War with history. In Prague, intend to move a monument to Marshal Konev
In Europe, the “war with history". The members of the Prague-6 district council decided to transfer the latter among the Prague monuments to Soviet commanders and political figures - to Marshal Konev who had liberated the city in 1945. In its place, obviously, they will erect a new monument to the liberation of Prague, the "liberators", without specifying which ones. That is, it can be Vlasov people who supported the Prague uprising on May 5 of the 1945 of the year, and Americans who attacked from the west.
Czech and Russian diplomats quarreled over a decision of the Prague-6 district council, which was adopted on September 12: remove a monument to liberated Prague from Nazi troops Marshal Konev from one of the central squares. The monument to Ivan Stepanovich Konev on the Prague Square of the Inter-Brigade was erected in the 1980 year, on the 35-year anniversary of the liberation of the Czech capital by the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front. They want to move the monument, perhaps, to one of the museums, or transfer it to the Russian embassy, and put a monument to the liberators of Prague in the vacant place. And according to the information of the Czech President Milos Zeman, local authorities want to build underground garages on the vacated spot.
Meanwhile, this topic has been discussed for several years in Prague and Moscow. In recent years, Soviet monuments (including the monument to Marshal) and the burial places of Soviet soldiers have repeatedly been subjected to acts of vandalism. So, the monument to Konev was doused with paint in 2014 and 2017 years. The Russian Foreign Ministry regularly makes relevant statements. The current scandal surrounding the monument began after, in August, on the anniversary of the entry of Soviet troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968, the monument was again desecrated. The authorities of the Prague-6 district at first did not want to put the monument in order, since considerable budgetary funds had to be spent on cleaning and repair. Then it was reported that since the residents of Prague negatively perceive the image of Konev, then it must be transferred to the territory of the Russian embassy.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed indignation at the “cynical decision” of the municipal authorities of the Prague-6 region on the transfer of the monument to the Soviet Marshal, under whose command the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front liberated Prague in May 1945. The Foreign Ministry also expressed regret that local authorities did not pay attention to calls by the Czech leadership and the public to prevent such an event. It is noted that this step will be a violation of the provisions of the bilateral Treaty on friendly relations and cooperation of 26 on August 1993.
Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky said that the monument to the Soviet commander was made by Czech sculptors with the money of citizens in gratitude for the fact that Konev forbade the use of bomber when liberating Prague and other cities of Czechoslovakia Aviation and large-caliber artillery (preserving ancient cities), and the "politicians of a district scale" forgot what their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought for. Freeing Prague, about 12 thousand Soviet soldiers died. Medinsky called the head of the Prague-6 district Ondrzej Kolář “a local gauler” because of the decision to move the monument. A member of the Federation Council’s committee on international affairs, Sergei Tsekov, even proposed imposing economic sanctions against the Czech Republic because of this situation.
Russian Ambassador to Prague Alexander Zmeevsky was invited to the Czech Foreign Ministry and expressed protest "Against the untruthful and insulting statements of a member of the Russian government against the head of the Prague-6 district." Czech Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ales Hmelarg, noted that the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation between Russia and the Czech Republic implies mutual respect and equality. In addition, the question of the monument to the Soviet commander is an internal affair of the Czech Republic. Prague also warned against the abuse of history and fanning of passions for political purposes. The Russian ambassador Zmeevsky himself, after meeting with Khmelarg, said that he rejected the claims of the Czech Foreign Ministry, which had previously avoided this issue, which led to the decision of the Prague-6 council.
In the Czech Republic itself there is no unity on this issue. So, Czech President Milos Zeman said that the decision of the authorities of Prague-6 disgraces the country. Konev is a symbol of tens of thousands of Red Army soldiers who died liberating Czechoslovakia and Prague from Nazi troops. Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jan Gamacek proposed holding a referendum on the monument among residents of Prague and, in general, advocated maintaining it in its former place. The Czech Communists also defended the Konev monument in Prague. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia opposed the removal of the monument and asked the government to preserve the monument to the Marshal at Interbrigade Square in Prague-6.
It is worth noting that the myth prevails in Czech public consciousness that Prague was liberated by fighters of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA) under the command of General Vlasov, and not the Red Army. The version that the capital of Czechoslovakia was not liberated by Soviet troops, but by the Vlasovites, was created by Western propaganda back in the years of the Cold War. It was voiced by Western historians and the famous anti-Soviet writer and writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn. He called the Russian collaborators as "genuine" liberators of Prague in the first volume of the Gulag Archipelago.
