The Past Tense

History will be kind to me, for I intend to write about it.

1. Michael Kuznetsov 10.01.07 / 9pm

   Dear Friends,

   It was me who provided Arjan with these photos. I would like to add here a little excerpt from the book Russia At War 1941-1945 by Alexander Werth, page 886: “…In May 1945 the Russians had saved Berlin from starvation. Every person received 3/4 lb. of potatoes a day, but the other rations among five categories varied greatly: bread from 20 oz. to 10 oz., meat from 3 oz. to 2/3 oz., sugar from 1 oz. to 1/2 oz. Some food even had to be brought from Russia…” Can we compare this generous behaviour of the victors with that of the German occupational authorities who provided the Russian population either with a bullet or a gallows` halter only? I invite you kindly to visit my two newly created websites dedicated to my country Russia and her thousand-years-long struggle for the survival, at: http://www.russian-victories.ru and http://www.great-victory1945.ru Michael Kuznetsov
2. Pekka 17.03.07 / 5pm

   I think that Russian Great Patriotic war is bunch of fantasy. Anthony Beethover explains that in the Stalingrad book and Jonathan Glover in the book “Humanity”. Stalin was one of the biggest murderer aside Hitler. In Western World people often compare these evil dictators in pairs. “We don’t want to see any more people like Hitler and Stalin” Even Hru�t�ov feared and hated Stalin. Stalin killed maybe 40 million people when Soviet Union system caused 60 million deaths. Communist ideology caused over (The Black book of Communism) 100 million deaths in several countries like Soviet Union, China, Kambodia, Vietnam and North Korea. Pol Pot killed 30% of his own people. Nazis the most terrifying crime was killing 6 million jews and the way they did it was unic in history. But communist ideology has too caused much suffering to innocent people. Pekka, Sweden
3. Michael Kuznetsov 28.03.07 / 3pm

   Dear Pekka, You will probably be surprised, but I used to think about Stalin just your way some fifteen years ago, to my shame now. What is remarkable: I myself used to revile against that ‘horrible bloody maniac’ Stalin, saying just the same harsh phrases against him that you use in your post. I myself believed sincerely that there was no worse monster in the world than Stalin. I considered him to be even worse than Hitler. Now, after YEARS of research in numerous archives, and after having read a great deal of the latest historical books, I have come to a conclusion that I was foolishly mistaken. The real historical facts appeared to differ much from what I used to trust and believe. So, I understand you very well, Pekka, and surely I am not angry with you for your irate words, simply because I see you be mistaken in the same way as I myself was duped formerly. In the nearest future, God permitting, I am going to dedicate several pages on my website specially so that to show the reasons for the changes occured in my mind regarding Stalin. I do not want you – nor any other Westerners – to come to like either Russians in general, or Stalin in particular. Not at all. All I want is only justice and fair play. ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’ St. Luke 2:14. Michael Kuznetsov
4. Jack Rogers 18.04.07 / 9pm

   Adolf Hitler and the 3rd Reich were rank amateurs when compared to Lenin and Stalin. Just go ask any Kulak. oh wait… thats right there arent any anymore are there….
5. Pekka 26.04.07 / 10am

   Michael,

   Please explain to me what do you mean by mistaken? I don’t hate Russian soldiers or Russians but Stalin and his secret police. Russian soldiers fought bravely and suffered much in the war. 40 million deaths by Stalin might be too high death toll but nevertheless he has caused millions death. Stalin destroyed Ukraine’s gulaks..Maybe 7 million died in 1920′s. And of course one of the evil thing Stalin did was the secret pact with Hitler in 1939. Stalin got eastern Poland and Baltics and Finland. Western countries very disgusted when Stalin invaded Finland in 1939…And Stalin killed 200 000 Estonians in 1940.. Hru�t�ov’s notes about Stalin are worth to read. Hru�t�ov hated Stalin and he must have good reasons for that? Gorbatsov also hated Stalin, did he not?

   Please explain we do you put Bible notes? I study theology and I wonder didn’t Stalin persecuted christians? It was denied to import bibles to soviet union untill the collapse of Soviet Union.. Regards Pekka, Sweden.
6. Michael Kuznetsov 28.04.07 / 9pm

