By
Adrian Chan-Wyles and New Worker correspondent
YOUNG
Russians last Friday were queuing to have their photos taken waving the
hammer-and-sickle flag in a south London park and claiming that the Soviet
Union was not dead after an emotional Victory Day ceremony.
The
inscription at the Soviet War Memorial in the grounds of the Imperial War
Museum, London reads:
“This
memorial commemorates the 27 million Soviet citizens
and service men and women
who died for the Allied Victory in WWII.
WE
SHALL REMEMBER THEM”
And
last Friday around 300 assorted veterans, representatives of the embassies of
the former Soviet republics, civic dignitaries, communists, members of London’s
Russian community and many others assembled at the memorial to do just that –
remember and honour the Soviet heroes who delivered the world from the horrors
of Nazism at very great cost.
The
9th May 2014, marks the 69th year since the forces of fascism represented by
Nazi Germany and her allies, unconditionally surrendered to the Soviet Red Army
in Berlin, bringing the war in Europe to an end.
A
delegation from the Buddhist-Marxism Alliance (UK) attended the ceremony this
year along with members of the New Communist Party who have attended the event
every year since the memorial was unveiled exactly 15 years ago.
There
were speeches from local Mayor Cllr Abdul Mohamed, Philip Matthews, Chair,
Soviet Memorial Trust Fund and Alexander Kramarenko, Chargé d’Affaires of the
Russian embassy, who wore a hammer-and-sickle badge in his khaki cap. He made a
very poignant, measures speech stating that as long as Russia exists, the
Soviet sacrifice will never be forgotten.
He spoke at length about the importance of the defeat of fascism in
1945, and how it is important to remain forever watchful in the present time
and to combat the narrow nationalism that leads to fascism.
Recent
events in Ukraine, especially the massacre in Odessa, were in the thoughts of
everyone present and the speakers referred to the dangers of Nazi ideology
arising again.
Local
Liberal-Democrat MP Simon Hughes, who is the Minister of State for Justice and
Civil Liberties, struck the only discordant note of the ceremony. He began by
saying he had visited Kiev many times recently, on behalf of the British
government. He went on to speak of the European Union as a creation intended to
bring peace to Europe and hoped that one day Russia would be brought into the
fold – expressing the imperialist ambitions and intentions of the EU and the
United States.
He
then, without a shade of shame at his hypocrisy, called for outsiders to
refrain from interference in the affairs of Ukraine.
Then followed the traditional wreath laying
began. Three Soviet war veterans received loud applause, as did the veterans of
the Arctic Convoys, who were present as usual in force.
Other veteran groups, who were also applauded,
included the RAF Russian Association, International Brigade Memorial Trust,
Burma Star Association, London Merchant Navy Association, Normandy Veterans
Association, London & Greater London Merchant Navy Association, Association
of Jewish Ex-Servicemen & Women, Royal Air Forces Association, and National
Service (RAF) Association.
The
Moscow Second Guards Rifle Division re-enactment group were there as usual in
their authentic uniforms.
Members
of communist organisations were also applauded as they laid their flowers,
including New Communist Party general secretary Andy Brooks.
After
the wreath laying Aksinia Elovik, a teenage pupil of the Russian Embassy, sang
a solemn and beautiful requiem unaccompanied, the Last post was played and
Stanley Ballard of the Arctic Convoy Club gave the exhortation followed by two
minutes silence and then reveille.
Alexander
Kramarenko then invited everyone to drink a toast to the victory, with Vodka,
wine and food laid on by the Russian embassy and the embassies of other former
Soviet republics.
Ukraine
was missing this year; their embassy laid its wreath the day before to avoid
controversy – but showing that even the current fascist junta in Kiev cannot
totally suppress the popular demand to mark Victory Day.
Then
the informal part began, with London’s Russians singing and socialising.
Someone set up an amplifier near the memorial and began to blast the old Soviet
national anthem and brandished a hammer-and-sickle flag.
The
effect was electric, people drifted from the food and drink marquees to line up
to have their pictures taken waving aloft the old red flag and striking poses
from old Soviet posters. Another Red Navy hammer and sickle flag appeared and
the Second Guards Rifle Division unfurled their hammer-and-sickle banner again.
The
music went on to play old Red Army favourites. Perhaps the vodka had something
to do with it but things became very emotional and there were tears in many
eyes and an outbreak of dancing when [Kalinka] was played. It was heart-warming
to see the number of young Russians, alongside the veterans, taking up the
flag.
It
seems perhaps, like Joe Hill, the Soviet Union never really died.
