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Stepan Bandera

A Cult Figure with Contemporary Implications

Stepan Bandera (1909–1959) is a historically highly controversial figure. Everyone in Ukraine knows his name. During the Russian-Ukrainian war, the myth surrounding the partisan leader was revived. While Russian propaganda demonizes him as a sort of Ukrainian Hitler and collaborator, he is celebrated as a national hero in Ukraine and featured on postage stamps.

Bandera—a radical nationalist, terrorist, fascist, hero, and victim. With the revocation of the Polish Order of the White Eagle—Poland’s highest honor—and Prime Minister Zelenskyy’s refusal to attend the reconstruction conference, it has become very clear how the history of World War II continues to shape Polish-Ukrainian relations today. But Bandera was also of great interest to intelligence agencies throughout his life and was killed in 1959 by a KGB agent in Munich using a poisoned weapon.

The current dispute between Ukraine and Poland clearly stems from the failure to jointly come to terms with history. And when President Putin refers to Ukrainians as fascists, the historical circumstances surrounding Stepan Bandera seem to be back in the spotlight.



PARTICIPANTS

Dr. Grzegorz Rossolinski-Liebe Historian

Prof. Dr. Kai Struve University of Halle-Wittenberg

Dr. Kai Olaf Lang Foundation on Science and Politics

MODERATOR

Bernd Palenda Former Director of the Berlin Office for the Protection of the ConstitutionTranslated with DeepL

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