Ukrainian Conflict: Focus on Germany’s Historical Responsibility!

Ukrainian Conflict: Focus on Germany’s Historical Responsibility!

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine marks the third anniversary on February 24, 2023. The rampant casualties among the Ukrainian population are alarming: it is estimated that up to 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 12,000 civilians have died, while around 400,000 people have been injured. Professor Dr. Ricarda Vulpius, an Eastern European historian at the University of Münster, describes the “bad mood” in Ukraine. The population longs for a just and secure peace, but is faced with difficult choices as the peace negotiations discuss cessions of territory that Vulpius considers to be historically unjustified.

In 1991, over 90% of the population in Donbass voted for Ukrainian independence, and in Crimea, more than half of the residents also voted in favor of it. In this context, the EU has abandoned the practice of territorial haggling, which makes President Zelensky's demands for necessary security guarantees to ensure a robust peace seem all the more urgent. The US has supported Ukraine's NATO membership since 2008, but admission under current conditions is unlikely.

Historical responsibility of Germany

The discussion about Germany's historical responsibility towards Ukraine has become more important in recent years. On May 19, 2017, a motion on Germany's historical responsibility was introduced in the German Bundestag, initiated by Marieluise Beck of the Alliance 90/The Greens faction. The application was not accepted, but was forwarded to the Foreign Affairs Committee for further processing. The aim was to strengthen historical responsibility, promote active support for Ukraine and stimulate remembrance dialogues.

In her speech, Beck emphasized that Ukraine and other countries such as Belarus and Lithuania are often not perceived as “bloodlands” in Germany, even though they lived through a painful history in the 20th century, including the Holodomor and the devastation of the Second World War. A majority of the speeches recognized Germany's historical responsibility. Dr. Fritz Felgentreu from the SPD said that Ukraine is often difficult to perceive in Germany as a European country with its own identity.

Challenges and propaganda

The need to strengthen knowledge about Ukraine in Germany is often emphasized. Dr. Hans Peter-Uhl (CDU/CSU) and Dr. Ute Finckh-Krämer (SPD) called for countering the relativization of historical responsibility. Critical voices from the Die Linke faction advocated a policy of peace and balance towards Russia and Ukraine.

However, the discourse about Ukraine is significantly influenced by Russian propaganda, which often portrays Ukraine as a Nazi collaborator. This leads to a crisis of terms. Difficulties in classifying the conflict are reflected in various terms such as “conflict”, “civil war” or “hybrid war”. In order to counteract the distortion of perception, it is crucial to promote bilateral platforms in civil society, culture, history and science.

Understanding the influential Russian propaganda and its impact on the information space in Europe is essential for future political and social decisions. Ukraine needs maximum support to prevent future aggression, as Vulpius notes, not to let the lessons of the past be forgotten and not to negate responsibility for what happened.