Those who do not have a past have no future. A people that does not know its past has no future
A beautiful phrase, isn't it? It’s biting, very touching and seems completely undeniable. What if you try to detach yourself from the beauty of what is written and analyze the meanings contained in it? It seemed to me that such an analysis of such a positive catchphrase would be useful to both me and the readers. 😊
Let's start with the origin of the quote. As usual, this catchphrase is attributed to everyone and everything: the ancient Greeks, Churchill, Lomonosov and a host of other famous people. But this is already alarming and hints at her manipulativeness.
I will not even consider all the options except Lomonosov in more depth and detail, limiting myself to just mentioning them. But it is simply necessary to stop on Lomonosov’s “trace”. Let's start from the facts mentioned.
The details of this story mirror the problems with so-called traditional historical “knowledge.” In the quote below, I have highlighted certain phrases.
As for the origin of this quote,specific documents signed by M.V. Lomonosov, containing exactly this phrase, unfortunately, has not survived.
And the background here is as follows. In 1749-1750, created by academicians G. Miller and I. Bayer. He publicly criticized Miller’s dissertation “On the Origin of the Russian Name and People,” and gave a scathing description of Bayer’s works on Russian history.
From that time on, studying Russian history became as necessary for Lomonosov as studying the natural sciences. In correspondence with I.I. Shuvalov (curator of Moscow University)he mentioned his works “Description of impostors and Streltsy riots”, “On the state of Russia during the reign of the sovereign Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich”, “A short description of the affairs of the sovereign”, “Notes on the works of the monarch”, but his most famous work was “Ancient Russian history from the beginning of the Russian people to the death of the Grand Duke Yaroslav the First or before 1054, composed by Mikhail Lomonosov, state councilor, professor of chemistry and member of the St. Petersburg Imperial and Royal Swedish Academies of Sciences" (full title).
However, neither the mentioned works nor other numerous documents , which Lomonosov intended to publish in the form of notes, neither preparatory materials, nor manuscripts of the 2nd and 3rd parts of volume I of “Ancient Russian History”it didn't reach us. They were confiscated after the death of the great scientist in 1765and disappeared without a trace .
I will add to what the author wrote that the disassembly of the documents remaining from Lomonosov, the correction and preparation for publication of his works were carried out precisely by his scientific opponents, whose historical hypotheses the first Russian academician criticized mercilessly... Involuntarily and in accordance with Occam’s razor to mind This suggests the simplest version of the disappearance of these historical works of his. If you do not produce essences beyond necessity, then Lomonosov’s works were lost, because they contradicted the historical doctrine, which at that time was formed for our country by the new Russian Academy, which then consisted entirely of various “Germans” who arrived in Russia. This is how all Europeans used to be called for “muteness” or ignorance of our language. And all sorts of dubious personalities flocked to Russia, either to raise the level of Russian science, or for a long ruble and together with the tsar’s wives and administrators.
It seems to me that for them the doctrine of calling the Varangians to “incapable” of independent government, “poor” Rus', was quite natural. This historical hypothesis of the formation of our Fatherland with external help is still in honor to this day... Whether it’s the inhabitants of the Italian peninsula or the German small “principalities”: they gathered into a single Italy and Germany only in the 19th century. Why don't they teach us how to govern the state? 😊
I wonder why no one is surprised by the complete “German” composition of the Russian Academy? Involuntarily, the assumption arises that such a situation could be caused by the “occupation”... Well, like in modern Ukraine, for example. And what about the repeated syndrome of dominance of various nationalities, who, despite the presence of this dominance, talk about how they are oppressed on Russian soil? 😊
You can glean another important fact from the above quote, which those not interested in history will easily pass by. For some reason, even with the presence of a press, in such an enlightened age, it was not possible to preserve the works of our great compatriot, even despite the fact that he was a recognized authority and academician.
Well, why aren’t you ironic and laughing about this, gentlemen, supporters of the traditional version of history? You assert the impossibility of the loss of a corpus of documents even in more ancient times, when there were no large circulations. Where then are all the historical works of the first Russian academician? Where did the works of Lomonosov’s predecessors, to which he referred and who adhered to a political version of Russian history different from the one imposed by the “Westerners,” go? Or is the disappearance of all politically and historically objectionable documents from the mid-18th century an isolated incident? 😊
I won't give other examples. I will only send you to the present, where learned historians of Ukraine and other fragments of the USSR completely tendentiously distort the immediate past, which is given to us not even in documents, but in personal experience... I wonder what kind of “short course” schoolchildren study there and whether they will have a future? Will descendants find “Holodomor” in the interpretation of interested political forces, or will we still be able to see the reality of that time in an undistorted form? It would be nice for our historians, politicians and humanitarian educators, who diligently and undeservedly denigrate the Soviet period and embellish tsarist Russia, to think about this. Or maybe the presence of individual cases of documented doping in the Russian Federation is quite enough to accuse our country of carrying out a state doping program? And when proving our guilt, the testimony of “witnesses” fully compensates for the lack of official documents confirming the existence of such Russian programs?