What really happened? In 1941 — 1944 Czechoslovakia was generally calm. The Czechs worked at defense enterprises and strengthened the power of the Third Reich, and the Slovaks even fought for Hitler. However, in the winter 1944 — 1945. the situation on the borders of Czechoslovakia has changed dramatically. The Red Army, with the support of the 1th Czechoslovak Army Corps and Slovak partisans, launched an offensive in southeastern Slovakia. The uprising began in Slovakia. New partisan detachments formed, and old ones expanded. New bands were moving weapon and equipment from territory controlled by the Red Army. The partisan movement arose in the Czech Republic. Here the main role belonged to the partisans, who were transferred from Slovakia and the territory liberated by Soviet troops. In particular, a partisan brigade named after Jan ижižka broke into Moravia with heavy fighting from Slovakia.
In January-February of 1945, the troops of the 4-th Ukrainian Front marched on the territory of Poland and Czechoslovakia on 175-225 km, reached the upper reaches of the Vistula River and the Moravian-Ostrava industrial region. About 2 thousand settlements were liberated. The troops of the right wing of the 2-th Ukrainian Front advanced in Czechoslovakia at 40-100 km, reaching the river Gron. 10 March 1944 year troops 4-th UV under the command of A. I. Eremenko began the Moravian-Ostavsky operation. The Germans had a powerful defense in this direction, which was facilitated by the terrain. Therefore, the operation was delayed. Only 30 of April liberated the city of Moravsk-Ostrava. In early May, fighting continued for the complete liberation of the Moravian-Ostrava industrial region.
Meanwhile, the troops of the 2 UV under the command of R. Ya. Malinovsky conducted the Bratislava-Brnovsk operation. Our troops crossed the Gron river, broke through the enemy defenses, on April 4 they liberated Bratislava. Then the Red Army crossed Morava, on April 26 liberated Brno - the second most important and largest city in Czechoslovakia. As a result, the Bratislava and Brno industrial areas were cleared of the Nazis.
Thus, the Soviet armies completely liberated Slovakia, most of Moravia, with stubborn battles fought about 200 km. German troops suffered a number of serious defeats, lost important industrial centers, military factories, sources of raw materials. The troops of the 4 and 2 of the Ukrainian fronts took advantageous positions for an attack from the east and south by a large enemy group, which retreated to the western part of Czechoslovakia. At the same time, during the Berlin operation, the left wing of the 1-th Ukrainian Front reached the foothills of the Sudetenland. Soviet troops occupied Cottbus, Spremberg, and reached the Elbe in the Torgau region. That is, the foundations were created for an attack on the Prague direction from the north and north-west. American troops went to the western border of Czechoslovakia.
The defeat of Nazi Germany and the withdrawal of Allied forces on the far approaches to Prague caused the activation of the local resistance movement. It was decided to hold a loud rally in the capital. Both the National Democratic forces, oriented to the West, and the Czech Communists were interested in the uprising. Nationalists and democrats hoped to liberate Prague on their own, to create the basis for the return of the Czechoslovak government in exile. They hoped for the support of the American army, which at the beginning of May 1945 was 80 km from Prague. The Czech Communists wanted to prevent competitors from seizing power to occupy a dominant position in the capital at the time of the appearance of the Red Army.
In early May 1945, the first unrest began. The Germans in Prague did not have a powerful garrison, so they could not crush the uprising at the root. On May 5, a general uprising began; large plants of the city became its core. The rebels captured the most important objects, including the main stations and most of the bridges across the Vltava. During this period, the rebels entered into negotiations with the ROA, with the commander of the 1 division General S. Bunyachenko. Russian collaborators went west to surrender to the Americans. However, there were doubts whether the Americans of the Red Army would betray them. It was necessary to prove to the West that the ROA was fighting not only with the USSR, but also with the Third Reich, its usefulness. Bunyachenko and other commanders asked the Czechs to provide them with political asylum. In exchange, they promised military support. Vlasov himself did not believe in this adventure, but he did not interfere. Vlasovites helped the rebels in Prague in the battles of 5 — 6 in May, but as a result did not receive guarantees. In addition, it became known that the Americans would not come to Prague. On the night of May 8, ROA troops left their positions and began to leave the city. And they left the city to the west along with the Germans with whom they had just fought.