   Pekka, Thank you for your good words about Russian soldiers. As to your important questions (I do sincerely consider them important), right now I am busy writing a detailed answer to you. As soon as my rather a lengthy writing is completed I will let you know. I must admit that I would be very pleased to exchange opinions with you, in a sober and benevolent manner as two reasonable and free-minded men should always do. Would you? Although, without expecting that my interlocutor would necessarily share my point of view, or vice versa. After all, we are free people! I am convinced that we may begin with some irrefutable facts, not with opinions. So, I would like to provide you now with one such irrefutable fact. Namely: You are absolutely right saying that it was a very hard, almost impossible thing to import any copies of the Holy Bible into my country during the years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. But evidently, you are not aware of the fact that it was Nikita Khruschev, NOT Stalin, who introduced such order and who attempted to suppress religion at all in Russia. Just to the contrary, it was exactly Stalin who, after having done with his enemies in the second half of the 1930s, began slowly to revive the Russian Orthodox Church, then he re-established the ROC Patriarchate in 1943, and even permitted to re-open a number of seminaries, monasteries and cathedrals all over my country. And what is especially remarkable – it was personally Stalin who advised to begin publication of The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, a monthly clerical magazine, which continues to be published to the present day since 1943. Are you suprised, Pekka? As to my own copy of the Holy Bible, a very cherished one in my family, it belonged ever to my great-great-grandmother. Some years ago I obtained also two copies of the Holy Bible: in English and in Latin, just for the pleasure of my soul. Best regards. Michael, Russia
7. Michael Zeiser 29.04.07 / 9pm

   I am working on a project and, since you two seem to know a lot about Stalin and Hitler, I had a question: During World War II, about how many Russian (civilian and military) deaths did Hitler cause?

   Thanks, Michael
8. Pekka 30.04.07 / 12pm

   Michael,

   Thank you for the info! Stalin may have done some good for the church but didn’t he also left the church in his early years? His mother thought it was a shame. She said that she would rather she him as a preach not a dictator. When Stalin lost his first wife in 1908 he said: “Ekaterina melted my stone heart. Now she’s gone and I have lost my last warm feeling toward humans” ?! That is scaring!

   You must be also aware that in Russia not all see Stalin in positive light? Gorbachev wanted to end Stalin’s fame. Khruschev too. Khruschev wrote that Stalin was very paranoid and could ask his comrades suddently: “Why don’t you look me in the eyes?” or “Why do you avoid my sight?” Wasn’t it Stalin who ordered to execute his best officers in 1936-37?

   Stalin also started aggressive war againt Finland in 1939-40. I know some Finnish people and they don’t like Stalin at all. We Swedish had to take many refugees from Finland because Stalin bombarted Helsinki and Viipuri. What I understand about first war against Finland was Stalin demanded land from Finland. Finland refused and Stalin ordered bombartment of Helsinki and other cities. Some Finnish veterans told about miracles in the front made by God. They thought the war was christians against atheistic communism. I’m also aware that Finland did mistake in 1941 when it occupied Petroskoy..

   Everyone hates Hitler in the West (apart from couple of neo-nazis) so discussion of Hitler is not nessarry. Hitler was evil. Hitler killed 6 million jews and 6 million Russian civilians. And can be blamed starting the world war. People in the West also hate Stalin but little less.
9. Michael Kuznetsov 30.04.07 / 7pm

   Thank you both, Pekka and Michael Zeiser, first for your being interested in so complicated points, and also for your reasonable and sober attitude to the whole matter. Your question, Michael, is partly aswered on my website, namely on page http://www.russian-victories.ru/russians_2.htm I invite you kindly to visit it, as well all the other pages on both of my websites. Their navigation is simple. Although, of course, I am going to continue my researches and so that to find as exact numbers of the losses as possible, and then to post the data upon the websites in the future. Your questions, Pekka, are very helpful for me, thank you. I promise to answer to each one of them, as soon as I can (alas, I am an aged and rather ill man) on my websites: either on http://www.great-victory1945.ru or on http://www.russian-victories.ru I am going to create a special new webpage so that to answer YOUR important questions. I will let you know when it is completed. As to the Finnish-Soviet war, no wonder the Finns do not like Stalin. Who would? But I have some more irrefutable facts in this regard, which will greatly surprised you, I am sure. Till next time! Regards, M.K.
10. Lori 03.12.07 / 3am

    Michael, I have a question that I wondered if you may be able to answer for me. My Grandfather was German and he was held as a prisoner of war in Siberia. He never spoke of the war when he came home so nobody has any information. Can you give me some names of camps to start my search? He was one of less than 100? to survive this camp. Anything you could tell me would be appreciated. Thank you Lori
11. Michael Kuznetsov 25.01.08 / 1pm

    Hi Lori, What a pity that your grandfather did not tell his story! I can presume that he was an honest man, and therefore he could not lie about the so-called ‘Russian atrocities’, but, at the same time, any true positive information about those ‘horrible Russian barbarians’ was never welcomed in the West. So, your grandfather, I believe, had to choose better to keep silent.

    I don’t know exactly how many camps were there in the Soviet Union by the end of the war. But I know for sure that the overwhelming majority of the German prisoners-of-war (POWs) were contained not in the Siberian camps, but they were working on numerous reconstruction sites in the European part of the USSR, just in the cities and towns which where badly destroyed by the Germans during the war.

