holocaust

History of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

(2) What is the relationship between Leninist Bolshevism and religion that led to the disastrous famine in Ukraine in 1932?

Religion was taboo in Soviet society, but the very structure of the Soviet Union was based on religious beliefs. I have been thinking a lot about the theme of what religion is, and this was a very thought-provoking scene.

And under Stalin's regime, at least 4 to 5 million people died of starvation. And that too by man-made means...

These things were happening during the Stalin era. And under Stalin's regime, even this was justified in order to create a "wonderful new world"... It has now become a story of unimaginable proportions...
History of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

Montefiori, "Stalin, the Red Czar and His Courtiers" - A recommended reference book to learn who the Soviet dictator Stalin was!

What makes this film unique is the way it tries to get as close as possible to the real image of Stalin as a human being. Not only Stalin, but also his family and the courtiers around him are described in detail.

Who was Stalin, what was he thinking and what was he trying to do? And how did he rise to dictatorship?

This book is a huge work, about 1200 pages in both the upper and lower volumes. But you will not get tired of reading it at all. The novel-like narrative draws you in as you read.

It's a big book that is quite a pain to read, but it's worth it. It's interesting!
History of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

S.P. Melignov, "Red Terror in Soviet-Russia (1918-1923)" - Shocked by the horrific system of repression in the Lenin era...

I read this book to find out what the hell was going on during the Soviet era, and it was far more tragic than I had ever imagined. I was shocked at how cruel and violent human beings could be.

I visited Auschwitz in 2019. Even then, I felt the cruelty of mankind in all its glory. But I learned again that massacres on a comparable scale were committed during the Lenin/Stalin era.

This book is quite shocking. It made me want to turn away from reading it.
History of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

The Soviet Union and Dostoevsky - Why I Study the Soviet Union - Future Blog Updates

Dostoevsky predicted the coming totalitarian misery in "Evil Spirits" and "The Brothers Karamazov."

Is literature powerless in the face of overwhelming power? Is thought meaningless in front of a gun?

I still have to learn the history of the Soviet Union as well. I felt that I could not pass this place by. That is why I also tried to learn about the world after Dostoevsky's death.
KrakowPoland (ed.)

Auschwitz and "Tannisho" - Listening to Shinran's Words in Poland (7)

Auschwitz was too intense an experience...

I didn't feel like doing anything for a while.

No, perhaps it is more correct to say that nothing was done.

However, there was something that suddenly crossed my mind that seemed to have emptied out.

"If you have a good karma, you should behave in any way you choose.

Yes. It was the words of "Tannisho," which I have previously introduced in an article on Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem.
KrakowPoland (ed.)

Entering Poland and Walking around Krakow - Old Town and Jewish Quarter Poland Part 1

Krakow is a city in southern Poland, and its old town, centered on St. Mary's Church, is known as a compact and very tourist-friendly city.

Krakow flourished as the capital of the Kingdom of Poland from the middle of the 11th century until the end of the 16th century, and was a cultural center along with Prague and Vienna.

And while Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is compared to Tokyo, this Krakow is compared to Kyoto.

While Warsaw was destroyed by the Nazis in World War II, Krakow miraculously escaped destruction. As a result, the old townscape from the Middle Ages still remains today.