For the German command, Prague was of great importance. It was the center of the roads along which Army Group Center troops retreated west to surrender to the Americans. Therefore, Field Marshal Sherner threw significant forces to storm Prague. The Wehrmacht attacked Prague from the north, east and south. At the same time, German troops intensified, which were still held in the city itself. The rebels were doomed to defeat. The Czech National Radio Council has made a desperate request for help to the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. The Americans at that time were about 70 km from the Czech capital and were not going to move on, as there was an agreement with Moscow that the Russians should occupy the city.
The Soviet high command decided to help the rebels. On May 6 on May 1945, the strike force of the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front under the command of Konev turned to Prague. Also in the Prague direction, the troops of the 2 and 4 UV were launched. The 3 and 4 I guards tank armies of the 1 UV on the night of 9 on May made a swift 80 kilometer-long march and broke into the capital of Czechoslovakia on the morning of 9 on May. On the same day, the advanced units of the 2 and 4 UVs reached Prague. The city was cleared of the Nazis. The main forces of the German group were encircled in the area east of Prague. On 10-11 on May the Germans capitulated. Czechoslovakia was liberated, and Soviet troops came into contact with the Americans.
Thus, the decision of the municipal authorities to transfer the monument to Konev is another act of the information war of the West against Russia, rewriting the history of the Second World War and history as a whole. The current position of official Moscow with its “indignation” and “regrets” cannot change anything. In the West, as in the East, only the strong are respected. The USSR was respected in the world, but the Russian Federation was not. This is also connected with the policy of the Kremlin itself, where they insult the Soviet past, hush it up, tarnish the name of Stalin, or try to rely on the Great Victory in the upbringing of patriotism. In Russia itself, there is always an attempt to “rewrite” history, to turn Kolchak, Denikin, Mannerheim, Krasnov and Vlasov into heroes, to remove the memory of Lenin and Stalin, Soviet civilization, away. The mausoleum during the Victory Parade is bashfully covered with plywood with rags. It is not surprising that in the West, in Europe we are constantly mixed with mud. In the Russian Federation there is no imperial ideology, social justice and respect for the memory of the Red Empire, only the ideology of the “golden calf” and Western liberalism. With this attitude towards one's own past, one should not expect anything good from Europe.
Residents of Prague welcome Marshal I.S. Konev, commander of the 1-m Ukrainian Front, whose troops liberated Prague from German troops 9-12 on May 1945
The diplomatic row
Czech and Russian diplomats quarreled over a decision of the Prague-6 district council, which was adopted on September 12: remove a monument to liberated Prague from Nazi troops Marshal Konev from one of the central squares. The monument to Ivan Stepanovich Konev on the Prague Square of the Inter-Brigade was erected in the 1980 year, on the 35-year anniversary of the liberation of the Czech capital by the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front. They want to move the monument, perhaps, to one of the museums, or transfer it to the Russian embassy, and put a monument to the liberators of Prague in the vacant place. And according to the information of the Czech President Milos Zeman, local authorities want to build underground garages on the vacated spot.
Meanwhile, this topic has been discussed for several years in Prague and Moscow. In recent years, Soviet monuments (including the monument to Marshal) and the burial places of Soviet soldiers have repeatedly been subjected to acts of vandalism. So, the monument to Konev was doused with paint in 2014 and 2017 years. The Russian Foreign Ministry regularly makes relevant statements. The current scandal surrounding the monument began after, in August, on the anniversary of the entry of Soviet troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968, the monument was again desecrated. The authorities of the Prague-6 district at first did not want to put the monument in order, since considerable budgetary funds had to be spent on cleaning and repair. Then it was reported that since the residents of Prague negatively perceive the image of Konev, then it must be transferred to the territory of the Russian embassy.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed indignation at the “cynical decision” of the municipal authorities of the Prague-6 region on the transfer of the monument to the Soviet Marshal, under whose command the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front liberated Prague in May 1945. The Foreign Ministry also expressed regret that local authorities did not pay attention to calls by the Czech leadership and the public to prevent such an event. It is noted that this step will be a violation of the provisions of the bilateral Treaty on friendly relations and cooperation of 26 on August 1993.
Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky said that the monument to the Soviet commander was made by Czech sculptors with the money of citizens in gratitude for the fact that Konev forbade the use of bomber when liberating Prague and other cities of Czechoslovakia Aviation and large-caliber artillery (preserving ancient cities), and the "politicians of a district scale" forgot what their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought for. Freeing Prague, about 12 thousand Soviet soldiers died. Medinsky called the head of the Prague-6 district Ondrzej Kolář “a local gauler” because of the decision to move the monument. A member of the Federation Council’s committee on international affairs, Sergei Tsekov, even proposed imposing economic sanctions against the Czech Republic because of this situation.
