From the libraries of Yekaterinburg, the children's book "The Wormwood Tree" by the writer Olga Kolpakova about the Volga Germans during the Second World War is being removed. Kolpakova herself spoke about this on her page on VKontakte.
According to the writer, Ivan Popp, associate professor of the Ural Pedagogical University (USPU), wrote a denunciation against her. She published the result of the pedagogical study of "The Wormwood Tree", signed by the rector of the USPU Svetlana Minyurova. It says that Kolpakova, in her book, justifies fascism and also promotes a "liberal European direction." According to the experts, the latter lies in the comparison of Hitler and Stalin.
The authors of the study once again turn to the image of Stalin in the context of the fact that through him the readers are “inspired to have a disrespectful attitude” towards the authorities. Kolpakova is also scolded for the fact that in principle there are no good officials in the Wormwood Tree, and this has a “destructive effect” on the minds.
Another point of Popp's claims is the "pervasive theft", which Kolpakova justifies in her book. The “stealing” in question are episodes where the characters try to survive by picking up a handful of grain or stealing some cottage cheese.
Finally, Popp accuses Kolpakova of romanticizing emigration: “Koppakova is trying indirectly to make it clear that emigration is the only way out of everyday problems. This clearly refutes the main positions of modern Russia on “saving the people and human potential.”
According to Kolpakova, the book is already being removed from libraries, citing an order from the deputy governor of the Sverdlovsk region, Pavel Krekov. At the same time, neither the writer herself nor the librarians saw this order. Kolpakova notes that "The Wormwood Tree" is not only included in the list of school summer reading, but also received a number of awards. One of them is the Ershov Prize for the best patriotic book, presented by United Russia deputy Viktor Rein.