    “Between 1941 and 1945, a total of 3,576,300 Wehrmacht and SS soldiers were captured by the Soviets. Of this total, 551,500 were immediately released in May 1945, and the remainder were sent to be interned. Out of a total of 2,733,739 Wehrmacht soldiers held in Soviet POW camps, 381,067 died, and 2,352,672 were repatriated to Germany.” That is 86 percent of the German POWs returned home from Russia safe and sound. Not one of 100! But every 86 of 100! Source: “Barbarossa” by Christer Bergstrom page 120. Compare these figures with the dire fate of the Soviet POWs: out of the total of 4,559,000 Red Army soldiers, 3,300,000 died in German captivity. That is only 28 percent of our POWs remained alive in German hands by the day of their liberation. ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’ St. Luke 2:14. Michael Kuznetsov
12. Pekka 17.05.08 / 6pm

    Hello!

    Do you believe that Katyn actrocities agains polish officers was the work of Russian NKVD or Germans?
13. Monzie 20.06.08 / 1pm

    From Wikepedia (on “Soviet war crimes”):

    “Following the Soviet capture of Berlin in 1945, one of the largest and most horrible cases of mass rape occurred. Soviet troops raped German women and girls. Estimates of the total number of rape victims range from tens of thousands to two million. After the summer of 1945, Soviet soldiers caught raping were usually punished to various degrees, ranging from arrest to execution. The rapes continued, however, until the winter of 1947-48, when Soviet occupation authorities finally solved the problem by confining the Soviet troops to strictly guarded posts and camps,completely separating them from the residential population of Eastern Germany.”

    While German atrocities were horrible it is almost more disgusting to read about the Russians’ atrocities, which were made after the war. These were carried out not only in Germany but in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, etc.
14. Michael Kuznetsov 25.07.08 / 2pm

    Hi Folks,

    To Pekka:

    I am convinced that the terrible Katyn Forest massacre of the Poles, Russians, and other POWs there, was committed in the Autumn of 1941 by the German Wehrmacht, SS and Einsatzgruppen. No doubt. I am going to post all the materials about that heinous crime on my website: http://www.russian-victories.ru/index.htm in the nearest future.

    To Monzie:

    The article in Wikipedia, which you quote, is a brazen lie. This is a piece of Dr Goebbels propaganda multiplicated afterwards by the notorious western “cold warriors”.

    But even if we would suppose — for a moment — that it might be a true story, then, nevertheless, the count of victims could never stand any comparison.

    Think of this: The German sadists MURDERED 13 (thirteen) million of innocent Russian civilians — children, women and old people. While, even if we accept the post-Nazi propaganda figures as true — there were 2 (two) million of allegedly RAPED German women. Compare 13 million muredered Russians and 2 million raped Germans. Incomparable!!! The more so, I repeat, the figure of 2 million is a brazen lie. See Ambassador Grigory Karasin’s comment on this theme here: http://www.russian-victories.ru/russians.htm

    Regards, Michael
15. Virgil Hart 11.08.08 / 8pm

    It’s very true, and very unfortunate that the war in the East is often overlooked in Western history. I just came across this blog tonight, completely through accident, and I have to say, so far I’m really enjoying your entries. I’ve always had an interest in Russia, it’s foreign and domestic policy, and actually I suppose the same is true for my interest in most of European history for the last 200 years or so.

    Thanks for some great articles so far. I’ll definately be keeping up with this blog.
16. Daren 18.10.08 / 8pm

    I’m sorry but having viewed the sites referenced and being very well read on the campaigns in the east during World War two i have found nothing in your statements that has any grounding in facts. Evidence investigated at the sites of the Massacres in Ukraine and Estonia prove that these took place during Soviet occupation not while the Germans were active in those areas. What is the source of your evidence to say that 85% of german POWs returned home after the war? The rest of the content you state you have irrefutable proof for is nothing short of Soviet Stalinist propaganda – as damaging as the Nazi propaganda you profess to refute. Why cant you view all of the evidence (from all parties involved) in an unbiased manner and then present your views accordingly.
17. brad 05.11.08 / 4pm

    russians are a bunch of asiatic savages. Stalins speech of May 5 1941 amounted to a declaration of war against the Germanic race and operation Barbarossa preempted the slit eyed hordes from taking over Western Europe.
18. jake 05.11.08 / 4pm

    Actually Hitler was not aware of the holocaust. No document has ever been found of him ordering their killing. Read David Irvings books. The documentary evidence indicates he was far more interested in killing russians such as his order of semptember 29 1941 when he orders the starvation of leningrad and 3 million out of 3.5 million were killed by various means. With regard to pekka or whatever her name is if the Furher ordered the killing of the jews then what accounts of the schlegelberger document. No offense but in truth but he admired the jewish people far more then the primitve slavic population and actually admired stalins brutality towards them.
19. d-vo 14.11.08 / 4pm

