Bigger is not Always Better

Friday is my last language class. I have written three papers, and completed three lecture courses. I have lived in Moscow now for just over four weeks. On Friday night I take the train with my group to St. Petersburg. We will stay and visit for the weekend and return on the night train Sunday night. There are then two more days of packing in Moscow before flying out next Wednesday. I am looking forward to returning home.

Today I visited some excellent Soviet-era moments to the greatness of Communism.

I was amazed at the Space Obelisk, which is over 350 feet high. Officially known as the Monument to "The Conquerers of Space." It represents a rocket heading toward the heavens. It is a beautiful example of Soviet public art and propaganda. At the base of the status is an awesome Bas-relief of Soviet Realist art, depicting the Soviet people under a confident Lenin pointing the way to space and the future. The grand opening of the monument took place on October 4, 1964, on the day of the 7th anniversary of the Sputnik 1 launch.





Even more impressive is the spectacular site of the former Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the U.S.S.R. It is still intact but is now known as the All-Russian Exhibition Centre. It was built in 1939 and designed to impress. It did.

Conceived as a cross between World Fair and Theme Park, with monuments to Soviet science, fountains, amusement-park rides and national pavilions for all the republics of the USSR. There are 82 pavilions spread over 578 acres. It was over 90 degrees so I didn't visit them all :)


The main entrance is a triumphal archway surmounted by towering statues of a tractor driver and a farm girl brandishing sheaves of wheat, which sets the scale for the avenue of fountains that leads to a Lenin statue and the Central Pavilion.


Between 1948 and 1989 pavillions continued to be added until it reached its peak of 82. There were pavillions for industries or fields such as Engineering, Space, Atomic Energy, People's Eduction, Radioelectronics, and Soviet Culture. There were also pavillion dedicated to regions or towns within the Soviet Union. The exhibition was held annually and attracted scientist and industry professionals from across the Soviet Union and the world. It was used to showcase what the Soviet Union claimed to be progress in all fields. 


In 1992 Russia opened it up to private enterprise. Now it is a bizarre juxtaposition: part agricultural fair, part trade expo, part shopping centre and part street market, with amusements as diverse as paint-balling and camel rides - as well as the ubiquitous slot-machine arcades - on offer in various parts of the grounds. This isn't what Stalin had it mind.  


As I was standing in the middle of the park with the massive pavilions surrounding me it dawned on me that this is why I wanted to come to Russia. I am able to place myself within an existing Soviet monument. Seeing all the elaborate pavilions, immensity of their scale, expensive landscaping, and self-adulation of progress and innovation, it became clear to me that the prestige expressed by the Soviets at this exhibition center was all smoke and mirrors. They had their own people fooled and many world leaders. Bigger is not always better.

Propaganda in the Metro

Who says you can never go back home again, even if that home represented repression and persistent propaganda.

Two phrases you don't expect to read when walking around the city of Moscow:


"Stalin reared us on loyalty to the people. He inspired us to labour and heroism."


"For the Motherland! For Stalin!"


Yes, these slogans can be found today in the Kurskaya Metro station. There are numerous artistic depictions of the sickle and hammer, Lenin, Soviet stars, and the like throughout the stations. One could dismiss the Stalin slogans as going along with the other Soviet-era slogans. There is a lengthy quote by Lenin in another station.


However, following Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin for his murderous purges and cult of personality and began what became known as the de-Stalinization movement.  The slogans were painstakingly removed in the late 1950s along with other pro-Stalin propaganda.


The station lobby got an extensive renovation between 2008 and 2009. When it was restored, so were the slogans. There is also two large swords in the lobby that represent the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. On the swords had been the name of the modern-day Russian city of Volgograd, but it was changed back to its wartime name of Stalingrad.


I'll give the the designers some credit.What wasn't restored was a statue of Stalin that had been at the station.

This is an excellent example of the political void in Moscow and the Russian Federation. There are still many people who look fondly back on Stalin's leadership because he created a powerful country, beat the Nazis, and developed the A-bomb. But the prices was millions of deaths. Today the people want democracy but not the kind that Boris Yeltsin had provided in the 1990s. It was a disaster. Today, the government of Medvedev and Putin continues to become more authoritative and corrupt. Yet the people accept limited freedoms to avoid a return to the 1990s. 


I'll let you draw your own conclusion as to what this renovation (and restoration) symbolizes.


In an "un-related" story, 3.5 tons of human bones were found at the Pacific port of Vladivostok. There are at least 495 skeletons, who had been victims of Stalin's purges.  