After all, the testimony of interested parties was enough to accuse the Nazis of having a program to exterminate Jews, despite the lack of supporting Reich government documents in the tons of materials exported by the Allies and especially the United States? Replacing the word “discrimination” or the expression “squeezing out of the country” with “destruction” can change the picture in the minds of not very educated readers beyond recognition. Point out that in concentration camps prisoners were not forced to work hard, but were “exterminated”, focus attention on only one nationality of those who found themselves behind barbed wire, and the past will change. People of all nationalities, who were mercilessly exploited in the incredibly harsh conditions of the concentration camps, turn into millions of Jews exterminated in gas chambers as part of the Nazi state extermination program. And who will have the courage to try to hint that the Nazis did not exterminate the Jews, but “only” actively sought sources for the formation of a slave labor force?
Politics is a dirty business. And Goebbels’ methods were adopted, improved and used today on the fronts of propaganda wars by all armies of propagandists. But my parallels may seem too far-fetched and far-reaching to some...
I am forced once again to state the reason for the love of any government for writers, actors and the entire creative “tilihensia”: mastery of words is a terrible power. So any government feeds well those who, for a small bribe, sell this ability to influence the people with a word or voice, passing it off as black and white and vice versa. After all, modern people are not very educated, gullible, but susceptible to sensory, “psychic” influence. Do our famous actors, when participating in bank advertisements, think that they are actually deceiving the people?
In most cases, beautiful and catchy phrases are not deep in meaning at all, because the beauty of the phrase cuts off the critical perception of its content. In the same way, the beauty of the voice and its mastery make it possible to turn off the listener’s critical perception of the texts sung by “pop culture nightingales.”
Now, let’s turn to the meaning of this catchphrase “killer” phrase “ A people that does not know its past has no future».
First, let's take a closer look at the word “people”. When did people even learn anything about the history of the country? Quite recently. Before that very Soviet power, the overwhelming majority of the people, who were the peasantry, had no idea about history, because. and it was not taught in schools. And, even if they studied in royal parochial or primary schools, there was no “history” subject there. God's law, arithmetic and the alphabet - at best. In Tsarist Russia, even the number of literate people was counted differently than in the advanced countries of that time. Those who could not write were considered literate, but only those who could read. It turns out that whoever spoke about the people meant only a very small part of the country's inhabitants? But then the meaning of the phrase completely disappears, because the overwhelming majority of the people, in the real sense of the word, lived and live even today, not knowing his of the past.
What then to do with the phrase about folk wisdom? It turns out that even without knowledge of their past, people are able to see the future? Or not capable? Lack of knowledge his history, does not allow you to see the repeatability of many situations and gives additional “wists” to your opponents. Having a broad understanding of human history makes it easier to understand what might happen to you in the future. It turns out that we need Study, study and study again, no matter how strange and untimely it may seem to someone.
And today history for the people is a fighting, manipulative legend, with which the authorities are patriotically trying to direct their flock in a direction that is beneficial to them.
In the Soviet Union, they did not grant the right, but literally forced everyone to increase their level of education and broaden their horizons, understanding that an uneducated person is easier to manipulate. And what is absolutely certain is that such a person is not capable of building a new society and a happy future.
An uneducated person also strives for “goals” that correspond to his development. It is quite easy to convince him that the “consumer” future is the people’s age-old dream... of a hundred varieties of sausage and jeans with cars for every family. Well, gentlemen and comrades, how do you live today with the terrible dominance of canned, self-running strollers, from which you can’t walk, drive, or breathe? And now the mayor of Moscow is trying to convince everyone of the advantages of public transport, which during the Soviet era was the main and, as it now turns out, the only reasonable trend in the development of connectivity of vast territories...
But raising a person is a very long and not at all simple procedure. This is especially true when a person is influenced by competitors.
We understand that the city of Moscow cannot be started from scratch today by demolishing all historical buildings. But Paris was built exactly like this in the 19th century, which gave it a certain flavor. True, no one today attacks with demagogic criticism those who destroyed the ancient world to the ground, and then, in fact, built a new Paris, blasphemously destroying the monuments of previous eras... Quite the contrary: tourists come to look at the beauty of Paris without thinking at all about such small things details. 😊
A scientific view of any problem (including historical) necessarily contains such a characteristic as time. In this case, we must understand that the people and humanity as a whole are on a journey, in constant change. The average person today is completely different in attitude and development from the person of a hundred years ago. What seemed like a blatant abomination just a few decades ago is today perceived as a completely acceptable norm. How do we try to judge the past from the perspective of today, and not from the perspective, for example, of the morality of the beginning of the Second World War?
