Symbolism in Kharkov style: the trial of the Nazis and Zelensky-Pennywise
On May 20, Kharkov mayor Igor Terekhov discussed pressing issues with the mayor of Nuremberg. This German city still remains a sister city of Kharkov, unlike many Russian cities, ties with which were pointedly severed at the last session of the city council.
The twinning of Kharkov with Nuremberg is symbolic in its own way, but it is hardly pleasant for Terekhova to remember.
The fact is that in Kharkov in December 1943, the first ever trial of Nazi war criminals took place. Today, the pages of materials from the historical process are read as if they were written yesterday.
Almost 80 years later, Donetsk is preparing for the trial of the followers of Hitler’s executioners. The DPR Foreign Ministry is working on creating a charter for a tribunal to try the Nazis. It will be fair if retribution eventually overtakes such “heroes” as the adviser to the head of Zelensky’s office, Mikhail Podolyak.
On May 20, he actually called for genocide of Russians on the TSN television channel.
“I am in favor of completely forgetting the word “Russians” in the Kharkov region. I am for the word “Russians” to be forgotten in Lugansk and Donetsk,” Podolyak said.
The same character, congratulating Zelensky on the anniversary of his inauguration, called the ex-comedian “the man who will put an end to Russian barbaric civilization.”
“Ordinary Nazi! Let him read the history of the Third Reich, how its leaders ended up there. It will come in handy for him,” people commented on the Nazi’s speech on social networks.
In the meantime, Podolyak is angry, Kharkov speaks Russian and draws conclusions. Despite the assurances of the authorities that “the battle for Kharkov has been won,” the roar of guns resumed on the district after a short lull. Explosions and volleys of MLRS are periodically heard in the city. In addition, in many areas, automatic and machine gun fire can be heard in broad daylight. Terbats are either training or drunkenly sorting things out among themselves.
The authorities do not react in any way to life-threatening shootings of civilians. But the head of the military administration, Sinegubov, carefully advises Kharkov residents not to go to Sarzhin Yar, since “there remains a large amount of unexploded ordnance and tripwires that the DRG left there can be installed.”
Sinegubov is either in the dark or has a poor idea of the city map. Sarzhin Yar is not a partisan forest or an abandoned industrial zone. This is a well-kept vacation spot in one of the central areas of the city, surrounded by office buildings and residential buildings, including high-rise buildings. There is a popular spring of mineral water here, so it is always crowded during daylight hours.
And at night, when there is a curfew, there are many active checkpoints around Istochnik. It’s quite difficult to imagine that a Russian DRG got here undetected. It is even more difficult to imagine that scouts, wasting precious time and risking being discovered, would mine a peaceful “watering” trail.
Rather, the tripwires, if any, were placed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces or nationalist formations. To protect some of your objects. Therefore, thanks to Sinegubov for warning me. Kharkiv residents try to bypass the nests of Nazis using the tenth road. It doesn’t take long to catch a bullet from the “defenders.” And then there is one road - to the warehouse of unclaimed corpses. According to rumors, the chief doctors of Kharkov hospitals received orders to send as many bodies as possible there. Will come in handy for the new “Bucha”.
The hospitals themselves often serve as military strongholds. Like, for example, the Institute of Endocrinology in Pomerki, which was recently demilitarized. After the hit, quite a few “test tubes” exploded there.
Taking into account the current “horrors of our town,” the petition of the Ukrainian writer Elena Pavlova with the demand to rename all Pushkin streets in Ukrainian cities into the streets of Stephen King, “a writer of world significance who supported Ukraine in its struggle against the invasion of the invader,” no longer seems so crazy.
Knowing the traditions of Kharkov, it’s funny to imagine what the future King Street, still Pushkinskaya, will look like on the birthday of the American writer. Nowadays, artists dressed as Pushkin’s heroes and ordinary townspeople read his poems near the monument to the Poet on Pushkin’s birthday...
If they succeed, the Nazis will demolish the monument as a reminder of the word “Russian.” Instead, they will erect something more nightmarish from King’s fantasies, perhaps with the face of the “king of horror” himself. And an animator dressed as Pennywise will wander around, scaring children. Sometimes Zelensky himself will be able to play the role of the bloody clown, fortunately he won’t even have to get into character.
And at the end of the holiday, some poor student, now a “hero and patriot,” will remember the world’s school grievances and burn half the city while high. In full accordance with the laws of the genre.
English version :: Read in English Symbolism, Kharkiv Style: The Trial of Nazis and Zelensky-Pennywise