SPASIBO! THANK YOU! MERCI! DANKE!
MAY 8: ALLIANCE OF ANTI-FASCISTS
By International Federation of Resistance Fighters
[This declaration published 5/8/2010 is translated from the German on the Internet,
http://www.jungewelt.de/2010/05-08/057.php.]
On May 8, 1945, 65 years ago, humanity experienced the final shattering of German fascism. This date marks the victory over the inhuman regime of Hitler-fascism that excluded, persecuted and arrested political opponents and dissenters, murdered millions of people, Jews, gypsies and Slovaks, overran all neighboring states in Europe and lands and peoples in other parts of the world with war, occupation and destruction, a war that cost the lives of more than 50 million people.
The fascist plans for world domination were stopped by the Anti-Hitler coalition. The armed forces of the allies, above all members of the Soviet army, bore the main burden of the war – 27,000,000 civilian and military casualties in the USSR. Partisans and resistance fighters in all the occupied countries and in Germany gave their lives for the freedom of their home countries. This national liberation movement included women and men, communists and Catholics, liberals and social democrats, unionists and conservatives.
We honor all these patriots, the contribution of the anti-fascist alliance and the national liberation movements. May 8, 1945 is the day of liberation and victory for all the peoples threatened by German fascism, for the fighters against fascism in all countries, for all the persecuted and victims of fascist regimes. This historical truth is increasingly repressed. The crimes of fascism are relativized and collaborators are rehabilitated or stylized as “freedom heroes.” The International Federation of Resistance Fighters – FIR – Alliance of Anti-Fascists protests all attempts at establishing a reactionary view of history – marked by the totalitarianism doctrine and falsification and distortion of history – in Europe.
On this anniversary we remember: May 8, 1945 marks the beginning of a new policy in international relations. The common interest of all the Nazi-enemies created the foundations of international law that was the basis for the prosecution and condemnation of the main war criminals in the Nuremberg Tribunal. After the victory over Nazi-fascism, the peoples of different countries for the first time gained political, economic, social and cultural rights fixed in their constitutions. This was also important for strengthening the anti-colonial and anti-fascist struggle where such regimes existed.
The “right of the stronger” in international relations, agreements and international law – that arose under the shelter of the UN – was broken and exposed. This is also true today – in the train of the collapse of former socialist countries. Therefore we must strengthen our struggle against imperialist interventions and incursions, against militarization and for restoration of the authority of international law and resolutions of the United Nations. The common watchword of all anti-fascists was: “Never Again!’ This is an obligation for today and tomorrow.