The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization

The article focuses on the Leningrad trials of Nazi war criminals (December 27, 1945 – January 6, 1946). Based on a wide range of sources, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the political functions of the Leningrad trials are identified, and forms of t...

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Main Author: Dmitrii Y. Astashkin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cherepovets State University 2020-06-01
Series:Historia provinciae: журнал региональной истории
Subjects:
Online Access:http://en.hpchsu.ru/archived-issues/the-journal-of-regional-history-v-4-no-2/the-leningrad-trials-of-german-war-criminals-in-1945-1946-political-functions-and-mediatization/
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author Dmitrii Y. Astashkin
author_facet Dmitrii Y. Astashkin
author_sort Dmitrii Y. Astashkin
collection DOAJ
description The article focuses on the Leningrad trials of Nazi war criminals (December 27, 1945 – January 6, 1946). Based on a wide range of sources, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the political functions of the Leningrad trials are identified, and forms of their mediatization are determined. The Leningrad trials were supposed not only to sentence 11 specific criminals but also to condemn the occupation system in the region (the North-West of RSFSR) per se. The punitive actions of 1943–44 were most thoroughly investigated. However, the investigation could not or did not have enough time to identify those guilty of the Siege of Leningrad and the perpetrators of war crimes of 1941–42, including the Holocaust. The war crimes of Finnish and Spanish units in the territory of Leningrad Oblast and the participation of collaborators in those crimes were not investigated. Instead of these important issues, during the Leningrad trials the authorities chose to present false testimony of Private A. Düre about the Nazis’ guilt of the Katyn massacre (the testimony had neither political nor juridical effect). The Leningrad trials did not fully fulfil their political functions and escaped the culture of memory (among other reasons, due to selective mediatisation).
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spelling doaj.art-199fb9da1af146fda5ca42eabd510ab82022-12-22T01:06:42ZengCherepovets State UniversityHistoria provinciae: журнал региональной истории2587-83442020-06-014250353710.23859/2587-8344-2020-4-2-6The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and MediatizationDmitrii Y. Astashkin 0St. Petersburg Institute of History of the RASThe article focuses on the Leningrad trials of Nazi war criminals (December 27, 1945 – January 6, 1946). Based on a wide range of sources, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the political functions of the Leningrad trials are identified, and forms of their mediatization are determined. The Leningrad trials were supposed not only to sentence 11 specific criminals but also to condemn the occupation system in the region (the North-West of RSFSR) per se. The punitive actions of 1943–44 were most thoroughly investigated. However, the investigation could not or did not have enough time to identify those guilty of the Siege of Leningrad and the perpetrators of war crimes of 1941–42, including the Holocaust. The war crimes of Finnish and Spanish units in the territory of Leningrad Oblast and the participation of collaborators in those crimes were not investigated. Instead of these important issues, during the Leningrad trials the authorities chose to present false testimony of Private A. Düre about the Nazis’ guilt of the Katyn massacre (the testimony had neither political nor juridical effect). The Leningrad trials did not fully fulfil their political functions and escaped the culture of memory (among other reasons, due to selective mediatisation).http://en.hpchsu.ru/archived-issues/the-journal-of-regional-history-v-4-no-2/the-leningrad-trials-of-german-war-criminals-in-1945-1946-political-functions-and-mediatization/leningradholocaustussrrsfsrnazisoccupationlegal proceedingsmediatizationkatyn massacre
spellingShingle Dmitrii Y. Astashkin
The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
Historia provinciae: журнал региональной истории
leningrad
holocaust
ussr
rsfsr
nazis
occupation
legal proceedings
mediatization
katyn massacre
title The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
title_full The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
title_fullStr The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
title_full_unstemmed The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
title_short The Leningrad Trials of German War Criminals in 1945–1946: Political Functions and Mediatization
title_sort leningrad trials of german war criminals in 1945 1946 political functions and mediatization
topic leningrad
holocaust
ussr
rsfsr
nazis
occupation
legal proceedings
mediatization
katyn massacre
url http://en.hpchsu.ru/archived-issues/the-journal-of-regional-history-v-4-no-2/the-leningrad-trials-of-german-war-criminals-in-1945-1946-political-functions-and-mediatization/
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