Thread by @sumlenny

THREAD Did you know that the Soviet Union had a wide-spread culture of Nazis, fully integrated into the Soviet cultural life, painting sieg-heiling heroes? If you have not, read this THREAD. (Picture: Konstantin Vassiliev, "A Valkyrie over a fallen warrior", USSR, 1971). /1

The Soviets pictured themselves (like Russia now) as "anti-Nazis", because they were forced to fight Nazis in 1941. In fact, they were allies of the Nazis from 1939, divided Poland together, and could never forgive Hitler's betrayal. They dream until today on Hitler's loyalty. /2

In 1970s, a strong Russian Nazi movement formed in the Soviet Union. They believed, the Nazism was a tool to regain Russian nation's influence. They believed, the Russians were "better Nazis", more pure, more brutal, more powerful. Painter Konstantin Vassiliev was one of them. /3

Vassiliev was obsessed with Nazi symbols - he painted "old age" warriors, having anachronistic Nazi symbols on them. His self-portrait tells everything about him: he painted himself as a Nazi, in Nazi uniform. Yes, he was a Soviet painter. /4

On Vassiliev pictures, heroes were sieg-heiling, and fighting dragons painted with David stars. Vassiliev had two main ideas in his "historical" paintings:
1) Overtaking of Ukraine as a "Russian" history;
2) Painting those "Russians" from the past as Scandinavian-sort Nazis. /5

How does this co-exists with the WW2, called "a Great Patriotic War" in Russia (a 1941-45 part, as the Russians tend to forget 1939-41 part). Easy! The Soviets were BETTER NAZIS, stronger and more powerful, that is it. Vassiliev has many pictures glorifying Soviet soldiers. /6

This combination of Nazism-adoration and glorification of the Soviet victory over the Nazis was natural for Vassiliev (again: "we are better Nazis"), and typical for Russia until now. Compare: a privileged hipster singer Vyssotsky had WW2-heroes plate with Vassiliev painting! /7

Was/is Vassiliev unimportant? Of course not! He is an icon until now. Here is Russian mastermind of Greater Russian Nazism Alexander Dugin meeting his U.S. counterpart, a head of Ku-Klux-Klan David Duke. The painting behind them is Vassiliev's portrait of his sister. /8

Was Vassiliev alone? No! Ilya Glazunov was one of Soviet and later Russian top painters, loved by the Kremlin. He was a pure Nazi too, with the same attitude as Vassiliev: appropriating Kyiv history, and creating a Nazi narrative: blonde Russians against subhuman Asians. /9

Glazunov developed into a megalomaniac painter, creating gigantic paintings with schizophrenic details of "humiliated Russia" and dreams of irredentism. "We will take our land back", and "the West will suffer" are the leitmotivs of his works. Note a constant link to the WW2. /10

Kids got the same cartoons. In 1980, the USSR produced a movie theatre cartoon (a seldom case) "Swans of Nepryadva", appropriating Kyiv history, painting "old Russians" as blond heroes and Tatars as subhumans. In 1990s, it was re-shuffled into this irredentist video: /11

In the cartoon, subhuman Tatars, painted as black-asian gremlins, torture and execute handsome blond Russians. The Tatar invasion is painted more like a spreading of a disease. Finally, a Russian prince get a blessing from a monk, sieg-heils, and cleans the Russian land. /12

It is interesting to listen (translation below) to the song published in 1990s with the 1980 video. It describes "Jews and Asians" who have "occupied" Moscow and "ignite new wars", so they need to be beaten. It promises a return of "Russian Crimea, Russian Bosphoros, and Russian Jerusalem", and Russia's glory.

Full translation:

"Remembered by our ancestors, remembered by our grandfathers.
Our church remembers, praying to God
Kulikovo field (a historical battle site between Moscow prince Dmitry and Tatars in 1380) - Russian victory,
Kulikovo field - Russian land.

The colors are moving in the morning fog,
Soon the battle will shake the firmament,
The field of Russian Glory, the field of Russian battle, The field of Russian life that conquered death.

So how did we live to see this, brothers?
Russia is groaning under the oppression of black locusts,
So once again Russians must take up arms,
So again Russians must draw their swords.

The Anti-World (an euphemism for "Western Jewish conspiracy" among Russian Nazis) is starting new fires,
The glorious city of Moscow has been taken by them again,
New Europeans, new Khazars (another euphemism for Jews), New Mamai (euphemism for Asians) are threatening the Motherland.

The Holy Russia will be strong and free,
And Satan will shudder at the strength of Russia,
Once again the rightful Tsar will stand among his warriors,
The whole country will become a Kulikovo field.

The power of the pleading voice will burst forth,
The glorious Russian hour will rumble over the world,
The Holy Army will come out again with the banner of the Savior,
The Kulikovo field is ahead of us.

In the terrible hour of reckoning we'll furrow our brows.
And we'll wipe the vampires off the body of the whole country,
And there will be no more labour camps and prisons,
All enemies of Russia will be executed.

We'll catch the enemy on his trail.
And we'll tear him to shreds, praising God,
Kulikovo Pole - Russian victory,
Kulikovo Field is the Russian land.

Russia will return Russian Sevastopol,
The Crimean peninsula will become Russian again,
Our Bosphorus, our Constantinople.
And Jerusalem, the holy place of the world.

And in spite of the Masons and other villains,
Those who have a grudge against Christians,
Let us remember the field of Kulikovo and see,
And this holy shrine will unite us.

Wherever I go, wherever I go,
In the heart of the Orthodox Motherland,
Kulikovo Field - Russian victory,
Kulikovo Field is the Russian land!" /13

As some asked me about Vyssotski - he was a Soviet Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Elton John same time He was allowed to travel to the US and marry a French woman. He also authored and performed a song "Soldiers of the Heersgruppe Mitte", glorifying "a march through Ukraine". /14

Here is a full translation of the song (it is interesting to see how Vyssotsky is performing "Heeresgruppe Mitte" song under Lenin portrait. Those who think it is a satire - it is not, it is adoration and jealousy.

"A soldier is always healthy,
A soldier is ready for anything,
And like dust from carpets,
We beat it out of the roads.

We can't stop,
Can't change our feet,
Our faces shine,
Our boots glitter!

Across the scorched plain —
Meter by meter —
Soldiers of the “Center” group
March through Ukraine.

“Count off 'one-two'!”
One-two…
First one, step forward - into paradise!
One-two…
And every second one - also a hero -
Will follow you into paradise.
One-two. One-two. One-two…

And in front of us, everything blooms —
Behind us, everything burns.
No need to think! — with us is the one,
Who decides everything for us.

Cheerful - not gloomy -
We will return to our homes,
Fair-haired brides
Will be our reward!

Everything is ahead,
but now Meter by meter
Soldiers of the “Center” group
March through Ukraine.

“Count off 'one-two'!”
One-two… First one, step forward - into paradise!
One-two… And every second one - also a hero - Will follow you into paradise.
One-two. One-two. One-two…" /14

As some say, I misinterpret Vyssotsky's intention. Here is another song of him "A ballade of (Wehrmacht) Alpine Troops", where he suffers from the fact, that the yesterday Nazi ally, trained in Soviet mountains before the war, has betrayed the alliance and fights the USSR

"And before the war, this slope
Was taken by you with a German lad,
He fell down but was saved,
And now, perhaps, he
Is preparing his machine gun for battle."

/16