Another example of  propaganda in the Metro: 

The mural shown in the photo below was painted in the Kiev Ring Metro station in 1951. Obviously it is still there as this is my picture. Look carefully at the top left banner. That is an image of Lenin, who represents the power and security of the state.

It is called “The People’s Procession,” a large mural at the Kiev Ring station, is an excellent example of how the government provided abundance, happiness, and state-sponsored security in the form of decor. The mural, which is located at the end of the platform, depicts the Ukrainian people in folk costumes celebrating underneath a banner of Lenin. Old and young men and women are represented, demonstrating unity, and food and flowers representing plenty are seen.

Wrestling Stalin

I had a great time tonight visiting the graveyard of fallen Soviet Memorial at the Central House of Artist, also known as the Fallen Monuments Park. It is across the wide street from Gorky Park. I was able to flip Stalin the bird and put him in a headlock, plus see the remnants of hundreds of former statues, artwork and busts that occupied the Soviet Union. They have been assembled here in this park because there was no other place to put them. 

It is quite bizarre touring this park. A large statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, who was the founder and initial leader of the Checka, Lenin's secret police and heavy during the Red Terror, stood front and center. The statue once stood at Lubyanka Square, near the KGB Headquarters before it was pulled down in 1991 by cheering crowds with the collapse of communism. It now resides peacefully in this park. Nearby a construction company is putting the finishing touches on a large apartment building designed with a neo-Stalinist architecture. It is hideous and revolting. It has the similar wedding-cake appearance of Stalin's Seven Sisters. Put in juxtaposition with Dzerzhinsky's towering figure, it is further proof that the Russian people aren't quite sure they are ready to leave their past behind them.

But, as stated earlier, I put Stalin in a headlock and flipped him the bird. This was the highlight of my Tuesday evening. There is minor damage done to the larger statue from previous vandalism, but I cannot believe the statue is upright, and the bust isn't at the bottom of the Moscow River. I certainly will put my photo with Stalin to good use as a profile picture.


The picture below is myself in front a large Soviet emblem and a sign that, roughly translated, states the USSR is the center of the world. Yeah, that is so 1950s. Today, the sign is rusting and falling apart in a park mostly visited by tourists and young Russian couples who want to make out on the numerous park benches. 

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July, Americans. 

As the United States celebrates its independence from a monarchy, I celebrated my weekend visiting relics of a failed political system: Lenin, Stalin (that bastard),  Krushchev (that fool) Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko.

On Saturday, I finally got to see Vladimir Lenin, or at least a waxy representation of him. I admit that I've wanted to view his body since I learned about him in high school history class. But then it was a cool idea because the Cold War was still on, Reagan was in office, Perestroika had yet to begin and it sounded risky and exciting. However, 25 years later it was a major letdown. It was as if I gained entrance to a state-sanctioned freak show to see a man's body whose ideals began evaporating the moment he seized power in 1917. I haven't figured out why Russia continues to treat Lenin nostalgically because he is the same man who immediately created the brutal secret police (the Cheka) and instituted the Red Terror against his opponents once taking power. He is no George Washington, yet his likeness is all around the city on busts, T-shirts, murals, paintings, etc.

Viewing his body was worth every penny. There is no charge to see Lenin. You have to stand a long line with other tourists. (Most Russians don't bother to view his "body" any longer.) Ironically, the line stretched all the way from Red Square to the McDonald's (I'm not kidding.) After queuing through the mausoleum, the formality I mentioned the other day has decreased considerably in the past five years according to my group leader. There are far fewer guards, the line became single file, the few guards in the mausoleum looked bored and were not at full attention. My guess is the "show" is getting old and in a few years they will finally bury this charade once and for all.

After standing in the bright sunlight for an hour, it is a shock to walk into the mausoleum because it is so dark. I began shuffling my feet on the marble floor because I knew there were steps coming up. The room is about 30 x 30 feet with a guard posted on each corner. The line queues around three sides of Lenin's sarcophagus. Once I entered the room I found myself staring at the guard to gauge his reaction to the tourist. He looked bored. I then looked at the "body." It is just as it appears in pictures. His skin is ghostly-white, his right hand is in a gentle fist and his left is laid out, palm down. As I passed the left side of his body I leaned in slightly to look at the skin on his face and it appeared as if it had way to much pancake makeup. Gross is the most elegant word I can muster. And, as I passed around him I consciously began thinking that I had NO reverence at all for this man. The only reason I am viewing the body is probably the same for many non-Russians, morbid curiosity.