Hitler's doctors were amazed at the level of innocence among the girls brought to work in the Reich from the USSR. They got it into their heads that animals lived there, but in reality almost all the young girls turned out to be virgins, which completely contradicted the ideas that were widespread in Germany about “these Russian pigs.” Try to understand this fact in order to compare it with today's mores, and imagine how your ancestors would have reacted to modern behavior in those days.
In Soviet times in the 70s, the fact that one schoolgirl was pregnant in a city with a population of 200 thousand caused a furor and discussion at the highest level. Why doesn’t a modern person try to take into account this difference in the perception of the world and the rules of life when they feed him stories about the terrible bloodiness of the Stalinist regime? Because most people today have little idea of how actions and events of completely different eras can and should be compared.
The poor knowledge of their history by Soviet people, in particular, led to the collapse of the USSR. In this sense, the catchphrase worked quite well. I would like our fellow citizens in the 21st century to understand this catchphrase dialectically and in a scientific sense... 😊
Essay (Antonov Ya)
“A people that does not know its past has no future”
« On behalf of the Military Revolutionary Committee, I declare that the Provisional Government no longer exists. Some ministers have been arrested. Others will be arrested in the coming days or hours. The revolutionary garrison, at the disposal of the Military Revolutionary Committee, dissolved the meeting of the Pre-Parliament,” the leader of the uprising, Leon Trotsky, began his report to the Petrograd Soviet with these words.
From this day, October 25, 1917, a new stage began in our country, which radically changed people's lives
Great October 1917. That's what the Bolsheviks called him. Without a doubt, one of the greatest events in Russian history. This kind of phenomenon is undoubtedly reflected in the memory of the people, who in turn express their attitude through literature and cinema. At the moment, there are a great many works about the October Revolution. Some of them are truthful and based on real historical facts, others are not entirely historical and informational, but rather ideological in nature. In any case, they are all monuments of those days in which history was made.
Personally, I liked Sergei Eisenstein’s film “October,” filmed in 1927 at the Moscow Sovkino factory. This picture is silent, and only knowledge of the events and participants of the October Revolution allows us to understand what happened. A noteworthy fact is that the characters in the film were played not by actors, but by ordinary people. Vladimir Mayakovsky expressed his critical opinion on this matter: “It’s disgusting to see when a person takes poses similar to Lenin...”. Perhaps I agree with the poet on this, since only external similarity cannot truly convey the state and thoughts of famous revolutionary figures. As for the atmosphere itself that reigned during the revolution, this, in my opinion, is presented very reliably. Chaos, confusion, street riots, crowds of people breaking down the gates of the Winter Palace with hatred convey the atmosphere of this event.
In my opinion, the director’s idea is ideological in nature, a request “from above,” so to speak. For the people at that time, it was important to know whether they had done a good deed? I think these kinds of films were created to maintain the “fighting spirit”. They were the majority at that time. As they say, “history is written by the victors.” The regime and strict censorship prevented some people from expressing their thoughts and, perhaps, dissatisfaction with the events that took place in October.
This event did not go unnoticed by people of the pen. Writers and poets of the early twentieth century expressed their thoughts in creativity, describinga new regime of power, a new social system, passing this great event through the prism of their perception.
Alexander Alexandrovich Blok and Vladimir Mayakovsky ...
It was these two poets who perceived the October Revolution as an opportunity to change the world, make it different, build it according to the laws of beauty and harmony. A. Blok’s poem “The Twelve” is the best work, which through the eyes of the poet presents a description of this event and the mood prevailing at this moment. The collapse of the old world sounds in the lines: “The bourgeois stands like a hungry dog,” “And the old world stands like a rootless dog.” The time is passing when the bourgeoisie dominated. The embodiment of the new, renewed world are twelve Red Guards, who in some ways resemble criminals who clear the way to a new life: they shoot mercilessly and destroy everything in their path. There is no sympathy or basic humanity in them. This is exactly how Blok A saw people leading to a new life. They forget about God, but in the finale he appears: “In a white corolla of roses in front is Jesus Christ.” There are several theories as to why God appears. It seems to me that in this image A. Blok wanted to show: a miracle will happen and these people will become saints, and God will become the savior of their souls, will help them cleanse themselves of blood. This is a sign of a bright future.
