With a foundation built upon gulags, assassinations and forced mass starvations, it's a love affair that cannot be denied.
Communist Party chiefs led a procession of largely elderly people across Red Square on the 57th anniversary of Stalin's death, laying flowers at his grave by the Kremlin wall.
The solemn visit is an annual tradition for communists steeped in nostalgia for the Soviet era. But this year, it comes as Russia's bitter debate over Stalin's legacy sharpens ahead of May 9 celebrations marking 65 years since the Nazi defeat.
For the first time in decades, Stalin's image may appear among the banners and posters that Moscow authorities put up for Victory Day, which will draw foreign leaders to Moscow as guests of the government.
City plans to set up 10 information stands describing Stalin's role in the war have deepened animus between Russians who loathe him and their compatriots who love him.
"Today ... the greatness of Stalin's era is self-evident even to his most furious haters," Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said after laying flowers at Stalin's grave.
Would this be the totalitarian equivalent of battered spouse syndrome.
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3 comments:
Count me among his most furious haters; and no his greatness is not self evident.
Nostalgia is probably not for Stalin but be false image of him, created by propagandists. My reflections on this subject are in the recently published diary "”Tyranny to Freedom: Diary of a Former Stalinist.” This short book is now available at:
www [dot] amazon [dot] com
Comments will be appreciated, either at the above website or in private. Thank you in advance.
Ludwik Kowalski
Professor emeritus
kowalskL@mail.montclair.edu
Professor Kowalsi, thanks for stopping by and commenting.
For something that I don't quite comprehend, I resort to humor and cheek not wanting to belittle those who suffered under the iron fist of communism.
Thank you for your work in this area.
Folks, a link to a quick bio of Prof. Kowalski and ordering information for his book can be found here:
http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/mybook2.html
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