On November 7, the Palace of Culture of Petrovsky district of Donetsk hosted an event dedicated to International Day against Fascism, Racism and Anti-Semitism, which was organized by the DPR Ministry of Information and the administration of Petrovsky District of the Republic’s capital.
According to a correspondent of the DPR official website, the event was attended by officials, veterans of the Great Patriotic War, former young prisoners of fascist concentration camps, the DPR army’s military, schoolchildren of Petrovsky District of Donetsk and members of the Young Guards — Yunarmiya Military Patriotic Movement.
Those present observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of all those who died and were tortured in concentration camps. The participants in the event watched a historical video called “Kristallnacht”, made by the DPR Ministry of Information, which tells about the events that happened on the night of November 9 to 10, 1938, when the Nazis committed an act of physical violence against Jews in Germany and Austria.
Deputy Minister of Information of the DPR Artyom Olkhin said that the manifestations of Nazism related to ethnic mop-ups must not be underestimated. “History has shown that the Nazism of the Great Patriotic War has continued its work, killing the civilian population at the hands of the local nationalists. Nowadays, when Ukraine constantly shells Donbass, we must preserve our ideology,” he stressed.
“The subject of fascism, racism and anti-Semitism has been a topical one at all times. And this event, which is organized by the DPR Ministry of Information and the administration of Petrovsky District of Donetsk, is relevant today, because our district is constantly attacked. We must live in peace and harmony and seek no destruction, but peace,” head of the administration of Petrovsky District Maksim Zhukovsky stated.
Chief of the Donetsk Republic faction in the People’s Council Valery Skorokhodov said that this day (November 9) people should remember as the day of the struggle against fascism, racism and anti-Semitism, always remember the price paid by the Soviet people.
“Many years have passed since then, but the fascists have not forgiven their defeat. In 2014, fascism revived in Ukraine. But we will not allow the new fascism. This is our Homeland. And we will save our values,” he said.
Creative teams from Petrovsky District’s Palace of Culture prepared themed performances.
Acting Rabbi of Donbass Ari Schwartz stressed that we must never forget the terrible events that occurred in the middle of the last century and which, unfortunately, are being revived in some countries of the world today.
“We have gathered in Petrovsky District so the residents can feel our support, because they are subjected to attacks every day. Remembering the Holocaust, remembering the Kristallnacht, we must not allow the recurrence,” Ari Schwartz emphasized.
During the event, Andrey Savchenko, a former young prisoner of the Düsseldorf concentration camp, told us what dangers fascism and its followers pose to us.
At the end of the event, they laid flowers at an improvised banner to the victims of fascism, racism and anti-Semitism, and Yunarmiya members lit icon lamps.