Vladimir Mayakovsky, an outstanding poet of the early twentieth century, wrote: “I want to make socialist art.” In my opinion, it was this person who was able to penetratethe atmosphere of the events that took place, accept the changes and “plunge headlong” into the creation of new literature, revolutionary-minded. Mayakovsky V.V. writes many poems on this topic, one of which is “Ode to the Revolution,” created in the wake of this event and conveying the attitude of the still young poet to the October Revolution. The beginning is promising: “Oh”! But the words: “How will you turn around still two-faced?” - make you think about the poet’s ambiguous opinion. On the one hand, this is the path to a new life, on the other hand, the rudeness and cruelty of the people who carried out the revolution are frightening. However, the lines: “Oh, glory four times, blessed one!” - they say that V. Mayakovsky believes in a new life, in a bright future, despite all the hardships that lie ahead.
Thus, the Great October Revolution left a big mark not only in the history of Russia, but also in culture. All major events, one way or another, affect the destinies of people. We must not forget anything. After all, this is the history of our country - our history. The next generations should be educated on these examples of patriotism, fortitude, and honor. “A people that does not know its past has no future” (M. Lomonosov).
My article on history. The article is my assignment from the newspaper in which my article will be published. The editor praised my creation. Insanely nice.
As the great Russian historian Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky said, a people that does not know its past has no future. I consider this statement absolutely true, because history not only tells us about ancient events, but also instills in us patriotism and love for our Motherland. Learning about terrible wars and battles, understanding at what cost the long-standing victories were given to our Motherland, what kind of people lived on the same land with us, we, by the will of our minds or involuntarily, are imbued with respect and love for our native country.
My home country is Russia. A great country that has gone through incredible torment through wars and battles! It is clear that in the history of any country there are both bright and dark moments, and it is the latter that are more emotional and felt. I think everyone remembers the Great Patriotic War. How much the Soviet Union gave for this victory! Four years of exhausting, bloody battles with Nazi Germany, a huge number of victims, destroyed cities and villages. One cannot remain indifferent to this. When I think how much Russia gave for victory, for the people, and how much the people gave for Russia, it becomes a little scary and hard, and at the same time you feel incredible pride for your people. After all, a huge number of people went to defend their native land, leaving their homes and families.
But in addition to the Second World War, in the history of Russia there is also the Patriotic War of 1812. This war was no less difficult and destructive for our country. Everyone stood up to defend the Motherland: from young to old. The largest battle of the War of 1812 was the Battle of Borodino, which took place on September 7, 1812. The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that came before it. Kutuzov called Borodino “an eternal monument to the courage and excellent bravery of Russian soldiers,” and Napoleon called it “a battle of giants.” Since then, Borodino has become a shrine and pride of Russia, and since 1995 it has been included in the list of Russian Military Glory Days. In honor of the bicentenary of the Battle of Borodino, a grandiose reconstruction of the Battle of Borodino took place in the Moscow region on September 2. Thousands of enthusiasts, dressed in the costumes of that time and armed with weapons, took part in the “artificial” battle, thereby showing that they would never forget the valor and heroism of their ancestors.
History is a great science that not only tells us about ancient events, but also teaches us to love and respect our Motherland. When you learn about the sacrifices our ancestors made, when you learn about their heroism, their dedication and courage, you involuntarily become imbued with the same feelings for the Motherland and its heroes. I believe that it is simply necessary to study history not only for the sake of knowledge, but also for the sake of the spiritual and patriotic education of the people, and especially young people. After all, what kind of people are they who don’t respect their history and the heroes of their homeland? How can you remain indifferent to everything that your country has gone through? Yes, there were not only dark moments in the history of Russia. There were also the most difficult conclusions of peace, various trade agreements, laws were introduced for the first time, thanks to which Russia grew and developed faster and faster, and these are also feats of our country and its rulers and ordinary people.
As for me, I really love the history of my Motherland, I love history lessons at school. I am very interested in studying what happened before me, before the modern society that we see now. After all, from history we learn how Russia was built, how the foundations of its governance were created, what activities the Russian princes carried out within the country and abroad. By the way, foreign policy techniques can be applied in life, in communicating with people around you, because communication is also politics.
If you put all of the above into a single picture, it turns out that history is a very necessary science! History tells a lot, helps us develop into a worthy, intelligent person. By studying history, we cultivate respect for the Motherland, for its heroes, develop our minds and simply enjoy studying.
On April 22, the annual international motorcycle march “Victory Roads to Berlin” starts, which traditionally ends on May 9 with a visit to the Memorial complex in Treptow Park, on the territory of which more than 7,000 Soviet soldiers are buried, and the laying of flowers at the foot of the monument to the Soldier-Liberator. The “Roads of Victory” motorcycle march is dedicated to the 73rd anniversary of the Victory over fascism and is aimed at preserving the historical truth about the feat of Soviet soldiers. Along the entire route, march participants will visit WWII battle sites, military memorials and burial sites, take part in patriotic events dedicated to Victory Day, and honor the memory of WWII Heroes.