Leaving the mausoleum the line is directed along the wall of the Kremlin where name plates list those people  interred in the Kremlin wall, and then finally you pass the row of highest Soviet honor, burial at the Kremlin. These include those that succeeded Lenin: Stalin, Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko. Each has a marble bust. No matter which direction I looked at Stalin, I'm convinced his bust's eyes followed me. Very creepy, but fitting for the paranoid bastard. (Below is the marble bust of Stalin. Once again, I don't understand why Russia continues to pay any respect to this man's memory. I know there are old hard-line communist who would prefer Stalin to Putin, Medvedev and the current government, but at some point the bust has to go. There have already been many likenesses of Stalin that have been removed from the Metro and other places.)

On Sunday I traveled to view Khrushchev's grave at Novodevichy Cemetery, which is one the outskirts of the city. While the location is ancient and beautiful, it isn't as impressive as being buried at the Kremlin. Of course, if Stalin was buried in a publicaly accessible area, his grave would have been destroyed by now. For the leader of the Soviet Union I was surprised at how simple Khrushchev's grave is, especially when I compare it with other nearby graves of high-ranking Soviet political and military leaders. (More on this later.)

This is the first Fourth of July that I have every spent on foreign soil, and after having spent the past two days reflecting upon this country's terrible past experiences with brutal leaders, I am thankful for the United States, the Bill of Rights, elected leadership, and representational democracy. Despite the blemishes and the occasional hiccups, the U.S. form of government sure beats dictatorship and repression.

Khrushchev's Gravestone

Side Notes:

Besides visiting Novodevichy Cemetery on Sunday, I spent four hours in the morning riding the Metro taking photos of various decorations that were installed during Stalin's time. The pictures are published here. I will continue to take more photos next Sunday, when there are the fewest people in the Metro. I plan to use the photos to develop a unit on Stalin's use of architecture and propaganda from 1935 to 1953.

As an aside, it appears the mullet haircut, which had been on a steep decline in the U.S., is making its comeback here in Russia.  I've seen some major mullets this past week. (I feel like I'm back in Kentucky at times.) Also, camouflage seems to be a popular fashion print for both men and women. The trifecta will be a man wearing camoflage, sporting a mullet with a wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth. Yee-hah!

First Week of Classes

It is Saturday morning I am relaxing after my first full week in Moscow. The past five days I have walked many miles throughout the city exploring it and have finished the first week of classes. I am enjoying my politics class and my economics class very much. It is very interesting learning about Russia's situation from Russian professors who have experienced the Soviet Union, the transition period, and the contemporary situation. The classes combined with my personal experiences are already giving me a revised outlook on this country.

I have also finished my first week of Russian language classes. This is by far the hardest course I am taking. I have also found it difficult to learn any language, and this - of course - is no exception. But, I am trying my hardest to learn as much as I can. I also have a Russian tutor, who is helping me. My tutor is exceptional, and I know I got lucky compared to my 11 colleagues. While most tutors are Russian college students who aspire to teach language or make a few bucks on the side, my tutor teaches German and English at Moscow State University. She spent 2 hours with me on Tuesday having me recite over and over again words that I just started learning the day before. It was very helpful, but also very humbling.

On Thursday, after four days of instruction, I became excited when I was hurrying through the Metro and discovered myself reading the Cyrillic signs as to the stations I needed to head toward. Thus, I can now see

Китай Пород

and know that it is the Kitay-Gorod station, which is the station that I go to when I head to the university. However, I'm still not quite sure what these Cyrillic words are advertising: 

I know the first letter of each word is a D, (the Delta symbol) but I'm still not sure of the rest. Maybe later I'll have some coffee and work on my translation.

I am currently writing / illustrating my experiences this week of the city in several themed postings. I am on sensory overload and don't know where to being or end, so as I finish them, I'll publish one at a time.

Yesterday I took a beautiful trip down the Moscow River, which winds through the city. (More on this in a future post. Prior to boarding, Коко-Кола was promoting its affiliation with the World Cup by giving away small cans of Coke in the area of a public fountain. Being a hot day, the free soda tasted great, and best of all, it was the coldest beverage I have been served since arriving in Russia. No drinks are served with ice, and most are a few degrees above room temperature.

