10-07-2008, 03:22 PM
First a joke: “Q.: The clean man and the dirty man – which one shall go to bath? A.: The clean man likes cleanness, so he shall go to bath; the dirty man shall not go, because he is the dirty one.” 
I hope, this will not be the case in using informational internet links I am going to provide below, for, I hope, they will be used more often and intensively by those who are least (not most) informed or by those who are just most misinformed on certain issues.
I deliberately give a general title to the topic so that more people can join it. Although I am going to post links that focus more on one particular region in Europe, we all may have similar questions on any other regions (just as I have recently needed to find reliable sources on the net about Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Now I’ll write a few introduction lines of mine – it’s just my personal opinion, not facts yet. This will be my personal opinion only. You see, I repeated it twice, so please be correct to make no generalizations about my region based on this personal opinion of mine.
My opinion is that there is enduring anti-Baltic propaganda that is not visible in other countries because it is launched very selectively. Explanation: As country C may punch country A and, simultaneously, praise a similar or different country B; country B might think A is “anti-C” while country A might speculate that B is “pro-C”. In fact, it is just selectively divisive politics of C towards A and B that creates this illusion. Not to mention, that the situation within country A may indeed provide instruments for C to press on A, while B may not allow for as much pressing as in case of A. So applying sharply contrast tactics of C on different countries may create an illusion of A and B being much more different in their good will to country C. Now please just consider the policy of privileged regions or regions of special interests that Russia announced officially, and you should have much less doubt in the plausibility of my explanation.
My view is that a free democratic country needs no special propaganda – just the truth, even if it may be in certain instances quite an unpleasant or inconvenient truth.
I can also theoretically admit there might be some anti-Russian propaganda; however I am very reserved about sources in Russia itself as long as it lacks badly the standards of freedoms that Europe enjoys. As long as it lacks freedom, I am not surprised that history still is not a science in Russia but a half-fiction story to serve the needs of propaganda. It is a truly Machiavellian approach of the central power in Russia. This only can explain such nonsense when some Russian “historian” says deportations of Estonians to Siberia we not all so bad because not all Estonians died there (‘Russian "professor": Estonians had good life in Siberia’, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.zone.ee/bronze-soldier/index.html">http://www.zone.ee/bronze-soldier/index.html</a><!-- m -->). I hope you also know Putin’s Russia made a step back to the older lies of the Soviet Union on the quite clear fact of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below you can find links of the institutions that were or still are examining in the most comprehensive way the consequences of foreign occupations of the Baltic States in the XX century:
The International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/">http://www.komisija.lt/en/</a><!-- m -->
The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/about_us/welcome.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/abou ... lcome.html</a><!-- m -->
Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.historycommission.ee/">http://www.historycommission.ee/</a><!-- m -->
A bit more extended list of the links by countries:
Lithuania
The International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania
Research works database
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php?cat=publication&m=1150461059">http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php ... 1150461059</a><!-- m -->
I Introduction
II The First Soviet Occupation 1940 – 1941
1. Crimes of the Soviet Regime
2. The Criminal system of the occupation’s policy – the role of the political, police, military, public and legal structures and collaboration with them
III The Nazi Occupation in 1941 – 1944: The Holocaust and other Nazi crimes
IV The Second Soviet Occupation: First period (1944 – 1953)
V The Second Soviet Occupation: Second period (1953 – 1990)
Sitemap
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/sitemap.php">http://www.komisija.lt/en/sitemap.php</a><!-- m -->
Useful Links (a lot of useful links ! ) :!:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/body.php?&m=1150461087">http://www.komisija.lt/en/body.php?&m=1150461087</a><!-- m -->
(Institutions and Organizations of Lithuania; Partners/Donors; International Organizations; Conferences on Holocaust; Holocaust Museums; Educational and Resource Centres; Soviet Crimes Investigation Institutions, Museums)
Publications (on paper, in Lithuanian):
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php?cat=publication&m=1150461059">http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php ... 1150461059</a><!-- m -->
Book Series “The Crimes of the Totalitarian Regimes in Lithuania. The Soviet Occupation” 2007.08.30
Signs 2007.08.27Signs, published by the Commission, and symbolizing condemnation of totalitarian regimes.
Book Series “The Crimes of the Totalitarian Regimes in Lithuania. The Nazi Occupation” (1) 2007.02.22
Latvia
Briefing papers (of The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/petnieciba.html#br_paper">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... l#br_paper</a><!-- m -->
Latvians in the Armed Forces of Germany in World War II
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_01.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_01.html</a><!-- m -->
Soviet Occupation and Annexation of Latvia 1939–1940
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_02.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_02.html</a><!-- m -->
The Holocaust in German-Occupied Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_03.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_03.html</a><!-- m -->
Soviet Mass Deportations from Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_04.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_04.html</a><!-- m -->
Study Unit "Communism" (.pdf file)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Komunism_english.pdf">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... nglish.pdf</a><!-- m -->
Booklet "Occupation of Latvia: Three Occupations: 1940 –1991(Soviet and Nazi Take-Overs and Their Consequences) (.pdf file)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/lat/services/gramatu%20faili/3_okupacijas.pdf">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/lat/serv ... acijas.pdf</a><!-- m -->
The Latvian Institute
History
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=4&id=15&Itemid=441">http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_c ... Itemid=441</a><!-- m -->
History Links
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=441">http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_c ... Itemid=441</a><!-- m -->
Estonia
Conclusions of the Estonian International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/conclusions.htm">http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/conclusions.htm</a><!-- m -->
The Estonian Institute
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.estonica.org/eng/yldiselt.html">http://www.estonica.org/eng/yldiselt.html</a><!-- m -->
1940–1992. Soviet era and the restoration of independence
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?kateg=43&menyy_id=99&alam=61&tekst_id=258">http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?k ... kst_id=258</a><!-- m -->
I hope, this will not be the case in using informational internet links I am going to provide below, for, I hope, they will be used more often and intensively by those who are least (not most) informed or by those who are just most misinformed on certain issues.