On Friday, April 6, a press conference was held at the press center of the Rossiya Segodnya MIA, at which the chief adviser to the Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Morozov, President of the All-Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves” Alexander Surgeon Zaldastanov, President of the “Night Wolves” department Roads of Victory" Andrey Bobrovsky and representatives of other branches of the motorcycle club spoke about the features of the upcoming race.
Chief Advisor to the Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Morozov said that in view of the constant attempts in the world community to distort historical facts, rewrite history, belittle the significance of the Great Victory and discredit the feat of the Soviet people during the Second World War, the annual event of the motorcycle club is of particular significance . Sergei Morozov spoke about many years of positive experience of cooperation with the Night Wolves motorcycle club, and also noted that all obstacles to the Victory Road motorcycle march from year to year arise exclusively from Poland.
“The Polish side has never issued official permission for the passage of Russian participants. In 2015, the corresponding note of protest from the Russian Embassy was rejected by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs under a formal pretext. In 2016, Russian motorcyclists were banned from traveling through Poland without explanation. In 2017, Russian participants did not even try to enter this country. And one of the Russian participants in the motorcycle march, discovered by the Polish police on the territory of the state, was detained and deported with the cancellation of the Schengen visa previously issued to him,- said Sergei Morozov.
Chief Advisor to the Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights of the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Morozov
Morozov said that he considers the actions of the Polish authorities towards participants in the Victory Road race to be completely unfair, and emphasized that, unlike Poland, Russia has always provided assistance and assistance to Polish motorcyclists during the Katyn Raid race.
(Note: The Katyn Raid motorcycle rally has been held by the Polish motorcycle club of the same name for 17 years in memory of the victims of the Katyn tragedy. As part of this race, motorcyclists visit places of memory that are significant for Poles and Russians, lay flowers at memorials, and light candles. In 2015 and In 2016, the president of the Katyn Raid motorcycle club, Viktor Vengrzyn (died on January 17, 2017) and his motorcyclists became one of the few public organizations in Poland that spoke out in defense of participants in the Victory Road to Berlin races, organized by the All-Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves”, after how the Polish authorities decided not to allow Russians into the country under the pretext of “ensuring security." In a conversation with a TASS correspondent, Viktor Vengrzyn called the decision of the Polish authorities this decision “shameful.” Then Polish motorcyclists, as a sign of solidarity, made a motorcycle rally for their Russian comrades, walking along Europe along the Night Wolves route, lighting memorial candles and laying wreaths at the monuments of Soviet soldiers who fell during the liberation of Poland.)
President of the All-Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves” Alexander Surgeon noted that the tradition of holding the “Road Pobyla” motorcycle march began much earlier than 2015, when the event first attracted media attention due to provocative and illegal actions on the part of the Polish authorities against the participants of the race:
“The first such motorcycle march “Road of Victory” took place in 2005, when we held a bike show in Kaliningrad. It was then that the beginning of this march was laid, which has since taken place annually,- explained the leader of the Night Wolves. - Our motorcycle rally in 2015, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, was also dedicated to the memory of Nadezhda Alekseevna, whom my club brothers met back in 2006. Then she left a poetic message to the Night Wolves and all descendants. In 2007, Nadezhda Kirillova died, and we dedicated the 2007 bike show in Kaliningrad to her memory. I wanted as many people as possible to know the story of this heroic woman who rode a motorcycle to Berlin. By organizing a motorcycle rally to Berlin, we essentially repeated the combat path that Nadezhda Alekseevna went through on her M-72 as a radio operator of the 1st motorcycle company of the reconnaissance battalion of the 10th Guards Ural Volunteer Tank Corps.”
President of the All-Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves” Alexander Surgeon Zaldastanov 
“Of course, this year we expect new provocations from Poland and the media supporting anti-Russian propaganda. But whether the Polish authorities want it or not, our motorcycle march will take place every year. And the number of people wanting to join the run is increasing every year. And many video chronicles of the movement of the column testify to the huge number of people supporting the event, despite all the provocations and slander. The truth always triumphs over the biggest lie- said Alexander the Surgeon. - I want to thank Polish motorcyclists and, in general, all Polish citizens who provide support. There were never any problems or resistance from the Polish population. All obstacles and provocations came exclusively from the Polish authorities, who interfered with the passage of the column. We have always received a warm welcome from the local residents, for which we are infinitely grateful to them.”
