• Start date:  18.06.2025
• End date:  18.06.2025
• RU:  В Петербурге состоялась премьера фильма «Охота на зайцев»
• DE:  In St. Petersburg fand die Premiere des Films „Hasenjagd“ statt
• Status: Completed

On June 18, the world premiere of the documentary film The Hare Hunt, produced by the Alexander Pechersky Foundation, took place in the Green Hall of the Museum of Theatre and Music Arts as part of the cultural program of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The film tells the story of events that occurred on February 3, 1945, when nearly 500 Soviet prisoners of war accomplished the impossible — escaped from the death block of Mauthausen, the largest concentration camp of the Third Reich.

They broke through two layers of barbed wire and scattered into the surrounding area. A manhunt was launched — not only by military forces but also by "civilians": local shopkeepers, housewives, and ordinary residents of nearby villages.

During the premiere of The Hare Hunt in St. Petersburg, Maria Matveeva, Director of the Russian-Austrian civil society forum Sochi Dialogue, delivered a welcome speech:
"Today, the Forum — established in May 2019 at the initiative of the Presidents of Russia and Austria — remains the only active mechanism for bilateral engagement with European countries. Within its activities, the Dialogue places great importance on preserving historical memory and fostering international humanitarian ties, which makes this event especially significant for us."

Ilya Vasiliev, Chairman of the Board of the Alexander Pechersky Foundation, emphasized that “the history of Mauthausen unites our countries. The more books we write and the more films we make about the tragic chapters of our shared history, the better relations between our peoples will become.”

Irina Klimovitskaya, Academic Secretary of the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music, highlighted that for the prisoners of Mauthausen, the sense of human dignity was of the highest value. She wished the guests of the premiere not simply an enjoyable viewing experience, but a meaningful evening.

The event was also attended by Yegor Yakovlev, head of the Digital History project. He wrote the film’s title song, which was performed live during the screening. In his address to the audience, Yegor called the story of Mauthausen “a unique story and a remarkable triumph of the human spirit.”

The event was organized by the Alexander Pechersky Foundation, Sochi Dialogue, and Digital History, with the support of the Internet Development Institute.

The Hare Hunt is not merely a reconstruction of historical events — it is an attempt to comprehend a tragedy and to tell a story of inner strength and the horrors born of an ideology of hatred.