I deliberately give a general title to the topic so that more people can join it. Although I am going to post links that focus more on one particular region in Europe, we all may have similar questions on any other regions (just as I have recently needed to find reliable sources on the net about Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Now I’ll write a few introduction lines of mine – it’s just my personal opinion, not facts yet. This will be my personal opinion only.
You see, I repeated it twice, so please be correct to make no generalizations about my region based on this personal opinion of mine. My opinion is that there is enduring anti-Baltic propaganda that is not visible in other countries because it is launched very selectively. Explanation: As country C may punch country A and, simultaneously, praise a similar or different country B; country B might think A is “anti-C” while country A might speculate that B is “pro-C”. In fact, it is just selectively divisive politics of C towards A and B that creates this illusion. Not to mention, that the situation within country A may indeed provide instruments for C to press on A, while B may not allow for as much pressing as in case of A. So applying sharply contrast tactics of C on different countries may create an illusion of A and B being much more different in their good will to country C. Now please just consider the policy of privileged regions or regions of special interests that Russia announced officially, and you should have much less doubt in the plausibility of my explanation.
My view is that a free democratic country needs no special propaganda – just the truth, even if it may be in certain instances quite an unpleasant or inconvenient truth.
I can also theoretically admit there might be some anti-Russian propaganda; however I am very reserved about sources in Russia itself as long as it lacks badly the standards of freedoms that Europe enjoys. As long as it lacks freedom, I am not surprised that history still is not a science in Russia but a half-fiction story to serve the needs of propaganda. It is a truly Machiavellian approach of the central power in Russia. This only can explain such nonsense when some Russian “historian” says deportations of Estonians to Siberia we not all so bad because not all Estonians died there (‘Russian "professor": Estonians had good life in Siberia’, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.zone.ee/bronze-soldier/index.html">http://www.zone.ee/bronze-soldier/index.html</a><!-- m -->). I hope you also know Putin’s Russia made a step back to the older lies of the Soviet Union on the quite clear fact of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below you can find links of the institutions that were or still are examining in the most comprehensive way the consequences of foreign occupations of the Baltic States in the XX century:
The International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/">http://www.komisija.lt/en/</a><!-- m -->
The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/about_us/welcome.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/abou ... lcome.html</a><!-- m -->
Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.historycommission.ee/">http://www.historycommission.ee/</a><!-- m -->
A bit more extended list of the links by countries:
Lithuania
The International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania
Research works database
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php?cat=publication&m=1150461059">http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php ... 1150461059</a><!-- m -->
I Introduction
II The First Soviet Occupation 1940 – 1941
1. Crimes of the Soviet Regime
2. The Criminal system of the occupation’s policy – the role of the political, police, military, public and legal structures and collaboration with them
III The Nazi Occupation in 1941 – 1944: The Holocaust and other Nazi crimes
IV The Second Soviet Occupation: First period (1944 – 1953)
V The Second Soviet Occupation: Second period (1953 – 1990)
Sitemap
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/sitemap.php">http://www.komisija.lt/en/sitemap.php</a><!-- m -->
Useful Links (a lot of useful links ! ) :!:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/body.php?&m=1150461087">http://www.komisija.lt/en/body.php?&m=1150461087</a><!-- m -->
(Institutions and Organizations of Lithuania; Partners/Donors; International Organizations; Conferences on Holocaust; Holocaust Museums; Educational and Resource Centres; Soviet Crimes Investigation Institutions, Museums)
Publications (on paper, in Lithuanian):
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php?cat=publication&m=1150461059">http://www.komisija.lt/en/naujienos.php ... 1150461059</a><!-- m -->
Book Series “The Crimes of the Totalitarian Regimes in Lithuania. The Soviet Occupation” 2007.08.30
Signs 2007.08.27Signs, published by the Commission, and symbolizing condemnation of totalitarian regimes.
Book Series “The Crimes of the Totalitarian Regimes in Lithuania. The Nazi Occupation” (1) 2007.02.22
Latvia
Briefing papers (of The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/petnieciba.html#br_paper">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... l#br_paper</a><!-- m -->
Latvians in the Armed Forces of Germany in World War II
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_01.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_01.html</a><!-- m -->
Soviet Occupation and Annexation of Latvia 1939–1940
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_02.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_02.html</a><!-- m -->
The Holocaust in German-Occupied Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_03.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_03.html</a><!-- m -->
Soviet Mass Deportations from Latvia
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Briefing_paper_04.html">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... er_04.html</a><!-- m -->
Study Unit "Communism" (.pdf file)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/Komunism_english.pdf">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/serv ... nglish.pdf</a><!-- m -->
Booklet "Occupation of Latvia: Three Occupations: 1940 –1991(Soviet and Nazi Take-Overs and Their Consequences) (.pdf file)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/lat/services/gramatu%20faili/3_okupacijas.pdf">http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/lat/serv ... acijas.pdf</a><!-- m -->
The Latvian Institute
History
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=4&id=15&Itemid=441">http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_c ... Itemid=441</a><!-- m -->
History Links
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=441">http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_c ... Itemid=441</a><!-- m -->
Estonia
Conclusions of the Estonian International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/conclusions.htm">http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/conclusions.htm</a><!-- m -->
The Estonian Institute
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.estonica.org/eng/yldiselt.html">http://www.estonica.org/eng/yldiselt.html</a><!-- m -->
1940–1992. Soviet era and the restoration of independence
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?kateg=43&menyy_id=99&alam=61&tekst_id=258">http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?k ... kst_id=258</a><!-- m -->