The year 2007 is the year of the dolourous anniversary of the Great Terror or the so-called Ezhovshchina (Ezhov era; translator’s note). The year 1937 – the symbol of repressions, of political prosecution in the USSR. Even nowadays, many are convinced that repressions were carried out in 1937 only (in actual fact, they were in progress in 1937 without interruption). Nikita Khrushchev did not find any trouble to raise the myth that the repressions were mainly concentrated against the elite (in actual fact, they were directed against the entire people).
THESE myths are very popular and utterly dangerous. For they, precisely, establish the basis for what we call today’s Stalinism. Stalin appears in the consciousness of the present-day native citizen as a very strict, but just dictator, who punished negligent civil servants. To which extent this opinion is spread among the population we can derive from the deplorable and upsetting fact that people have tried to realize the erection of Stalin’s monument three times during the past two years, and that such plans obviously meet with approval and response.
We would be very grateful to all mass media, if, on the occasion of this year’s “jubilee”, they would regularly publish material about the fate of people, who became victims of the Great Terror in 1937-1938 – preferably of ordinary people, just like you an me, and not of celebrities. We propose the Association of Journalists to arrange a competition for the best publication about the time of the Great Terror and present the results by the 30 October 2007.
We would like to disclose that a special column has been arranged on the www.memorial.krsk.ru website since February, where material about the Great Terror in the Krasnoyarsk territory appear every day: documents, memoirs, photos. In the column headlined “Opinions” we intend to publish ratings of Krasnoyarskians on the subject: “In the history of our country and according to the people’s memories the 1937 was the year of political mass repressions, the year of the Great Terror”. Today, 70 years later, people argue rather differently about the events of that time. It is of utmost importance to recall the key events of one’s history, try to understand and assess them.
We recommend to think about the following questions:
- How would you characterize the events which happened in the USSR in 1937-1938?
- Is it still important to understand the events of that time nowadays?
We would like to receive replies to these questions from well-known Krasnoyarskians: however, in some cases, it might be easier for professional journalists to fulfill this task. We would therefore appreciate your assistance to receive comments on the above two questions. For 2007 it might be useful to introduce a new column in Krasnoyarsk newspaper editions “:
“Krasnoyarskians about the year 37”, where their opinions and comments are published.
Aleksey Babiy
Chairman of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” organization of historical illumination
and education, human rights and charity.
Today’s Newspaper, 10.04.2007