Monument to Stalin in Ukraine: the Public opposed

Ukrainian activists are calling for the plans (by communists) to erect a monument to Stalin in Zaporizhya to be stopped. Historians consider it an outrage to the memory of the victims of the Stalin regime. As reported here, a survey in April by the Razumkov Centre found that an absolute majority of Ukrainians (57%) were against such monuments in Ukrainian cities, while only slightly less than 10% were actually in favour. The largest support was in southern regions, where 17% supported them

The Head of the Association of Researchers of Manmade Famines in Ukraine [in Ukrainian holodomor is used for all three – translator] Vasyl Marochko is disturbed by what he sees as readiness by Ukrainians for the sake of economic stability to sell historic values and their national interests. He condemns the address given by President Yanukovych to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27 April when he denied that Holodomor 1932-1933 had been an act of genocide of the Ukrainian nation, and the initiative by members of the Communist Party which is now part of the ruling coalition to erect monuments to Stalin in Ukraine.

He believes that they are all parts of the same problem. “The history of Stalinism shows that under the slogans of prosperity and social equality of workers and peasants we had dictatorship and horrific socio-demographic consequences. Of course this would be impossible to totally repeat, however ..” Mr Marochko points out that following the denunciation of the cult of Stalin not one memorial plaque was put up, yet now after many years there was a return to this.

He is surprised that there is not more public outrage, and says that a monument to Hitler in Munich or Berlin would elicit serious public opposition.