The events of 2014 in Ukraine led not only to a military confrontation. No less difficult battles are going on in the vast information field. One of their main themes is the activities of the followers of Stepan Bandera. Some criticize them, others consider them heroes. And who is this banderite? What views does he profess, what does he fight for? Let's find out.
Multiple approaches to learning the concept
When figuring out who a Banderite is, even only superficially you will definitely come across various opinions and ideas. Even the origin of the word itself is not clear. Many associate him with the Ukrainian nationalist S. Bandera. But there is another approach, rooted in more ancient times. Sometimes the word is even spelled differently. It all depends on the interpretation of its origin. You have probably heard how the letter “a” is replaced with “e” in it. It turns out "bender". This small change completely changes the meaning. It is believed that the word in this case is associated with the city of Bendery. WithUkrainian nationalists, it is connected only in so far as. It is necessary to distinguish between these concepts, since the semantic load in them is different. But let's take it apart on the shelves, who is Bandera. After all, this is not just the name of a person who professes certain views. It opens up a whole ideological world that bears little resemblance to the generally accepted one.
Ukrainian theory
It would be fair to start explaining who a Banderaite is, based on the views of local nationalists. After all, it was they who did everything so that every person on the planet would know that such a concept exists. For Ukrainian nationalists, Bandera is a hero. This is a follower of a well-known person in local history who fought for the independence of the state. Stepan Bandera, from whom the name comes, dreamed all his life about the national sovereignty of Ukraine. From this point of view, his ideas are quite positive. Well, what nation does not want to be strong and independent? Moreover, in the history of Ukraine there are not so many months of sovereign existence. All the time these people were part of some kind of state formation. Some territories were "under the Poles", others - "under the Romanians", others developed perfectly within the Russian Empire. Bandera dreamed of creating his own state. Therefore, his followers are the builders of just such a formation on the world map.
Not everything is so simple
The fact is that the struggle is different. The range of methods is wide: from peaceful propaganda to brutal aggression. Agree that educationstate through a completely democratic referendum is one thing. But waging a bloody war is completely different. This is where a different meaning of the concept of "Bandera" manifests itself. People who consider themselves followers of the Ukrainian nationalist distinguished themselves with particular cruelty during the Second World War. Bandera's followers were especially distinguished in Poland. Many ordinary, non-military people died at the hands of these people. Their atrocities are widely known. Entire villages were slaughtered. The bandits spared neither little nor old.
Historians believe that these crimes are not related to S. Bandera. He spent all this time in prison, and died in exile. Only the bandits themselves called themselves Bandera, covering up the atrocities with a national idea.
Are there monuments to Bandera?
Probably, it is necessary to understand that such an ambiguous ideological movement is still part of the national history. Huge monuments to Bandera were not built. In Soviet times, they were considered criminals. And during the time of modern independence, funds were found only for the monuments to S. Bandera. However, in many cities of Ukraine there are memorial signs and plaques of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Little is known about them to the general public. However, during the crisis, information began to spread. Signs in honor of Bandera became the object of the "war of monuments" in the same way as the monuments to V. I. Lenin.
Another version of the origin of the concept
Now let's briefly touch on a different version. It is built onthat the word comes from the name of the city of Bendery. True, this settlement has nothing to do with Ukraine and its nationalists. It is located on the territory of Moldova. However, it has an interesting history associated with it. As they say, this is how the Cossacks lived in the slave trade. They were afraid to fight strong tribes. That is why the concept has a pejorative meaning. Bendera is the one who offends the weak. From a powerful enemy, he runs like from fire. No matter how you argue, however, this term has a rather ambiguous meaning. Many people openly oppose Bandera. This ideological movement cannot be forgiven for the many crimes committed by its followers. No matter how hard the current nationalists try to disown them. But the atrocities of Bandera during the terrible war years are recorded and documented facts. Perhaps supporters of the national Ukrainian idea should think about other heroes who are not so stained with blood and human grief?
