Friday, August 23, 2019
Today marks 80 years since the signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, also known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
The two totalitarian dictatorships signed the pact, including a secret protocol that divided Europe into two spheres of influence. The pact was an agreement between two allies that plunged Europe into total war.
The Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee recommends that the agreement between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany be called the "Hitler-Stalin Pact," which better reflects the role of the signatories.
While other victimised nations mark the anniversary of the Hitler-Stalin Pact with official, solemn events, a black veil of silence hangs over Finland. Internationally, this day is called the "Black Ribbon Day," which is very apt in these circumstances.
Vladimir Putin's Russia strives to defend the Hitler-Stalin Pact actively with much the same argumentation as Soviet propaganda did. Finns and other victimised nations will do well to reflect on why Moscow is doing so at this point in history.
We will never forget! The Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee calls on the Finnish government to recognise the Black Ribbon Day and to declare it an official flag day. We made the proposal in 2012 and are still waiting for a response.
Also, today marks 30 years since the "Baltic Way," a massive demonstration of popular will, when around two million people formed a human chain from Tallinn via Riga to Vilnius. That day marked 50 years since the Hitler-Stalin Pact.
Finally, we express particular concern about the continued whitewashing of totalitarian states and ideologies. We urge not to use symbols of Soviet totalitarianism for commercial purposes, as it blemishes the memory of the victims of Communist dictatorship all over Europe.
A German online store operating in Finland, Spreadshirt, and the Finnish online retailer, Stuntman, sell goods with Soviet symbols. The Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee has asked the companies to remove the products from sale. The stores do not sell goods with Nazi symbols.
Tallinn, 23 August 2019
Antti-Pekka Mustonen
Chairman
Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee
