A conference entitled “The End of World War II and the Crimes of Communism,” organised by Croatian MEP Stephen Bartulica, was held at the European Parliament in Brussels to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
An exhibition on communist crimes in Croatia, documenting the massacres, persecutions and repression carried out by the Yugoslav communist regimes against civilians, religious communities and political dissidents, was also officially opened on this occasion. The exhibition, which will be open to visitors throughout the week, was opened by Shirley Štedul, the wife of the late Croatian émigré Nikola Štedul, who survived an assassination attempt by the Directorate of State Security – UDBA. The event was also attended by Slovenian Member of the European Parliament, Branko Grims.
According to the Croatian media outlet Dnevno (Daily), Stephen Bartulica stressed that the European Union is based on respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. “If we can clearly condemn Nazism and fascism, then we must also have the courage to face the truth about communism – an ideology that left millions of victims in its wake,” he added.
The event was attended by historians, witnesses and representatives from several countries, and it featured two panels. The first panel, entitled “The Crimes of Communism – A Historical Overview”, specifically focused on the Bleiburg massacre and the massacre at Široki Brijeg. Among the participants in the panel were: Dr Eric Patterson, Founder and Executive Director of the US-based Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, who stressed the importance of transatlantic cooperation in preserving the memory of the victims of totalitarianism; historian Martina Grahek – Ravančić, who spoke about the Bleiburg Massacre; historian Mario Jareb, who analysed the ideological foundations of repression and the role of the party-state in stifling freedom; and historian Hrvoje Mandić, who documented the persecution of the Catholic Church and the massacre of Franciscans in Široki Brijeg.
The second panel, entitled “The Victims of Communism: Where is the Justice?”, which focused on the murders of journalists and the work of the Directorate of State Security – UDBA, and featured shocking testimonies, also included a speech by journalist Tihomir Dujmović, who shed light on the systematic cover-up of communist crimes in the media and education. Dr Josip Mihaljević spoke about the work of the Directorate of State Security and political persecutions, while Renata Kelam spoke about the victims and the activities for international recognition of their suffering. Shirley Štedul, the wife of the late Nikola Štedul, together with her daughters Monika and Kristina, testified about the assassination attempt survived by her husband, which was orchestrated by the Yugoslav secret service in Scotland in 1988.
The work of the American Victims of Communism Museum, whose founder and executive director, Mr Patterson, announced a collaboration with European institutions to educate young people and raise awareness of totalitarian crimes, was also presented at the event. “There is no future without confronting the past. Crimes must not be forgotten – for the sake of the victims and for the sake of new generations. Young people deserve the truth,” concluded MEP Bartulica.
Ž. N.