According to the leader of the Night Wolves, one of the features of this year’s motorcycle march will be the screening of the film “Russian Reactor” in the cities visited along the route:
“I doubted for a long time whether we would be able to film this project based on the 2017 bike show, but the reaction of the audience that was in Sevastopol during the premiere exceeded all our expectations. We did 5 shows a day there, and people almost destroyed the theater. After each screening, the audience did not want to leave the cinema hall and gave a long standing ovation. Moreover, a few days ago we showed the “Russian Reactor” to our European friends who came to visit the Moscow Bike Center. When I asked whether the meaning of the film would be clear to Europeans, they answered in the affirmative. And the very reaction of the translator who translated the film impressed me greatly. He was so emotionally affected by what he saw on the screen, as if he himself had become a participant in the events presented in the film. I think that this work will be of interest not only to our compatriots living abroad, but also to Europeans. The film has already been translated into German, English, Serbian and French. And at the end of April, at the urgent request of people, the film will be shown in Stavropol.”
(Note: The film “Russian Reactor” is based on the film of the same name, which was visited by about 200,000 spectators from all over the globe. What is noteworthy is that two weeks after the Night Wolves bike show, Russian President V.V. Putin spoke with Yaroslavl schoolchildren at an open lesson about the “internal “nuclear reactor” of the Russian people, which allows us to move forward.”)
President of the Night Wolves of the Victory Road branch Andrei Bobrovsky said that this year the motorcycle march will for the first time consist of three stages - Southern, Western and European.
"The reason for this expansion is- Andrey explained, - the rapidly growing interest of people in the motorcycle march both in Russia and in the West, despite constant pressure and anti-Russian rhetoric. And we noticed that the more pressure they put, the more support grows. We assume that the number of participants in the motorcycle march this year will be about 12-15 thousand people, among whom will be not only Russians, but citizens of Poland, Germany, Belarus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, England, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany , Denmark and other countries."
President of the Night Wolves of the Victory Road branch Andrey Bobrovsky 
The backbone of the column will be made up of motorcyclists from different branches of the Night Wolves motorcycle club, while other participants will join the column along the way: representatives of friendly motorcycle clubs, free motorcyclists, representatives of various public organizations and movements, as well as like-minded motorists who want to express their support for the initiative Night Wolves and pay tribute to the memory of heroic ancestors.
On April 22, the first stage starts from Sochi, within which the column will travel through Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, Yelets, and on April 28 in Moscow it will join the participants of the second stage. From Moscow, a consolidated column of motorcyclists will pass through Yartsevo, Solovyevo, Smolensk, Stalin Line, Pinsk to Brest. The Stalin Line and the city of Pinsk will be included in the route for the first time this year. The third stage of the motorcycle march starts on May 1 in Warsaw, from where motorcyclists will go to Wroclaw to honor the memory of the victims of the Volyn tragedy.
“As Mikhail Lomonosov said, a people who do not know their past have no future,- said Andrei Bobrovsky. “Now they are actively trying to “forget” their history, to “forget” the Volyn tragedy... We are doing everything to draw people’s attention to these most important milestones in the history of the world, not only of Russia, but of all humanity, so that such tragedies do not happen again.”
Next, motorcyclists will visit Auschwitz, Frydek-Mistek, Banska Bystrica, Trnava, Bratislava, Starovichi, Brno, Rakvice, Prague, Bautzen, Dresden, Torgau, Karlshorst and on May 9 will finish in Berlin, where the participants of the race will honor the memory of Soviet soldiers who saved the world from fascist plague According to tradition, the final destination on the route will be the Memorial Complex “To the Soldiers of the Soviet Army Who Fell in Battles with Fascism” in Treptow Park, erected to commemorate the defeat of Hitler’s Nazism in 1949. More than 7,000 Soviet soldiers are buried on the territory of the memorial. At the end of the Great Patriotic War in April and May 1945, tens of thousands of people died in the battles for Berlin. Among them are more than 22,000 Soviet soldiers. Also, as part of the motorcycle march, capsules with Kuban, Chechen and Donetsk lands will be handed over to the Russian-German Museum in Karlshorst, where, by order of I.V. Stalin, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany was re-signed.
The president of the Night Wolves of Kuban branch, Oleg Shevlekov, said that before the start of the column from Sochi, a number of events will take place to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Krasnodar region from fascist invaders. Motorcyclists plan to hold a patriotic event in Maykop, visit the Shaumyansky Pass, where Tuapse was defended for almost four months, and the city of Military Glory Tuapse itself, after which they will arrive in Sochi to start for Berlin on April 22. (You can see the detailed route of the column on the run website)
President of the Night Wolves Kuban branch Oleg Shevlekov
The President of the Night Wolves Poland branch, Dariusz Kaczmarczyk, through journalists, appealed to all people to support the action by joining the run, informationally or otherwise, in order to resist the “memory erasing” policy pursued by a number of countries:
“I have been repeatedly asked why we Poles travel along the Victory Roads. This is a very important reason. The reason we hold our motorcycle rally every year is because we don't want to forget our shared history. And I ask you also not to forget that Victory over fascism is our common Victory. Polish soldiers, together with the Red Army, stormed Berlin in 1945. For me, my friends and many people in Poland, the position of our authorities regarding Russia in general and the motorcycle rally in particular is not clear. There were difficult moments between our countries, but there were many more when we were together. We can say that we are one big family. And I would like to thank Russia, which, unlike the actions of the Polish authorities regarding the Victory Road motor march, always helps my fellow citizens in carrying out the Katyn Raid run. Despite the prohibitions and resistance of the Polish authorities, we will continue to support the run so as not to allow the memory of our common history and common Victory over fascism to be erased from people’s consciousness. I also want to remind you that our friend and brother Mateusz Piskorski has been in prison for the second year on false charges(note -). And here, too, we need your support to talk about this whenever possible.”
