The launch ceremony and international seminar for the Russian edition of "Rabe's Diary" were held in Russia
International Publishing Weekly
7 September 2026
On September 3 local time, the "Launch Ceremony and International Symposium for the Russian Edition of 'Rabe's Diary'," jointly organized by Jiangsu Qiuzhen Yilin Publishing House and Russia's Nashe-Slovo Publishing House, was held at the booth of the Chinese guest of honour at the 39th Moscow International Book Fair.
Representatives and media professionals from the publishing and academic circles of both China and Russia gathered to witness the first appearance of this important document on the historical truth of the Nanjing Massacre in its complete, unabridged form to Russian readers.
During the event, Wang Zhenyu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Phoenix Publishing & Media Group, delivered a speech on behalf of the organizers. He stated that September 3 is the anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as the anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.
Releasing the Russian version of the "Rabe Diary" on this day is of great significance. From Nanjing to Moscow, from the Eastern front to the European front, China and Russia, as key participants in World War II, each carried a heavy historical memory. "When these memories meet in literature, history, and publishing, what we see is the conscience and goodwill that humanity upholds together in the face of suffering."
Wang Zhenyu said that 2027 will mark the 90th anniversary of the full outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the 90th anniversary of the compatriots killed in the Nanjing Massacre. Launching the Russian edition of "Rabe's Diary" at this historic moment is a comfort and remembrance for the deceased, a reflection and respect for history, and an expectation for the present and future.
Andrei Gordiyenko, president of Russia's Nashe-Slovo Publishing House, stated in his speech that both China and the Soviet Union were countries that made tremendous national sacrifices in the world anti-fascist war, and the victories of both peoples together formed an important cornerstone of victory in the world anti-fascist war. "The Rabe Diaries holds special significance in Russia—it gives Russian readers the opportunity to understand the historical tragedy that occurred on the Eastern battlefield during World War II from a unique perspective." He said that publishing this diary was intended to use the power of documents to ensure that the lessons of history are not diluted by time, and that history should serve as a lesson.
The translator of this book, Russian sinologist Mikhail Strovsky, shared his translation insights. He pointed out that Russian readers still do not fully understand the China and Southeast Asian battlefields before 1941, and that "the first artillery fire of World War II was fired in Asia." He specifically mentioned that, unlike previous foreign language versions, this Russian edition presents the fully published, unabridged original form of the archive.
Wu Hao, President of the Russian Overseas Chinese Youth Federation and Principal of the Russian Chinese International School, delivered a speech from the perspective of the overseas Chinese community and education. He stated that the most tangible thing overseas Chinese can do for the friendship between the two countries is to "tell the true history to more people." As the principal of an international school, he deeply appreciated the weight of education—when children from different countries opened the Russian edition of "Rabe's Diary" together and read about how that German protected Chinese lives amid the flames of war, they learned not only a piece of history but also the light of humanity that transcended national and national borders.
Guests from China and abroad jointly unveiled the new book, officially unveiling the substantial six-volume Russian edition of "Rabe's Diary."At the end of the event, the organizers presented the new Russian edition of the "Rabe's Diary" to Russia Today TV station and representatives from the Russian State University for the Humanities.
The Rabe Diary was written by German businessman Johann Rabe during the Nanjing Massacre from September 1937 to February 1938, and was reprinted and published by Jiangsu People's Publishing House in 2017. Rabe was then chairman of the Nanjing Safety Zone International Committee, cooperating with international figures to establish the safe zone and sheltering over 200,000 Chinese civilians. The book includes Rabe's diaries during his time in Nanjing, official letters and reports of atrocities submitted by the security zone, excerpts from media reports, and reports and photos of Nanjing's fall submitted to Hitler after returning home. The original manuscript contains over 2,000 pages, and the facsimile preserves the original appearance of the document, making it an important historical source for studying the Nanjing Massacre.
(Editor: Qiu Lifang)