The VII International conference “Lessons of the Holocaust and modern Russia” started work in Rostov-on-Don

An international conference “Lessons of the Holocaust and modern Russia” opened on August, 12, in Southern research center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Rostov-on-Don within the framework of memorial actions devoted to the 70^th anniversary of the tragedy in Zmievskaya balka. The main topic of the scientific forum is the Holocaust in Northern Caucasus and fates of the Jewish intelligentsia during the years of the Second World War.

According to Professor Ilia Altman, Co-chairman of “The Holocaust. Russia” center who opened the conference, scientists from 11 countries were participating in it. He emphasized that it was the “first discussion of the Holocaust theme at the regional level and the first film forum devoted to the Holocaust would be held concurrently with the conference”.

The participants of the conference listened to the speech of Shimon Samuels, Director of the European Center named after Simon Wiesenthal, with great interest. He spoke about depreciation of the Holocaust theme which in his opinion is observed nowadays.  

“It is easier to bewail people who perished 70 years ago than mourn for those who are dying today”, Samuels emphasized adding that only in 2002 more synagogues were destroyed and burned down in the World than during the “Kristallnacht” in Germany.

Irit Abramsky, Head of Russian-language programs of Yad Vashem school (Israel), expressed her surprise about the fact that the World knew so little of the mass execution in Zmievskaya balka. She thinks that the situation should be set right.