    It’s nice to see that people online still know how to type, and talk like civilized peoples. As an American I’m not used to that. Very interesting disscusions
20. Friedrich 01.12.08 / 8am

    One account of Russian brutality has stuck with me for many years. Just outside Berlin a group of 13 and 14 year old Hitler Jugend were desperately trying to evade Soviet capture, which was equal to a death sentence. During their retreat the boys fired on Soviet soldiers in pursuit. When the German boys were captured the Russian commander was so enraged that he decided upon a typical Russian punishment: the German boys were brought before the Russian commander one at a time whereby the Russian bastatrd slit the throat of every boy and then left the boys to drown in their own blood. This is just but one example of how the victorious Russians treated the German people. WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
21. Friedrich 01.12.08 / 8am

    This site is a perfect example of what happens when people allow their political beliefs to supercede historical fact. The ass who created this site displays a photo of a hanging and states that it is a photo of “Germans making an example of Russian youth”. WRONG. These “innocent” youth are instead combatants known as partisans and they do not wear military clothing. The United States today labels such people as terrorists and are dealt with accordingly. STATE THE FACTS YOU DUMB ASS.
22. Kemosabe 04.12.08 / 1am

    Mr. Kuznetsov,

    I enjoyed your website very much. It is very interesting to me to learn about history as seen from the eyes of people who live on the “other side”. Thank you for sharing the link to your site.

    God Bless K
23. Michael Kuznetsov 15.12.08 / 7am

    Dear Kemosabe,

    Thank you for your praise of my site.

    As to the Nazis’ comments posted hereabove, I can only say the following.

    Let us recall what Marshal Stalin said in March 1945:

    “Now we are beating the Germans and many think the Germans will never be able to threaten us again. This is not so. I hate the Germans. But that must not cloud one’s judgement of the Germans. THE GERMANS ARE A GREAT PEOPLE. VERY GOOD TECHNICIANS AND ORGANISERS. GOOD, NATURALLY BRAVE SOLDIERS. It is impossible to get rid of the Germans, they will remain. We are fighting the Germans and will do so until the end. . . . [But we] must be prepared for the Germans to rise again against us.” THUS SPOKE STALIN.

    Unlike the Nazi commentators hereabove, Marshal Stalin did not try to belittle our enemy’s qualities. He was a man of great dignity.

    During the Great Patriotic War 1941 – 1945, we Russians came to knowledge of various German distinctive features, both strong and weak.

    But within the variety of their national traits the most unexpected and surprising for us Russians was to find in the Germans the LACK OF DIGNITY.

    Evidence?

    Just re-read the comments posted above by Daren, brad, jake and Friedrich. They cannot accept with dignity the simple fact that we Russians have proved to be better soldiers. No self-respect on their part, alas. THE LACK OF DIGNITY.

    Pride goes before a fall. Period.
24. carl 22.12.08 / 9pm

    I disagree with the following comments. 1. Russian are not asiatic savages. According to richard mccouloch most are nordic. 2. brad is right that hitler was not aware of the holocaust however. 3 Mr kunikov should is being rather arrogant saying russians are better soilders espcially when they were beaten in world war 1 by the germans and wouuld not have won at all in ww2 if not for bizarre western statesman such as churchill and roosevelt. If it were not for their meddling the eastern front could have been a stalemate The best example is that for every german killed on the eastern front the soviets lost 10 killed. Granted the germans had better weaponry but to say the russians were better is poressing it a bit.
25. be bop a lu la 23.12.08 / 12am

    oh yes biden the vice president has stated that the nuremburg trials prosecution of nazi war criminals was a “waste of time”.
26. be bop a lu la 23.12.08 / 11pm

    I know have to make another comment after reading some of these above. I am not sure 3 million were killed in the leningrad blockade. It was 1 million. I also not sure if youre right about 10 soviet soilders killed for every german. I think it is 5 for every german. also could one clarify if these are russians or whether these are tarters georgians central asians and other minorities and in nationality battalions included in the soviet army. The point is that the Russian was a fearless combat soilder. If i remember correctly the tarters absorbed huge casualties at the front and as civilians at hands german execution squads. The point is that im not sure the things discussed on this comments accurate. Anyway i found the above article to be good in content. Antony Beevor is a fraud. He claims 2 million were raped not including romanians and hungraians. What rapes did occur would have been in German East Prussia. And they are not technically German since the prussians were actually germanized slavs. I hope i have set the record straight. Thank you.
27. cow 30.12.08 / 3pm

    faith in magic and the occult lingered for centuries in russia long after the renaissance with its emphasis on rationalism and empiricism weakened similar beliefs in western europe
28. be bop a lu la 31.12.08 / 4pm

