A Transatlantic Stand Against Totalitarianism

November 7th is the United States’ National Day for the Victims of Communism; a day that is framed around the remembrance of those who suffered under the consequences of totalitarian regimes that sought to snuff out human dignity, freedom, and democratic values. Thanks to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, the United States has recognized this day of national remembrance since 2017. 

In Brussels, Belgium, a new memorial for the victims of totalitarian regimes—including communism, Nazism, and fascism—is in the works. An Echo in Time will display engraved concrete slabs etched with the final letters of those who fell victim to this terror; final farewells, details of their imprisonment, and details of oppression written in their own words. But why would a memorial, thousands of miles away, be significant to Americans?

Millions of Americans today, some still within living memory, have families that fled Europe from these regimes, tying their new life in America to their European ancestry. Millions more Americans have families that still reside in Europe, who lived under this oppression. The cross-Atlantic significance of this history is shared. The distance geographically may create the mindset that this is “someone else’s history,” but simply put, that is not true.

An Echo in Time memorializes the victims with their own individuality and adds a human element beyond just a number or a statistic on a page. It is one thing to read in a textbook about the purges and starvation in the Soviet Union, but to see it with such a personal level that the memorial will exhibit reminds us that the victims were people just like us; with hopes and dreams for freedom and a preservation of their humanity. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were stripped away from them. Values that Americans know must be protected. 

In 2026, a memorial in Europe commemorating the victims of totalitarian regimes is needed more than ever. With the disinformation wars and misinformation campaigns being waged, the accuracy of history is being threatened alongside the consciousness surrounding the consequences of what these regimes lead to, and the victims they created. The European Union has formally reaffirmed its support for the memorial, and numerous countries have pledged financial support toward its construction. 

Americans and Europeans may be split by geography and nationality, but our history is intertwined. This new memorial will be a rallying point, not only a site for remembrance, but a physical warning of what can be easily lost without awareness. 

Curtis Leingang is a Project Coordinator for the Platform of European Memory and Conscience. All opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or views of the institutions they represent or VOC.