Russian Ambassador to Prague Alexander Zmeevsky was invited to the Czech Foreign Ministry and expressed protest "Against the untruthful and insulting statements of a member of the Russian government against the head of the Prague-6 district." Czech Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ales Hmelarg, noted that the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation between Russia and the Czech Republic implies mutual respect and equality. In addition, the question of the monument to the Soviet commander is an internal affair of the Czech Republic. Prague also warned against the abuse of history and fanning of passions for political purposes. The Russian ambassador Zmeevsky himself, after meeting with Khmelarg, said that he rejected the claims of the Czech Foreign Ministry, which had previously avoided this issue, which led to the decision of the Prague-6 council.
In the Czech Republic itself there is no unity on this issue. So, Czech President Milos Zeman said that the decision of the authorities of Prague-6 disgraces the country. Konev is a symbol of tens of thousands of Red Army soldiers who died liberating Czechoslovakia and Prague from Nazi troops. Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jan Gamacek proposed holding a referendum on the monument among residents of Prague and, in general, advocated maintaining it in its former place. The Czech Communists also defended the Konev monument in Prague. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia opposed the removal of the monument and asked the government to preserve the monument to the Marshal at Interbrigade Square in Prague-6.
Residents of Prague greet Soviet troops on tank T-34-85
The liberation of Prague and Vlasov
It is worth noting that the myth prevails in Czech public consciousness that Prague was liberated by fighters of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA) under the command of General Vlasov, and not the Red Army. The version that the capital of Czechoslovakia was not liberated by Soviet troops, but by the Vlasovites, was created by Western propaganda back in the years of the Cold War. It was voiced by Western historians and the famous anti-Soviet writer and writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn. He called the Russian collaborators as "genuine" liberators of Prague in the first volume of the Gulag Archipelago.
What really happened? In 1941 — 1944 Czechoslovakia was generally calm. The Czechs worked at defense enterprises and strengthened the power of the Third Reich, and the Slovaks even fought for Hitler. However, in the winter 1944 — 1945. the situation on the borders of Czechoslovakia has changed dramatically. The Red Army, with the support of the 1th Czechoslovak Army Corps and Slovak partisans, launched an offensive in southeastern Slovakia. The uprising began in Slovakia. New partisan detachments formed, and old ones expanded. New bands were moving weapon and equipment from territory controlled by the Red Army. The partisan movement arose in the Czech Republic. Here the main role belonged to the partisans, who were transferred from Slovakia and the territory liberated by Soviet troops. In particular, a partisan brigade named after Jan ижižka broke into Moravia with heavy fighting from Slovakia.
In January-February of 1945, the troops of the 4-th Ukrainian Front marched on the territory of Poland and Czechoslovakia on 175-225 km, reached the upper reaches of the Vistula River and the Moravian-Ostrava industrial region. About 2 thousand settlements were liberated. The troops of the right wing of the 2-th Ukrainian Front advanced in Czechoslovakia at 40-100 km, reaching the river Gron. 10 March 1944 year troops 4-th UV under the command of A. I. Eremenko began the Moravian-Ostavsky operation. The Germans had a powerful defense in this direction, which was facilitated by the terrain. Therefore, the operation was delayed. Only 30 of April liberated the city of Moravsk-Ostrava. In early May, fighting continued for the complete liberation of the Moravian-Ostrava industrial region.
Meanwhile, the troops of the 2 UV under the command of R. Ya. Malinovsky conducted the Bratislava-Brnovsk operation. Our troops crossed the Gron river, broke through the enemy defenses, on April 4 they liberated Bratislava. Then the Red Army crossed Morava, on April 26 liberated Brno - the second most important and largest city in Czechoslovakia. As a result, the Bratislava and Brno industrial areas were cleared of the Nazis.
Thus, the Soviet armies completely liberated Slovakia, most of Moravia, with stubborn battles fought about 200 km. German troops suffered a number of serious defeats, lost important industrial centers, military factories, sources of raw materials. The troops of the 4 and 2 of the Ukrainian fronts took advantageous positions for an attack from the east and south by a large enemy group, which retreated to the western part of Czechoslovakia. At the same time, during the Berlin operation, the left wing of the 1-th Ukrainian Front reached the foothills of the Sudetenland. Soviet troops occupied Cottbus, Spremberg, and reached the Elbe in the Torgau region. That is, the foundations were created for an attack on the Prague direction from the north and north-west. American troops went to the western border of Czechoslovakia.