President of the Night Wolves Poland branch Dariusz Kaczmarczyk 
Alexander the Surgeon, in turn, also expressed gratitude to Darius:
“On behalf of the motorcycle club and on my own behalf, I would like to thank you for your courageous and dignified behavior during the crossing of the Belarusian-Polish border last year. At that moment, I felt special gratitude and respect for you both as a Night Wolf, and as a citizen and a person with a spiritual core. A day before crossing the border, we received information that at the Braniewo border crossing, all participants in the race would have their visas revoked and that they were deliberately looking for certificates of club membership from all motorcyclists passing the border. Feeling responsible for the safety of the participants of the race and not wanting to make a kamikaze out of them, I suggested that Dariush cross the border as an ordinary tourist without a club vest. To which I heard the following answer: “I know why I came to the club and what I was going for, so I will cross the border only as Night Wolf.” I don’t know how it was possible, but Dariush not only crossed the border as the Night Wolf, but also brought with him the flag of the 8th Motorcycle Regiment, which subsequently accompanied the convoy to Berlin and was raised in Treptow Park.”
To the journalist, who voiced the complaints of some neutral motorcyclists about the increased attention to them at the borders and proposed the idea of passing border posts “in a partisan way”, without demonstrating club symbols and publicizing intentions to visit memorials to Soviet soldiers, Alexander the Surgeon categorically replied:
“There can be no talk of any “partisan” border crossings! By his example, Dariush has already spoken about this, refusing to renounce his views and beliefs and hide his affiliation with the Night Wolves for the sake of anti-Russian border guards. I want to go openly and do what I consider my duty. When I visited Zakharchenko during the hottest phase in Donbass, I saw that they were all howling without masks. I then also asked what might be better in a partisan way, to which I heard: “We want our faces to be seen.” And this is a special challenge. We all walk according to God. I'd rather lose my life than lose my honor. This is the first, and the second - there is no point in living, there is no point in dying.
But to these “neutral” motorcyclists, whom we “inconvenience” with our passage to the graves of our heroic ancestors, I want to say the following. Let them stick the EU flag on the back and tie rainbow ribbons to their motorcycles, then they will be gladly allowed into Europe, and no one will obstruct them at the borders.”
“The second stage is a return visit of all Europeans who participated in the May run. Every year at the beginning of August, the motorbike “Roads of Victory - to Sevastopol” starts, within the framework of which European friends and like-minded people, following the route through the memorable places of the Second World War, arrive at the Bike Show in the Hero City of Sevastopol. People want to see Russia, visit Crimea, and, of course, take part in the main event of the club - the International Bike Show, not through the glass of a TV, but with their own eyes.- Andrey explained. - Last year, a unique situation arose when race participants from Europe expressed a desire to visit Donetsk and Lugansk. People wanted to understand how things really are in Novorossiya. And according to their wishes, this was realized. A visit to the LPR and DPR in August 2017 made a huge impression on them.”
(Note: On August 11, 2017, the international motor rally “Roads of Victory - to Sevastopol 2017” started from Smolensk, organized by the “Roads of Victory” branch of the All-Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves” together with the NGO “Foundation for Promoting the Reconciliation of Peoples Participating in Military Conflicts.” The motor rally took place with the support of the Administration of the Smolensk region and was dedicated to the eternal memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and the strengthening of friendship between the peoples of Russia and Europe. More than a hundred participants from European countries joined the run of Russian motorcyclists. As part of the run, humanitarian cargo with a total weight was delivered from Smolensk to the DPR and LPR 40 tons.)
In addition to the annual motorcycle rides to Berlin and Sevastopol, the “Road of Victory” branch, together with other branches of the motorcycle club, actively work on the patriotic education of youth, conduct courage lessons for schoolchildren, themed sports, military-historical and educational-entertainment events, patronize various social institutions, children's homes, boarding schools, sports sections and associations in different cities of Russia. Completely on a voluntary basis, in their free time, motorcyclists are involved in maintaining the monuments to the heroes of the Second World War in proper condition: they organize community clean-up days and restore inscriptions. This initiative of Russian motorcyclists is shared by European friends, who have also spent their personal time and resources for many years caring for monuments to Soviet soldiers.
