One Word: Impressive
The Soviet Union's / Russia's Use of its Space is quite impressive. From the Kremlin, to its Exhibition Park, to its Great Patriotic War Museum, the designers of the latter were geniuses in using space to evoke emotions. I remember several years ago visiting the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The use of space in stretching out the 58,000 + names on the black granite was impressive. It certainly evoked a strong emotional reaction to the deaths in that conflict. Yet, the Soviet Union lost 30+ MILLION people in World War II. The results are horrific. As it prepared to honor the dead on the 50th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Russian government built an impressive memorial that is be hard to top. It is breathtaking.
The designers laid out the park to slowly draw you first toward Victory Monument, a large obelisk commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany, and then the museum by having you walk a broad parkway only open to pedestrian traffic. Each step evokes a feeling of time and a sense of the commitment necessary to defeat a highly determined enemy. As you get closer to the obelisk, large stone monuments on either side recall victories or defeats against the Germany in chronological order. Upon arriving at the monument I am standing beneath a large bronze equestrian stature of St. George the Victorious piercing a dragon with a spear that stands on the granite platform. St George has killed the dragon (Nazi Germany). St. George slaying the dragon is the symbol of the city of Moscow. My long walk has yielded to the Soviet victory. I can now enter the museum.
In the center of the museum is the Hall of Glory, a white marble room which features the names of over 11,800 of the recipients of the Hero of the Soviet Union distinction, which is its highest military honor. A large bronze sculpture, the "Soldier of Victory," stands in the center of this hall. Below lies the Hall of Remembrance and Sorrow, which honors Soviet people who died in the war. This room is dimly lit. Hanging from the ceiling are 2.6 million bronze pendants with glass beads, which symbolize tears shed for the 30 million dead. At the end of the hall in a large room, a massive, solemn marble statue of Mother Russia cradles her dead son. It is a powerful memorial to war dead. The emotions and feelings of what it is like to be in this area cannot be photographed or described adequately.
The museum is the best I have ever visited. Every exhibit, every corner, and every richly decorated wall all convey a strong sense of duty to honor the enormous burden shouldered by the Soviet Union during their fight against Nazi Germany. It is impressive. The Russian people have honored their moral responsbility to provide the historical truth of their sacrfices during the conflict. It feels more of a sacred temple to Soviet history than just a museum showing objects and attempting to tell a story. There is a solemnity about it to the point where one whispers and walks slowly and respectfully.
One of the captured Nazi banners that were thrown down in front of Stalin during the victory parade in 1945.
As I considered about the Russian sacrificies during the war, I also remembered Bob Stewart (Dr. Jim Stewart's father, who is a teacher at Sturgis), who had died earlier this month. Bob, was a WWII U.S. B-17 Bomber captain, who began his tour on June 6, 1944. Before I left Cape Cod I visited Bob at the hospital. The last thing he asked of me before I left was to wish his "glorious allies," the suriving Soviet veterans, all of the best because Bob realized the extent of Soviet sacrificies made against the German Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front. This museum gives testiment to those sacrificies that allowed Americans like Bob to help open up a Western Front invasion in Europe. If not for the Soviets, the U.S. / British losses would have been far greater. Following the war Bob never tarnished the work of the Red Army. (I don't believe the United States as a democratic, capitalistic society, could endure 30 million deaths to defeat an enemy.) While I didn't encounter any veterans to thank on Bob's behalf, who sadly passed away on July 4, I did leave a monetary donation on his behalf. It was the least I could do for him. I believe he would have appreciated the gesture that helps supports this museum.
The Hall of Glory. Very imposing and a tremendous memorial. You cannot help be silent.
The Soviet Union's / Russia's Use of its Space is quite impressive. From the Kremlin, to its Exhibition Park, to its Great Patriotic War Museum, the designers of the latter were geniuses in using space to evoke emotions. I remember several years ago visiting the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The use of space in stretching out the 58,000 + names on the black granite was impressive. It certainly evoked a strong emotional reaction to the deaths in that conflict. Yet, the Soviet Union lost 30+ MILLION people in World War II. The results are horrific. As it prepared to honor the dead on the 50th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Russian government built an impressive memorial that is be hard to top. It is breathtaking.
The museum is the best I have ever visited. Every exhibit, every corner, and every richly decorated wall all convey a strong sense of duty to honor the enormous burden shouldered by the Soviet Union during their fight against Nazi Germany. It is impressive. The Russian people have honored their moral responsbility to provide the historical truth of their sacrfices during the conflict. It feels more of a sacred temple to Soviet history than just a museum showing objects and attempting to tell a story. There is a solemnity about it to the point where one whispers and walks slowly and respectfully.
One of the captured Nazi banners that were thrown down in front of Stalin during the victory parade in 1945.
As I considered about the Russian sacrificies during the war, I also remembered Bob Stewart (Dr. Jim Stewart's father, who is a teacher at Sturgis), who had died earlier this month. Bob, was a WWII U.S. B-17 Bomber captain, who began his tour on June 6, 1944. Before I left Cape Cod I visited Bob at the hospital. The last thing he asked of me before I left was to wish his "glorious allies," the suriving Soviet veterans, all of the best because Bob realized the extent of Soviet sacrificies made against the German Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front. This museum gives testiment to those sacrificies that allowed Americans like Bob to help open up a Western Front invasion in Europe. If not for the Soviets, the U.S. / British losses would have been far greater. Following the war Bob never tarnished the work of the Red Army. (I don't believe the United States as a democratic, capitalistic society, could endure 30 million deaths to defeat an enemy.) While I didn't encounter any veterans to thank on Bob's behalf, who sadly passed away on July 4, I did leave a monetary donation on his behalf. It was the least I could do for him. I believe he would have appreciated the gesture that helps supports this museum.
The Hall of Glory. Very imposing and a tremendous memorial. You cannot help be silent.
No comments:
Post a Comment