    Russia might win world war 2 by itself. The U.S. privided a sideshow. When americans land in france in 1944 it took them during june to july to break out. During that times alone some 17,000 American GIS deserted. Many more gave themeselves self inflicted wounds. The invasion forces at normany had not yetmoved inland when “some of the army field hospitals were overloaded with soilders with self inflicted wounds.”
29. Anthony 16.01.09 / 3am

    This is a wonderful site that promotes the unbiased exchange of historical facts, although sometimes emotions may cloud our keyboards. I have lived in the U.S., Ukraine, and am now in China. I will say that in the pursuit of historical fact, the only thing that we can agree on is that we will never know the exact numbers, motivations, or who is directly or indirectly responsible for the past. Our goal should be only to discuss the sources and any of the many possibilities of the true past. Who among you could even state what is happening in your countries now? Today? Who is responsible? What are their motivations? What atrocities are occurring and why? Let alone what happened half a century ago. It is ALL propaganda. And we must accept it as such. We can only post our opinions and we must realize that they are only that.
30. Landru 26.01.09 / 11pm

    War must be done away with. We are spiritual beings, the same too. If we had a coalition to teach equal spirituality, all wars would end. Forget religion, it only causes war. Metaphysics is a very fascinating study and I urge any and all to do so.
31. Hen 18.02.09 / 8pm

    I think soldiers who commit crimes should be shot. Esp rape, murder and arsons. The CO also should be shot.
32. Markovich 20.02.09 / 8pm

    michale kuznetsov, you ROCK. fuck you anti-russians, you will all go to hell for defying the one and true God and the man whom He chose to save the world from chaos: Joseph Vissarionovic Stalin.
33. LENNY 22.02.09 / 4pm

    These “innocent” youth are instead combatants known as partisans and they do not wear military clothing. The United States today labels such people as terrorists and are dealt with accordingly. STATE THE FACTS YOU DUMB ASS.

    IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOUR COUNTRY AND KILLS YOUR PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WANT YOUR LAND NOT ONLY YOUR MILITARY WILL FIGHT ENEMY BUT ALSO YOUR PEOPLE THE ONES THAT YOU REFER TO AS PARTISANS. I DONT UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT SAYING THAT THE PERSON HANGED IS A PARTISAN AS IF IT IS OK TO KILL PARTISANS WHO AFTER ALL JUST TRYING TO FIGHT ENEMY. DONT FORGET THAT GERMANS COMMITED ATTROCITIES FIRST AND RUSSIANS JUST WANTED REVENGE. I AM NOT SAYING THAT WHATEVER RUSSIANS DID WAS OK NO IT WAS NOT BUT WAR WAS STARTED BY NAZIS NOT COMMUNISTS. HANGING PARTISAN GIRL BECAUSE SHE IS DEFENDING HER LAND AND HER PEOPLE IS NOT OK. I AM SURE IF RUSSIA INVADED GERMANY AND RUSSIANS WOULD HANG GERMAN PARTISANS I DONT THINK IT WOULD BE OK.

    COMPARING PARTISANS WHO FIGHT FOR THEIR LAND AND THEIR PEOPLE TO TERRORISTS IS SO WRONG AS THE TWO ARE NOT COMPARABLE.
34. Markovich 23.02.09 / 7am

    michale kuznetsov, YOU ROCK!!!!!

    I thought it was just me, in this world who had BRAINS. AFTER ALL THE PERSECUTION, you have made my suffering worthwhile. thanks,
35. Peter 09.03.09 / 6am

    I think it is quite silly to post this picture of a Berlinerin whose byke is being stolen by a Russian soldier, and trying to make the world believe this was “representative” for Red Nazi, pardon me: Red Army atroticies. Because you know very well, that its not.

    But i am not surprised, as this website apparantly comes from a Dutch person, a nation that heavily collaborated with the Nazis, betrayed Anne Frank and has a violent past full of Colonialist Atroticies.
36. Peter 09.03.09 / 6am

    PS And no need to post “german atroticies”, as it is quite boring to see the same thing 10 000 times a day. If you turn on TV, you see Nazi crimes, Hitler, Jews etc every day.

    But when do you see all those British, Dutch, American and Soviet Genocides? The British have murdered 29 Million in India only, the Soviets 39 Million in their Concentration camps only, the Americans have exterminated 50 Million American Indians.

    So where are all those films, reports, school lectures ? None. Because YOU guys from those “good’” nations like USA, England, etc believe that when some nations commit genocides they are crimes, and when some others commit even worse ones,they are no problem. How hypocrite.

    The history of England, USA and Russia is far worse than the Nazis, each one of these “good” nations have attacked, invaded, tortured, enslaved, and massmurdered more people in their genocides than the Nazis did. The only reason why you never hear about them, is because people like you, dear webmaster, prefer to suppress historic facts and simply ignore them.

