Years ago, as those Russians who fought in the Great Patriotic War and World War II against the Nazis passed away, a growing number of their descendants and relatives marched annually as the “Immortal Regiment,” keeping alive the monumental defeat of the Nazis through a living memorial. The marchers carried photos of the veterans who had passed away. In 2022, over a million marched in Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin gave special notice to American veterans: “We are aware that U.S. veterans who wanted to come to the parade in Moscow were actually forbidden to do so. But I want them to know: We are proud of your deeds and your contribution to our common Victory.”
Even in Israel, trouble began. Also in 2022, while a remnant of surviving World War II Jewish veterans gathered for the Immortal Regiment at Israel’s Herzl Memorial to the Second World War, various Israeli veterans’ groups stayed away, reporting their concern that they might be attacked for supporting Russia.
There is now scheduled in Washington, D.C., for the first time in years, a May 3 “Immortal Regiment” march, from Lafayette Square near the White House, down Pennsylvania Avenue and to the World War II Memorial in downtown Washington. There, flowers will be laid and a small concert will be performed. Traditionally, American veterans have walked arm-in-arm with their Russian compatriots. The revival of this march is a step in the right direction toward improved relations between the two countries.
