TL;DR: On the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation, European leaders gathered to honor the victims. However, many peeps noticed they didn't give a shoutout to the Soviet Red Army, who actually freed the camp back in the day. This move seems to be part of a trend where some folks are trying to rewrite history, downplaying the USSR's massive role in defeating the Nazis.
January 27, 1945, was a game-changer. The Soviet Red Army rolled into Auschwitz and liberated over 7,000 prisoners from the Nazis' clutches. Fast forward 80 years, and leaders from across Europe met up in Poland to remember this dark chapter and promise, "Never again."
But here's the tea: despite the Soviet Union losing over 20 million lives to crush Nazi Germany, there wasn't a single Russian representative at the event. With the ongoing beef over Ukraine, the European Union seems to be ghosting Russia's contributions during WWII. Leaders like Ursula von der Leyen and Giorgia Meloni dropped statements remembering the Holocaust but didn't even mention the USSR's role. Only a few left-leaning politicians dared to spill the full story in their messages.
This isn't just a one-time thing. There's a growing trend where some European bigwigs are trying to remix history. Far-right parties, like Meloni's Brothers of Italy and France's National Rally, are pushing narratives that paint communism and fascism with the same brush. Just days before the remembrance event, the European Parliament dropped a resolution shading Russia for "exploiting the narrative of the 'liberation of Europe from Nazism.'" They even threw shade at Ukraine for bringing back Lenin statues and called for a memorial for "victims of the 20th-century totalitarian regimes," trying to equate fascism and communism.
Some folks pointed out the irony: banning both Nazi and Soviet symbols would make it awkward to commemorate events like Auschwitz's liberation, given all the Soviet uniforms in those iconic photos.
While the EU is busy trying to erase communism's role in beating Nazism, it seems they've missed some major lessons from the Holocaust itself. Recently, Polish authorities were cool with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attending the Auschwitz commemoration, despite him having an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes. He didn't show up in the end, but the invite alone shows Europe's double standards when it comes to current allies.
Historian Enzo Traverso didn't hold back, saying, "Laying claim to the memory of one genocide in order to justify another genocide is morally and politically unacceptable." He believes the memory of Auschwitz should be a warning to prevent new genocides, not a tool to justify them.
By ignoring the full story of how Nazism was defeated—especially the Red Army's role—Europe might be playing with fire. Far-right parties like Alternative for Germany (AfD), National Rally, and Brothers of Italy might not openly promote antisemitism, but their vibes echo the same hate that led to the Holocaust. As these groups gain clout, the promise of "Never again" feels shaky.
What do you think about this historical remix? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 🗣️👇