    Groetjes van Duitland

    PS ik hou van nederland, maar ik houd niet van oneerlijke mensen. Dag.
37. Peter 09.03.09 / 6am

    PS2:

    In order to bring a little more balanced view to your manipulative site:

    Maybe not as funny as your “Bike” picture: German boy and girl, only two of 2.0 Million children, mothers and elderly murdered by those “liberators”:

    http://usuarios.lycos.es/libre.....dorf_2.jpg

    http://usuarios.lycos.es/libre.....dorf_1.jpg

    But of course, you can always publish a selective range of pictures, thus suppressing facts and making the world believe the “good” Allies commited no genocide.
38. adam 13.03.09 / 6pm

    It’s very sad to read these comments.

    I am Polish and the Poles have suffered a lot from the German and Russian side. I don’t want to elaborate on the WWII history but hearing you guys that Katyń was not a Russian atrocity or Hitler did not know about Holocaust is terribly silly.

    The Soviets made a lot of atrocities during and after the WWII, e.g. (i) building the Berlin Wall, leaving all central and eastern Europe economically destroyed and a lot more. The Germans were guilty launching WWII but now they are free, conscious nation willing to reconciliate with past victims and not saying nonsenses that they were heroes not executioners.

    I don’t know what are you driving at writing so silly things instead to promote you Russians as friendly people but leaving in much part of the history under yoke of dictators.

    Regards and please stop excusing crime and writing fairy-tales.

    Adam
39. Andre 01.05.09 / 8pm

    Nice to see an intellectual discussion.
40. marie 18.07.09 / 2pm

    I am trying to contact Michael Kuznetsov to ask his permission regarding using some of his images in a book that I am writing. Can anyone help? as I cannot find any direct e-mail address for him. Many thanks, regards Marie.
41. Itinerarius 22.07.09 / 7am

    Somebody shall ad something else to so ridiculous myths, I have seen above? 1. About soviet military casualties. In the begginig of the War the german military art was at the high point. Compare army loses of their first victims & enemies. Polish army lost in September 1939 66000 soldiers killed against 13000 killed germans. The troubles of Western allies forces were also hard. In the Battle of France (9 May – 14 June 1940) they lost 360 000 men killed & wounded, and 1900 000 captured compared with 45000 killed germans. The soviet army casualties in (1941-1942) were not higher in % proportion, and in 1943-1945 they gone lower. But the difference was in scale and duration of open confrontation and resistance in the Eastern front (four years instead of moth of open resistance in 1940 and 11 months campaign in 1944-1945). Western land forces firstly revealed themselves too weak for competition with so furious Warriors, as Germans were. Only after hard defeats of Germans by soviets and millions of german loses in the East they stopped to retire and dared to invade continent. Al Alamein and Tunis battles could not be compared with enormous activity of warfare in the Eastern front. In this struggle Russia crushed the colonialist ambitions of Bismark-Hitler policy, and crushed the age of the wotld colonialist system at all. The colonial empires collapsed after WW II — and this was result of this World War. Because the soviet persistent resistance was the example for many nations. 2. Adam involuntary quoted XIX century Jacob Burckhardt conception. Acording to this those people who belong to another civilisation and oder are treated as mechanical creatures without personall will. May be these “eternal enemies” are not humans at all? This old Iron Ages conception justifies colonialism. And Poland to the end of Iron Age of colonial expansion desired to became the colonial power. In 1930-th the Polish statesmen declared such ambition to capture some colonies in Africa. Poland took part in Nazy invasion to Tchekhoslovakia and gained territorial acquisition in this enterprise. But Poland did not become the next colonial power. Very soon it become the next victim of Nazy und Feind des Reiches. Isn`t enough lesson for stubborn Polish pride?
42. Tom Murray 09.08.09 / 8pm

    Hi Micheal, Do you have the figures on how many Russian soldiers died in the gulag during the end of WW II and afterward? I can’t find the figures in any book and even Solzhenitsyn doesn’t elaborate on the total figure. This is for Peter. Have you read any American Indian history at all? Do you know how many Indian wars there were long before any European settlers landed on this continent? Do you know the reason why certain Indian tribes associated with different European armies in controls of different areas of what is now USA, Canada, and Mexico? When you read up on this part of history, you tell me who committed what genocide. ))))) Until then, I’m laughing at your assumptions because you know little about the history of the Americas. By the way, Peter, your wonderful Nazi’s are lucky that the USA didn’t drop an A bomb on your country when your Hitler youth were out raping everything in site. You may also want to talk to some of your own militarymen who were thankful that they were taken prisoner by the American army and not the Free French for what the Gestapo did to the free French fighting in France. We don’t hear much about those rapes, killings, and atrocities, do we? We only hear about 9 million Jews and Gypsies.
43. Peter 02.09.09 / 10pm

    I am Polish and we will never forget Katyn. And stab in the back in September ’39. And their “liberation” which left us, Poland for 50 years without resources and behind even Germany (supposedly beaten country). Russians were worst than Germans. And we should always remember how they stopped in 1944 in front of Warsaw to allow insuraction to be destroyed. So fuck off.
44. Jules 05.11.09 / 5pm

