After a near sixty-year hiatus, the face of Joseph Stalin, the notorious Soviet leader remembered for his brutal regime, once again graces a Moscow subway station. A recently unveiled statue depicts Stalin attentively gazing into the distance, surrounded by adoring workers and children offering him flowers. This new sculpture is a replica of one that was taken down in 1966 as part of a de-Stalinization effort and has quickly attracted attention, with people stopping to take photos and leave flowers as memorials.
This return of Stalin's image is indicative of a broader trend in Russia to rehabilitate the legacy of a leader responsible for immense suffering, as the Kremlin seeks to reshape the nation's narrative into one that celebrates its historical victories, especially in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The statue's unveiling has sparked a range of responses among the public; some view it as a restoration of a significant historical figure, while others perceive it as a troubling attempt to whitewash the past.
One supporter, Liliya A. Medvedeva, expressed her joy at the statue's return, reflecting on her belief that “we won the war thanks to him.” Medvedeva, born in 1950, recalled her gratitude that Stalin did not imprison her father, who had been captured during World War II. She acknowledged Stalin's mistakes but seemed to frame them as forgivable, stating, “Everybody makes mistakes.”
However, in a climate where dissent can be perilous, the extent of opposition to this nostalgia for Stalin remains uncertain. Many share a sense of unease regarding what they perceive as a revisionist history that glosses over the darker chapters of Soviet rule. As glossed-over recollections of historical brutality re-enter public spaces, they lead to uncomfortable debates about memory, identity, and the nature of historical progress in contemporary Russia.
This return of Stalin's image is indicative of a broader trend in Russia to rehabilitate the legacy of a leader responsible for immense suffering, as the Kremlin seeks to reshape the nation's narrative into one that celebrates its historical victories, especially in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The statue's unveiling has sparked a range of responses among the public; some view it as a restoration of a significant historical figure, while others perceive it as a troubling attempt to whitewash the past.
One supporter, Liliya A. Medvedeva, expressed her joy at the statue's return, reflecting on her belief that “we won the war thanks to him.” Medvedeva, born in 1950, recalled her gratitude that Stalin did not imprison her father, who had been captured during World War II. She acknowledged Stalin's mistakes but seemed to frame them as forgivable, stating, “Everybody makes mistakes.”
However, in a climate where dissent can be perilous, the extent of opposition to this nostalgia for Stalin remains uncertain. Many share a sense of unease regarding what they perceive as a revisionist history that glosses over the darker chapters of Soviet rule. As glossed-over recollections of historical brutality re-enter public spaces, they lead to uncomfortable debates about memory, identity, and the nature of historical progress in contemporary Russia.
