THE SOVIET STORY

THE SOVIET STORY

 Active searching for new and unknown films, dvds, video tapes and  documentaries dealing with controversial subjects, are a past time activity of me. The searching is thrilling. During a short visit to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, I found a documentary film dealing with the collaboration between Soviet Union and Nazi- Germany before 1941. The title of the film is: “The Soviet Story “. The film was directed by Edvins Snore. In May 5, 2008, the film was released. I have viewed the film twice already because the story was new to me. I recall that I have heard rumours about the mass killing of people in Soviet Union, but I had problems in believing the stories. The director of the film, Edvins Snore, has made a public statement about the aim of the film. The content of the film is dealing with the theoretical basis of Soviet communism, and its practical application by the Soviet Union.  Both the Soviet Union and Nazi-Germany believed in creating new people and to get rid of those who were not fit for life. The theories indicated the right to wipe out people who did not show the standard required by the regimes. The film analyses the character of both the theory of Communism and National Socialism (Nazism).

Even the famous British author, George Bernard Shaw, made public statements about the right to live and not to live. Archival footage of the statements of George Bernard Shaw was used in the film. The film features interviews with Western and Russian historians such as: Norman Davies from Cambridge University, Volodimir Sergiychuk from University of Kiel, Boriss Sokolov, Pierre Rigoulot from Institut d’histoire Sociale, Paris, Francoise Thom, Professor of Modern History, Sorbonne, Paris, George Watson, Literary historian, Cambridge University, Alexander Guryanov from “ Memorial “ Society, Moscow, Nicolas Werth, co-author of “ The Black book of Communism “, Natalia Lebedeva, Sergey Shuck, Christopher Beazley, historian and Member of the European Parliament, Inese Vaidere, Member of the European Parliament, Latvia, Girtsv. Kristovskis, Member of the European Parliament and Michael Gahler, Member of the European Parliament, Germany.

The film is an attack on the former Soviet Union, on the politics of Josef Stalin, and the criminal regime of Josef Stalin and the criminal regime of Adolf Hitler in Germany. The Russian attack on Finland is mentioned too and the occupations of the Baltic states.

Edvins Snore spent about ten years collecting archival materials for his documentary film which was finished after two years of working. Unique historical photos, archival footage, documents, video tapes and footage have been collected by Edins Snore from European audiovisual archives, audiovisual archives in Latvia and Ukraine. The footage, the films, the photos used are contenting brutal stories.