This is a story we cannot afford to forget! It tells of the terrible repressions carried out by the Bolsheviks, which led to immense suffering for the Mongolian people.
The ThunderZ clip for the song “Tengri: Gegeen” has become a true event in Mongolia. It reveals one of the darkest moments in the country's history — the "Great Repressions," notes the publication InsideMongolia.
Difficult times when Mongolians experienced the greatest grief and suffering at the hands of the Bolsheviks... this is what the song is about...
? The plot of the clip reveals a tragic love story between a Buddhist monk and a woman, at a time when monks were forbidden to love or start families. Their attempt to escape ends in horror: the monk is captured and burned alive. This reflects the harsh reality of Mongolia from 1920 to 1990, when the state became a brutal machine destroying its own people.
?Mongolia: A country without the death penalty
It is important to note that Mongolia abolished the death penalty in 2012, becoming a country free from this punishment. This was a bitter lesson learned during the Great Repression, when mass arrests, executions, and imprisonments of alleged "enemies of the state" were carried out under pressure from Soviet authorities, leading to the deaths of more than 37,000 people, including monks, politicians, and civilians, which was a tremendous loss for a population of 800,000. The repressions particularly harshly affected the Buddhist clergy.
More than 700 monasteries were destroyed.
More than 17,000 monks were persecuted.
About 14,000 monks were executed.
As a result, 10.9% of the adult male population of Mongolia and nearly 5% of the entire population were affected.
?Day of Remembrance: Victims of Political Repression
Since 1997, after the establishment of a memorial at the National Museum of Mongolia, September 10 has been observed as the Day of Remembrance for the victims of political repression. This day has become a moment of national reflection, dedicated to the memory of those who perished during one of the darkest periods in the country's history, and an expression of gratitude to the families who continue to preserve their legacy.
✍️Words etched in memory
The following words are engraved on the monument:
In those years, the burning faith was shattered,
And brave hearts were torn apart.
May the years of horror and despair
Never fade from the memory of our people.
On the inner wall of the monument, it is written "No death penalty." Today, Mongolians continue to discuss the possibility of reinstating it for serious crimes. However, this memorial serves as a reminder that the government must not again become a machine for killing its own people, and affirms Mongolia's commitment to protecting human rights and the dignity of every individual.
