Youth theatre play about the Nuremberg Trials was held at the National Centre RUSSIA

The reenactment play "The Nuremberg Verdict: Lessons of History for the Present and Future" took place on May 6 at the National Centre RUSSIA. The event, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, was presented by students of the Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU) with the support of the Russian-Austrian Forum "Sochi Dialogue" and the National Centre RUSSIA. A distinctive feature of the performance was the simultaneous interpretation in English, German, and French.

"We have gathered for a very important reason and in the right place – at the National Centre RUSSIA, the centre of Russian national identity, for which the idea of justice is paramount. And it was primarily to restore this justice that the Nuremberg Trials were organized, conducted according to all international court rules. Many firsts took place at this tribunal, particularly the use of simultaneous interpretation for the first time. It is symbolic that the initiative for this play came from MSLU, which prepares worthy successors to the glorious school of domestic simultaneous interpretation, which practically originated at the Nuremberg Trials. It is very important that the students remember history and pay tribute to the people who secured the victory," said Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Mogilevsky. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The play "The Nuremberg Verdict: Lessons of History for the Present and Future" transported the audience to the very heart of historical events — to Hall No. 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the landmark sessions of the international tribunal took place.

"This reenactment play was created at the initiative of the students themselves. As the rector, I am very pleased that our students not only understand the importance of knowing historical truth but also do everything to preserve and protect it. And the Nuremberg Trials are a perfect material for realizing such ideas. Firstly, it marks the logical conclusion of the victory of good over evil, and secondly, it involved people from different countries, and all of it was very transparent and evidenced. People found a common language, including with the help of interpreters. And this dialogue led to the fact that now, regardless of manipulations and fakes, real historical facts remain, and this cannot be changed, colored, or falsified," said Irina Krayeva, Rector of the Moscow State Linguistic University. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The National Centre RUSSIA and the Russian-Austrian Forum "Sochi Dialogue" place special emphasis on projects that remind us of the importance of historical truth and the price paid by generations for freedom and justice. Therefore, the performance, shown in the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, holds particular significance.

"Today's play is especially valuable and important for us because it is not only a cultural event but also a youth collaboration and, of course, the preservation of historical memory, which the Sochi Dialogue pays particular attention to in the year of the 80th anniversary of Victory. We do our best to support all the projects that come from our colleagues at the Moscow State Linguistic University, because it is very important to show young people the burning eyes of other young people. In my opinion, this creates a separate channel for working with historical memory: students speak from the stage to the younger generation, and also to adult audiences," said Maria Matveyeva, Director of the Russian-Austrian Forum of Public Diplomacy "Sochi Dialogue."

To fully immerse the audience in the atmosphere of the era, the creators of the performance used unique archival materials: footage from documentary chronicles, fragments of historical films, and authentic documents from the Nuremberg Trials.