Ahhh! The small joys of capitalism thriving in Moscow. I, along with all of my colleagues enjoyed a free Coke prior to touring the Moscow River on Friday, July 2. While soda is readily available, I haven't seen many Russians drinking it. Popular non-alcoholic drinks are Nestea, water, lemon-flavored water, and Quas, (Kvas) which is a drink made of rye and malt. It tastes like unfinished beer soaked in bread.  

Side Notes:

Lenin: I am getting ready to visit the Lenin Mausoleum at Red Square this morning. Since I was in high school I've always considered this display of Lenin's body as somewhat of a freak show / side show. And, I actually have mixed feelings about this because of how the Russian authorities "force" you to be respectful. While I'm excited to see his body as a mere curiosity, in a way I am lending credence to his botched attempt at controlling the world by shuffling past his remains. I will be lined up next to another person and allowed to walk (and keep walking) around his body, which lies on top of a sarcophagus in the mausoleum. I will not be allowed to wear a hat, bring a camera, talk, point, put my hands in my pockets, laugh, etc. I'll report on what I feel about this experience tomorrow.

Coffee: Since leaving DC I haven't had a cup of coffee. I've been OK with this. Russians like a lot of their coffee instant, which I find strange especially with the influx of Western coffee shops: Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. (This may be changing if the marketers have their way.) All of sudden this morning I am having a coffee craving. Where I live is too far from a good coffee shop to purchase a cup for about two hours when I ride the Metro downtown. The shops across the street from my apartment only offer instant. I'll wait...Maybe.

Red Square is Awesome! So is warm Tomato Juice

Today our group took Russian-language-placement exams and a a fast-paced walking tour of downtown Moscow. Over the coming weeks there will be more in-depth visits for further study. These are my thoughts on today: 


"Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!" (Proleterians of all countries unite!) Nice idea on as written on this stone. (Me, on the right) Probably the only time I'll allow myself or my thinking on the same plane as Karl Marx. This is one of the few monuments left to Marx today. It is situated very near Red Square and is directly across from the Bolshoy Theater.

One of my top ten places to see in the world is Red Square. Today I experienced it. I stood in its center and imagined the propaganda power of a military parade. St. Basil's Cathedral in front of me, and the Kremlin walls to the right. Awesome! However, before this, as I am walking through the gates I spot Lenin and Stalin - in person, sitting and chatting together. Obviously not the real deal but it was two actors who looked eerily similar to the pair. Stalin in a white coat and smoking a pipe, Lenin, somewhat relaxed, as if "really" listening to Stalin. It was a moment too fleeting for a camera, but the pair appeared to be taking a break while sitting on folding chairs. The scene was reminiscent of the actual time the two of them were seen together.

Unfortunately, the grandeur of Red Square is cheapened by the marketing allowed to make it a tourist attraction on the level of Rock City or Disney World. Vlad and Joe are proof enough. There are cheesy T-shirts, military caps, and other "Soviet" trinkets that glorify what the Communist accomplished. Having actors portray brutal dictators for "admiring" tourists seemed a bit much for me. On Thursday, a group of people tore down one of the last remaining statues of Stalin - in his hometown in Georgia. (This seems proof enough of what a lot of people think.) Stalin is a man responsible for 30 million deaths in the political purges and show trials of the 1930s, forced labor camps and the botched agricultural collectivization schemes. However, others stills view him as a hero for saving the Soviets from Nazi Germany and modernizing Russia.

I also saw where the building where the Politburo met, the former KGB headquarters, the Duma building, the Bolstoy theater, and old, old Moscow that hadn't been destroyed by Stalin.

Side Notes:

• The building where I'm taking my classes used to educate people how to be excellent communist bureaucrats for the Soviet Union. It was an elite academy known as the higher party school. I want to find out more about its history.

• I experienced the Moscow Metro for the first time. The car I rode it must have been built in the 50s but the experience was only sweeter because of it. Yes, for the record, Muscovites invade one's personal space, but that only heightens the experience. I'm glad I put on deodorant today, however, I wish others had the same consideration.

• I took my entrance exam for the Russian language today. I finished quickly. The only question I could answer was the spot to write my name (in English). I think I will be placed in the beginners class (and not for good reason.)

• At the university's cafeteria I took a chance and ordered a fish soup. However, it was more like a fish chowder and it was the best I had ever eaten. It had more than enough fish in it and the flavors in the broth and other ingredients were awesome. It cost 40 rubles, which is about $1.33.

• I have discovered that Russians have an affinity for tomato juice, and, like any connoisseur, they prefer it without ice. I purchased two liters of it today to enjoy later at room temperature.