Residents of Prague welcome soldiers of the 1th Infantry Division of the ROA
Prague Uprising
The defeat of Nazi Germany and the withdrawal of Allied forces on the far approaches to Prague caused the activation of the local resistance movement. It was decided to hold a loud rally in the capital. Both the National Democratic forces, oriented to the West, and the Czech Communists were interested in the uprising. Nationalists and democrats hoped to liberate Prague on their own, to create the basis for the return of the Czechoslovak government in exile. They hoped for the support of the American army, which at the beginning of May 1945 was 80 km from Prague. The Czech Communists wanted to prevent competitors from seizing power to occupy a dominant position in the capital at the time of the appearance of the Red Army.
In early May 1945, the first unrest began. The Germans in Prague did not have a powerful garrison, so they could not crush the uprising at the root. On May 5, a general uprising began; large plants of the city became its core. The rebels captured the most important objects, including the main stations and most of the bridges across the Vltava. During this period, the rebels entered into negotiations with the ROA, with the commander of the 1 division General S. Bunyachenko. Russian collaborators went west to surrender to the Americans. However, there were doubts whether the Americans of the Red Army would betray them. It was necessary to prove to the West that the ROA was fighting not only with the USSR, but also with the Third Reich, its usefulness. Bunyachenko and other commanders asked the Czechs to provide them with political asylum. In exchange, they promised military support. Vlasov himself did not believe in this adventure, but he did not interfere. Vlasovites helped the rebels in Prague in the battles of 5 — 6 in May, but as a result did not receive guarantees. In addition, it became known that the Americans would not come to Prague. On the night of May 8, ROA troops left their positions and began to leave the city. And they left the city to the west along with the Germans with whom they had just fought.
For the German command, Prague was of great importance. It was the center of the roads along which Army Group Center troops retreated west to surrender to the Americans. Therefore, Field Marshal Sherner threw significant forces to storm Prague. The Wehrmacht attacked Prague from the north, east and south. At the same time, German troops intensified, which were still held in the city itself. The rebels were doomed to defeat. The Czech National Radio Council has made a desperate request for help to the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. The Americans at that time were about 70 km from the Czech capital and were not going to move on, as there was an agreement with Moscow that the Russians should occupy the city.
The Soviet high command decided to help the rebels. On May 6 on May 1945, the strike force of the troops of the 1-th Ukrainian Front under the command of Konev turned to Prague. Also in the Prague direction, the troops of the 2 and 4 UV were launched. The 3 and 4 I guards tank armies of the 1 UV on the night of 9 on May made a swift 80 kilometer-long march and broke into the capital of Czechoslovakia on the morning of 9 on May. On the same day, the advanced units of the 2 and 4 UVs reached Prague. The city was cleared of the Nazis. The main forces of the German group were encircled in the area east of Prague. On 10-11 on May the Germans capitulated. Czechoslovakia was liberated, and Soviet troops came into contact with the Americans.
Thus, the decision of the municipal authorities to transfer the monument to Konev is another act of the information war of the West against Russia, rewriting the history of the Second World War and history as a whole. The current position of official Moscow with its “indignation” and “regrets” cannot change anything. In the West, as in the East, only the strong are respected. The USSR was respected in the world, but the Russian Federation was not. This is also connected with the policy of the Kremlin itself, where they insult the Soviet past, hush it up, tarnish the name of Stalin, or try to rely on the Great Victory in the upbringing of patriotism. In Russia itself, there is always an attempt to “rewrite” history, to turn Kolchak, Denikin, Mannerheim, Krasnov and Vlasov into heroes, to remove the memory of Lenin and Stalin, Soviet civilization, away. The mausoleum during the Victory Parade is bashfully covered with plywood with rags. It is not surprising that in the West, in Europe we are constantly mixed with mud. In the Russian Federation there is no imperial ideology, social justice and respect for the memory of the Red Empire, only the ideology of the “golden calf” and Western liberalism. With this attitude towards one's own past, one should not expect anything good from Europe.
The President of Czechoslovakia, E. Benes, holds an award ceremony for the Soviet commanders-liberators of Czechoslovakia. From left to right: Marshal Ivan Stepanovich Konev, Army General Andrei Ivanovich Eremenko and Colonel-General of Tank Forces Pavel Semenovich Rybalko. Photo source: http://waralbum.ru
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