“Speaking about today’s strategy of so-called decommunication, the destruction of monuments and memorials, which is now especially clearly visible in the example of Poland, I would like to note the following: Andrei Bobrovsky said. - We greatly underestimate the importance of all these symbols, historical monuments. Destroy history, erase it, correct it, and you can do the same thing all over again.”
“And this is clearly seen in the example of Ukraine,” added Alexander Surgeon. - Once history is erased, the country immediately turns into a territory. The first thing they start bombing is consciousness and monuments.”
“Everyone should know the history of their country.” We hear this phrase every day. But not everyone understands and realizes why this is needed, arguing that it will not be useful to them in life, because they are not going to become “great historians.” Is the judgment correct? Of course not. Relying on the past, knowing it, we prevent similar mistakes from occurring in the future. A striking example is the history of the Gulag. This is the story of a huge number of human victims, most of whom were convicted for something they did not do. This is the story of ruined human destinies, the story of the loss of loved ones, the story of children who lost their parents, the story of poor health, cruelty, torment, fear, despair, pain, the story of broken hopes and unfulfilled dreams. This is the story of unmade discoveries, unfinished or unwritten books, uncreated inventions. Yes, no matter how terrible it may sound, this is our history, the history of our country. Each of us should know her story. Both light and dark its pages. Therefore, the horrors of that era must be comprehended and understood by both adults and children, first of all, so that it does not happen again.
On April 8, 2017, students of the Law College of groups YUSO-114, YUSZ-131, 132, YUSB-121, YUSS-141, accompanied by teacher of Russian language and literature Mamsurova E.A. and mathematics teacher Shirnin A.G. We visited on a tour the State Museum of the History of the Gulag, which is included in the category of “memory museums” (or “museums of conscience”), each of them is based on a tragic event that left a huge mark on the history of our country.
This stunning museum was founded by Anton Vladimirovich Antonov-Ovseenko, a famous publicist, historian and public figure who himself went through Stalin’s camps as the son of an “enemy of the people.” The opening took place in 2001, and already in 2015 the Museum moved to a new building, which is 4 times larger in area than the previous one. When we went inside this large house, we were met by a young guide, Alexander, and led everyone into the main room of the building. It’s amazing how much the museum staff managed to convey the atmosphere of that era! Walls, floors, ceilings, doors, pipes and even sounds - everything accurately recreates the picture of those terrifying rooms in which the fate of accused and convicted people was decided. Alexander showed us an archive of memories of former prisoners, their letters, photographs, collections of personal belongings that belonged to them when they were in prison; collections of art created by artists who went through the camps, as well as embroideries of imprisoned women, clothing of prisoners, tools and camp utensils - these are all exhibits of this museum. Afterwards, the guide took us to the next room, where the most important exhibit is a map on which all existing camps are marked with the number of prisoners of all years. It helps to understand and realize the full scale of Stalin's repressions.
Then all the students went up to the second floor. It was here that we saw a large number of stands that presented documents about the beginning of repressions in the USSR - the “Red Terror” and the creation of the first concentration camps in 1918, the formation of the Gulag system under the OGPU (United Main Political Directorate) in the 1930s and many other.
A very difficult and exciting part of our excursion was watching video interviews with camp prisoners and their family members. Looking at them, you understand how strong these people are with unbroken character; they deserve the greatest respect and admiration. At the end of our excursion, Alexander told us about the fates of famous people who were also affected by the repressions, among them S.P. Korolev and A. Solzhenitsyn.
The Museum also houses premises for rotating exhibitions, a modern cinema hall, spacious storage facilities, a fully equipped research center, a visual anthropology studio, a valuable, large library, a publishing and social volunteer center. In addition, we were told that they plan to create a Memory Garden on the vast territory adjacent to the museum. This is very good news!
The Gulag History Museum is the only museum in Russia entirely dedicated to the history of the system of forced labor camps, which in the period 1930-1950s became the most widespread instrument of terrible state repressions in the USSR. Therefore, the main mission of the museum is “restoring historical justice, understanding the tragic era of mass repression and preserving the memory of millions of people who became its innocent victims” - this is how all its employees describe their most important activities. Indeed, knowing the history of our country is necessary and important.
All our students present at the museum are infinitely grateful to the teachers, leaders and, of course, tour guides for the opportunity to learn and touch the history of our great country, to feel all the horror and often injustice that our ancestors had to go through. Thank you very much for the necessary knowledge received.