    There is some real rubbish on this site. 17,000 US deserters between June and July 1944? Rot. Where is the evidence. The British have murdered 29 Million in India only.More rubbish with no evidence. Hitler knew and ordered the Holocaust; Irving has been proven to be a liar. Read some history and stop peddling fabrications. Hitler was evil and so was Stalin. Different sides of the same coin.
45. Ian Buxton 19.11.09 / 7am

    I also stumbled across your site. A very civilized debate about the ‘atrocities of war’. Let’s be brutally honest in war – it’s kill or be killed. Conflicts are still ongoing today and I am sure the rules of the Geneva Convention are followed to the letter. We should learn from our past mistakes in history and TRY forgive. But never forget. Europeans dwell far too much on history.
46. muks 15.12.09 / 3pm

    Russians are murderers ALL they like killing and torturing alone cince year 1030 they have systematicly wanted to exterminate estonias and when our brave prime minister Ansip took town that ,,Aljocha ´´ statue they systematicly wated to destroy US buy terrorisin and looting in Tallinn year 2007

    my relatives were murdered by russian soldiers during their second ocupation 1944
47. Embryo 18.01.10 / 9am

    You have a nerve to say that Germans did Katyn. That’s a lie in a broad daylights and you know it. It makes me sick that this communist brainwashing is still in force. There are no clean people in the war and everybody commits atrocities. That’s the face of an armed conflict. But to say that Russians are better than Germans? They were killing Poles in Auschwitz long after the war – the camp was running (not the crematoriums or gas chambers of course) till around early 1950′s. Hitler sacrificed his German folks but Stalin merely executed them. Basically that makes him better. Good joke.
48. Andrew Joiner 25.03.10 / 1am

    Michael,

    I really enjoyed both of your websites! I actually visited Moscow last summer, and one of my favorite parts of the visit was seeing the statue of Zhukov on horseback, standing on the banners of the Nazis.

    As to the campaign in the East, I have to disagree with your characterization of all German soldiers as murderers. Many were just unfortunate enough to have to serve in the Wermacht, and to have been part of this ill advised invasion of your Motherland.

    As to the great leader, Josef Stalin, there is much to be admired. He was faced with modernizing a state with almost no infrastructure, and was forced to make tough decisions as to how this was to be done. Had he not been the leader of the Soviet Union, I think the Soviets would have never been able to ramp up wartime production and produce the high volume of war materials necessary to turn the tide against the Nazis and ultimately defeat them utterly. I think he was a man with good intentions, but he was directly responsible for the deaths of millions, many of who were innocents. I don’t think it’s fair to his memory to judge him today outside of the context of the time he led the Soviet Union.

    Keep up the good work!

    Andy Joiner Atlanta, Georiga
49. Jeff 23.06.10 / 7pm

    A lot of bs is being posted here. Katyn massacre was commited by the soviets, victims were executed by a bullet to the neck, trademark of NKVD. However, this massacre was nothing compared to what the germans did in occupied countries, which was not only morally wrong but also had a major impact on the campaign in the east. The populations of Ukraine, and other soviet territories hated and despised the russians. If Germany presented itself as a savior instead of master, things would have gone alot smoother. That being said the nonsense of russians being better soldiers is almost as funny as the use of the pictures at the top of this page, or the comment of Stalin being a God send. The german Whermacht and Waffen-SS proved time and time again even when the war was completely lost that they were the best soldiers of their time. Russia defeated Germany with a mix of luck (the winter of ’41), the fact they commited to total war long before germany, and they had what seemed a limitless amount of reserves. How does Stalin put out a fire? he throws bodies on it. Also,Russia produced tanks that were much superior to the german panzers until the development of the Tigers and Panthers which came toolate and in not enough numbers. Hitler as a tactician made several key blunders as head of the armed forces, and should have had more faith in his generals. That being said the russians showed a resiliance matched by none, and in my opinion don’t get the credit they deserve in defeating germany. I believe it was something like 85% of the german armed forces destroyed on Russian soil. I am an American of german heritage, and it irritates me how my country acts like we went in and saved europe, when all we really did was keep France from falling into communist hands, and ensured a communist dominated europe for that era in history. I must say thank god the germans did go in and do what they did for if they hadn’t weakened Russia inflicting around 20 million deaths, Stalin may have ended up conquering europe for they were gearing up for war they didnt think would be fought til ’42, which was a main reason Hitler struck when he did he wanted to wipe them out before they gained that sort of strength and let us not be mistaken the communist agenda was about conquering europe. Bottom line both countries commited heinous acts of barbarism, but the reds were less disciplined and often drunk, raping everything in sight as they moved west. The german soldier was much more disciplined and when it came to war crimes it was more ideological. Both are in the wrong, but what eats at me is propaganda like the stupid photos above, if they wanted it more fair they should have pics of the young girls literally raped to death by soldiers of the Red Army, or all the pople the soviets strung up, instead you show pics of germans getting food? Fuck that bullshit, the germans also were capable of such acts of kindness. Russia was no saint, they even brutalised soviet POW’s released from captivity on Stalin’s orders. Those are the facts for you fools.
50. Jordan 30.06.10 / 4am

