Earlier this year, a Russian court found Narva Museum Director Maria Smorževskihh-Smirnova guilty of spreading "fake news" about the Russian army and "rehabilitating Nazism."

The charges relate to a banner that has been displayed on the wall of Narva Fortress (belonging to the Narva Museum), on May 9 – the day Russia marks "Victory Day" to commemorate World War II – every year since 2023.

The banner in question depicts Vladimir Putin alongside Adolf Hitler and contains the slogan "Putin is a War Criminal." When displayed on the wall of the fortress, it is clearly visible in the Russian city Ivangorod, which is situated on the opposite bank of the Narva River.

Smorževskihh-Smirnova told ERR that she learned about the Russian court's verdict from journalists.

"I wasn't even surprised, because this story about my arrest in absentia, charges and new charges, has been dragging on since the beginning of this year. For me, it's like an entirely parallel reality. The first time, at the beginning of the year, when something was said about my arrest in absentia, I, of course, called it a great honor," the Narva Museum director said.

Shock and support

On social media, the announcement of the Russian court's verdict sparked an immediate flood of hostile comments directed at Smorževskihh-Smirnova.

"People sometimes completely lose sight of certain boundaries and really write terrible things," Smorževskihh-Smirnova told ERR.

"Some people are very happy about this news, while others lament that it's only 10 years –  [and say] 'it should have been imprisonment for life. And after all, why not execution? The correct punishment should be execution.' This is what our people are writing," the Narva Museum director explained, adding that she has been shocked by the attitude some residents of the Estonian border Narva have shown towards her.

However, Smorževskihh-Smirnova pointed out that she has also received widespread support.

"The story was only broadcast on Thursday, and over the weekend I received messages of support from the museum community in numerous countries. Ordinary people have written [to me] and a large number of Narva residents also expressed their support."

According to the museum director, while there have been some calls to boycott Narva Museum, the visitor statistics suggest the opposite has happened. "We saw a large influx of tourists from all over Estonia, who seem to be rediscovering Narva every time they visit," said Smorževskihh-Smirnova.

Despite the absurdity and legal insignificance of the in absentia verdict, the museum director has nevertheless become more cautious about traveling abroad.

"Of course, I am more selective about where I travel. I have actually been traveling a lot over the past year and a half. I have been invited to major conferences and forums on the topic of why culture cannot remain silent," she said.

According to the museum director, the idea for the banner came from the museum itself, along with and Propastop (A blog dedicated to exposing anti-Estonian propaganda, with content created by volunteers from the Estonian Defense League – ed. )

"I took an active part in putting up this banner every time and I don't regret anything. And as a lot of people ask me, 'what next?' Well, the fate of this banner will depend on how long this bloody war, which was started by Russia, lasts," Smorževskihh-Smirnova said.

Impossible to turn a blind eye

Smorževskihh-Smirnova that for museums and the entire cultural sphere, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to the war in Ukraine, which was unleashed by Russia.

"Culture cannot ignore the war. The war has been going on for four years. For four years, we, along with the rest of the museum community, have witnessed some absolutely horrific crimes against heritage. And what is culture and cultural heritage? It is the very thing that preserves the identity of a people and defines a nation," she said.

Smorževskihh-Smirnova also expressed outrage at the way Russia is manipulating history.

The museum director pointed out how Russia plays on the feelings of being involved in the victory of what it calls the "Great Patriotic War" – "while in fact replacing these concepts with the glorification of its aggression and war in Ukraine."

"We cannot remain silent,"  Smorževskihh-Smirnova said. "Because that would mean either that we are ignoring it or we agree with it. We cannot agree with this. Culture should never be silenced or blindfolded. Never."

----

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!