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Moscow Chief Architect wants monument to Stalin restored

23.10.2009   
Alexander Kuzmin, Moscow’s Chief Architect considers that the phrase glorifying Stalin reinstated in August this year in the Kurskaya Circle Line metro station should remain, and that the monument to Stalin should also be reinstated

Alexander Kuzmin, Moscow’s Chief Architect considers that the phrase glorifying Stalin reinstated in August this year in the Kurskaya Circle Line metro station should remain, and that the monument to Stalin should also be reinstated. “If you set about restoration, then you have to reinstate it like the artist planned it. I’m not a Stalinist, but I treat the creative work of those who came before me with respect”, Kuzmin told journalists on Friday, 23 October.

There is no mention in the report of whether any journalist thought to ask whether the architect’s stance would extend to Hitler.

As reported here, on 25 August 2009, words from Sergei Mikhalkov’s 1943 Soviet anthem glorifying Stalin reappeared at the Kurskaya Circle Line metro station.  The words read: “Stalin brought us up – to be true to the people. He inspired us to labour and to heroism!”.  They were removed in 1961, five years after the bloody dictator was denounced.

Kuzmin’s comments follow the publication on Thursday of a letter to the organization “For Human Rights” from the Moscow Heritage Department which stated that the planning document for the restoration of the metro station had not been agreed with the Department. The letter said that it was unacceptable to carry out work on an object of national heritage without agreeing it with the Moscow Heritage Department.

The day before, the Head of the Moscow metro Dmitry Gayev stated that a quote about Lenin would soon also appear in the same station’s vestibule. He said that when reconstructing the vestibule, a full quote from the anthem had been planned, but that those carrying it out had not understood the task. The other line reads: “Through storms the sun of freedom shone upon us. And the great Lenin illuminated our way.” Gayev said that the words would be put up in the near future.

New information at www.grani.ru

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