, hurried).

Finally, the indictment and court decision is in absolute inconsistency with the letter of the notorious "anti -extremist law." Even in its formulations, blurry and allowing an expansion interpretation, “propaganda of extremist views” is understood to incite hatred and calls for violence. In this case, the insufficiently enthusiastic attitude to the version of the history of the Second World War, which was created in another (in relation to the Russian Federation) country and which was based on numerous lies, which the senior officials of our state, was not accused.