Reconciliation or Capitulation? New Monument to Italian WWII Dead Enrages Soviet-Era Locals

"This is savagery and barbarity!" This is the comment of a Polish journalist on such photos. These are destroyed and broken graves. Under these tombstones lie Soviet soldiers who fought for Poland during the Second World War.

"This is savagery and barbarity!" This is the comment of a Polish journalist on such photos. These are destroyed and broken graves. Under these tombstones lie Soviet soldiers who fought for Poland during the Second World War. The cemetery itself is located in the southwest of the country. In total, more than 20 graves were desecrated. As usual in such cases, those responsible were not caught, but the police promised to find them. At least the investigation is underway. The municipal cemetery's administrators promised to bring the destroyed graves in order, but the locals didn't want to wait. After today's spontaneous clean-up, the traces of vandalism disappeared. However, the thugs are quite likely to return. Attacks on monuments to Soviet soldiers are becoming more frequent. Not only are they trying to rewrite history, but they're also trying to erase all traces of it. But if in Poland we are talking about those that fought for the country, then what about the enemies? The discussion took place in Russia, Voronezh Oblast.

There is a monument in Rossosh which is being called by the locals as the Tomb of the Unknown Fascist. It seems right since the monument is dedicated to the occupiers, the Alpini. It's all official.

Stanislav Bernvald investigated the case.

 

- Hello. How come the local authorities let it happen?

- In the early 2000s, the local authorities knew that they proposed to erect the monument and they even promoted it. Now we'll find out.

To the anthems of Russia and Italy, the national flags of both countries were hoisted. The Italian guests wore traditional hats; the same kind of hats that were the symbol of the Alpine Corps that fought in 1942 in support of the fascists. They had occupied the city back then. In addition to the traditional hats, the Italians held the standard of the division. The European fascists had the same standards back in 1942.

This was the way the top city officials and more than 500 foreign guests celebrated the anniversary of their so-called "Italian" kindergarten, which was built by the Alpines in the 90s at the place where the HQ of the fascist Italian allies was during World War II. The kindergarten is a symbol of reconciliation and penitence, the foreigners say. The head of the kindergarten enthusiastically said that it wasn't limited by the construction of the kindergarten.

“We've decided to build a small park of friendship. Our children have planted trees of friendship there. The Alpines will plant their trees of friendship. They're going to develop all of this. So, we will have our very beautiful little park of friendship.”

The kindergarten, the park of friendship, the monument is the finishing touch of the European ensemble in Rossosh. The townspeople didn't protest against putting up the monument that features the star and the Alpini symbol together. They didn't seem to oppose the idea. Senator Alexey Pushkov talked about it in his program the day before.

Alexey Pushkov: "A war cemetery is one thing, a gravestone is another thing, but it's a completely different thing to erect the symbols of those who fought against us".

Nikolay Savchenko, Rossosh Representative: "They didn't ask anyone in the region or in Moscow. He said they could put it in the town center. Because they had one condition — the kindergarten would be built at the place of the HQ where people were tortured and shot in the basement. They liked the park and decided to put up a monument glorifying them".

This is a joint, two-nation monument to the memory of their shared, harrowing history, the history of World War II, the creators of the monument say. Not long ago, by pure accident, the locals were surprised to find out that, during construction, the Italians conducted, under the monument, without any oversight, a military funeral for, you guessed it, the Unknown Alpini.

Nikolay Savchenko, Rossosh Representative: "They put up a tomb dedicated to unknown fascists in our town! Some veterans who fought at the Don are still alive! I don't know what kind of a country we are that allows such things!"

Mikhail Myagkov, Russian Military Historical Society: "Speaking of the Italian soldiers who were the Alpini, whose descendants march through the streets of the town of Rossosh today and put up monuments; it's an obvious attempt to rewrite the history of World War II. What's next? Let's erect a monument in the name of Hitler's soldiers while we're at it!"

The discontent of the locals is well-grounded. They weren't asked when it was decided to erect the monument. No one listened to their opinion. There is an opinion among historians; the monument is subject to an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Yuri Knutov, Military Historian: "As a matter of fact, this is extremism. For posting on social media, we arraign people on criminal charges. For putting up monuments to the fascists, occupiers, those who killed our soldiers and civilians, those who came to occupy our country, in this case, our law on extremism doesn't work for some reason".

The initiative group has sent another claim to the Investigative Committee asking it to verify the legality of the questionable monument dedicated to those who dared to set foot on this land as they murdered locals by the thousands. However, the extreme measure of vandalism or attempts to illegally dismantle the monument has yet to be seen by the locals.

- That was a lesson in history by Stanislav Bernvald.