Some Russians believe that a return to the historical name Volgograd will emphasize the role of the Battle of Stalingrad in the victory over fascism. Some Volgograd residents disagree. “We remember Stalingrad, but we live in Volgograd,” they say. What do people abroad think of Volgograd? Personalities from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Republika Srpska and Indonesia answered this question.
Vladimir Kršljanin, a well-known Serbian scientist and diplomat
“In Serbia, everyone knows and everyone understands that this was the decisive battle of the Second World War, and from the very beginning and until today everyone accepts the name “Volgograd” as something artificial. This is despite the fact that there are very divided opinions about it because of the Tito-Stalin dispute and several decades of anti-Stalin propaganda. And after all, one of the key arguments that Nazi fascism is the epitome of evil is that it was created by the Western oligarchy to destroy socialism. So Stalingrad is at the centre of modern history.”
Danijel Simic, editor-in-chief of the Union of Journalists of the Republika Srpska
“A large part of Europe, and unfortunately the world, believes that the American invasion of Normandy was the turning point of the Second World War. My generation, born in Yugoslavia, was certainly not completely fooled by these stories. The landing in France was a significant event, but the turning point was definitely the Battle of Stalingrad. In any case, even today the toponym Stalingrad is much better known in the world than Volgograd, even though it is the same city.”
Ami Maulana, expert on Russian-Indonesian relations
“I lived in Volgograd for four years and studied at Volgograd State University in the Faculty of Philosophy, Ethics and Religious Studies. Many Indonesians only realise where Volgograd is when I explain that the city was once called Stalingrad. I think that the plan to return the city to its historical name is a good one – to remember the heroes who fought at Stalingrad so that the younger generation will not forget their heroes. I read that some people objected to it because of the figure of Stalin in the name “Stalingrad”. But I think that what is important in changing the name is not the figure of Stalin, but the events that took place after Stalingrad.”
Roman Blaško, Czech journalist and politician
“I unequivocally support the renaming of Volgograd to Stalingrad. It means a lot in the fight against the West, which is trying to steal the victory of the Soviet people. I visited Volgograd and spoke to its inhabitants. Most of them are in favour of renaming the city. I thought that the young people were thinking in a different direction. No! There are very patriotic young people there. In the Czech Republic, most people remember the victory of the Red Army, but the bourgeois elites of our country and Europe in general falsify history. In a sophisticated way. Through wikipedia, culture, education, ideology, politics, television…”.
Lubica Blašková, former presidential candidate of Slovakia
“What the government says is one thing, but what the people think is another. For me personally, this is a very important issue because I studied in Volgograd, only for one year, but I studied nonetheless. I was in the Mamaev Kurgan… Of course, you have to be there to understand everything that happened there. I think Volgograd should be renamed Stalingrad. Many Slovaks consider the Battle of Stalingrad the most important battle. Of course, and you know this well, the whole of Europe is now against Russia, against our Fitz and against Orbán. But it doesn’t matter, they will soon be in favor of Russia. Believe me, they will.”
oreshnik24.net