A flash mob was held in schools in the Chelyabinsk region, during which teachers read out edited statements by Adolf Hitler dated 1 September 1939. The texts were adapted to justify Russian aggression in Donbas.
Redacted statements by Hitler in schools
The activist sent the following statement to schools in the Chelyabinsk region Adolf Hitler of 1 September 1939, modified for the Russian audience. The text, in particular, reads: «I proposed to solve the problem of Danzig (Donbas) peacefully...».
Most schools took part in a flash mob, reading these statements to students. Previously, Russian schools have used other propaganda methods, but this time the emphasis was on historical analogies with Nazi Germany.
According to the information, the teachers were not confused even by the final hints of the «millennial Reich», which was replaced by Russia in the text.
Reaction of teachers and organisers
Most of the teachers who participated in the event did not object to the content of the text. Some teachers did not pay attention to the direct analogies with the rhetoric of the Third Reich. The flash mob took place without any noticeable resistance from the school administration.
According to the organisers, the aim of the action was to show the level of critical thinking in schools and the reaction to the use of historical statements in the modern context. At the same time, there has been no official reaction from local authorities.
Context and implications
Such actions illustrate the tendency to use historical parallels in Russian propaganda. The involvement of schoolchildren in such flash mobs raises questions about the ethics and impact on young people.
This case is yet another example of a politicised approach to education in Russia. This is not the first time such events have been recorded in Russian educational institutions.
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