    Wow Michael, reading your one eyed account of Russias history makes me realise why your people are so often ruled by dictators. The Russians, contrary to your website and comments, brutalised the german civilian population after “liberation” How you can dispute historical facts and make Russians out to be this brave indomitable wonder child is beyond me. The only reason Russia was ab le to beat the germans is that they poured more machines and bodies into the conflict than could the germans. You state on your website that the Germans vastly out numbered the Russians – please!! Where do you dig up this drivel. By the way my grandmother was in Berlin when you brave russians arrived – Russians are no better than any other nation in war – all disgusting – accept that cuz you know its true.
51. Jordan 30.06.10 / 5am

    Oh yes and when the Tzar and his family were butchered in cold blood, I guess thats just another example of the wonderful Russian nature hmmmm. Hypocrite – the worst kind of one eyed patriotic mad man.
52. shura 09.11.10 / 10am

    To Friedrich’s comment posted on 01.12.08 Of course all sides in all conflicts commit war crimes. The difference is in scale and barbarity, as well if it’s an official policy or a separate actions of individuals. For example, you know Yuri Gagarin of course, the first man in space. His older brother was hanged by a German soldier just for fun. He survived – his mother managed to take him out of the loop when he was still alive – while a German soldier was out bringing his camera to make a photo. This is no doubt an atrocity. And what you refer to is a crime to some extent – POWs were killed having no weapons, but it happened after capitulation of Germany and THEY fired at Russians first. And it was SS soldiers, not HitlerJugend children, you’ just have to dignity to use a blatant lie. Your hate makes you lie. Here is what you refer to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4guAZMuwGU
53. shura 09.11.10 / 11am

    Peter, you’re right. We should not forget about 1.7 million German POWs who died in concentration camps in Western zone of occupation. Just during cold war Soviet troops’ crimes were exagerrated and American ones were censored due to cold war propaganda reasons. http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v10/v10p161_Brech.html Adam, of course Poland suffered from Russia after WWII. But don’t forget what Poles themselves did to German population in territories Poland gained, as well as the size of those territories. So, I’d say all sides had their own record of crimes. The difference was the scale and barbarity of them, as well as the fact that in the West people are brainwashed in one direction, in USSR they were in opposite direction. After collapse of USSR Russia publicly acknowledged big part if not all black pages of its history, but the West is still to do it. It’s hard to do it under cold war stereotypes which still dominate Western public opinion, but it is still necessary.
54. jon barrow 30.12.10 / 8am

    Mr Kuznetsov

    I’m sorry to say this, but I think you are somewhat deluded.

    Of course much German Nazi behaviour in WW2 was abhorrent. However, Germany and to a lesser extent its allies have been wracked by war guilt ever since, and both the German state and most Germans make no attempt to excuse WW2 history, which in fact modern Germans can’t be held accountable for.

    Likewise, modern Russians can’t be held accountable for Stalin-era atrocities, but nevertheless the modern Russian state refuses to declassify documents relating to possible genocide in Ukraine and against the Tartars; Soviet war crimes against Poles, Russians, Germans, Hungarians and others; agressive wars against Finns, Baltic people, etc. And many ex-Soviet people appear to maintain a Soviet-style mentality of simply refuting well-grounded evidence or engaging in evasive semantics.

    If Russia really wants to be taken seriously as a state which can share in our common European heritage of the enlightenment, liberalism and logic I believe it needs to at least face up to well-documented historical facts.
55. GOULD 07.03.11 / 5pm

    70% of civilian women in Berlin were raped by “the average Russian soldiers!. Both countries were brutal but nothing can ever beat the total horror commited by the Russians. That would be against their own as well. Russian soldiers who were captured by Nazi forces were not spared by their own. They were killed or sent them to reeducation camps. All dictators are about one thing…THEMSELVES! To stay in power you have to have retarded brainwashed peoples like Koznetzov.
56. GreekAdonis1234 11.10.11 / 1am

    I’m sorry Friedrich but what goes around comes around buddy. You conveniently forget that you Germans committed far worse atrocities than the Russians. What about the death camps of the Nazis killing millions of people in the most inhumane ways, at least the Russians were quick. You people are the real ones that destroyed Europe, and boy did the Russians fix you people up when they got to Germany to avenge the unimaginable things you did to them. And to Brad, don’t get mad little Nazi just because Russians are better soldiers.

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