02.06.05. We received an official reply from the Krasnoyarsk municipal administration. There will not be a Stalin statue in Krasnoyarsk. The project was declared to be inadmissable. We are satisfied with this decision. Thus, the action „No room for the murderer in Krasnoyarsk“ has come to an end.
| COMMITTEE of
the municipal administration 660009, Krasnoyarsk city, ul. Lenina, 123 |
Chairman of the Krasnoyarsk
„Memorial“ organization of historical illumination,
A.A. Babiy |
30.05.2005 No. 06/234
Your ref. No. 2-9637 dated 25.04.05
Erection of a Y.V. Stalin statue
Dear Alexey Andreyevich!
Having taken note of the fact that you addressed yourselves to the Governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, A.G. Khloponin, concerning the plans and preparations for the erection of an Y.V. Stalin statue in Krasnoyarsk, I would like to inform you of the following. The responsible heads of the administrative organs of the region and town of Krasnoyarsk have made their final decision and declared the project to be inadmissable. The decision was made after taking account of the fact that Y.V. Stalin’s activities were judged with utmost disagreement among the population of the region. The attitude and position of the Governor himself was repeatedly explained in the regional and national mass media.
Deputy chairwoman of the Committee I.G. Gorodnova
The regional and municipal authorities
explained their point of view. It seems that there will be neither a
Stalin monument nor a bust in our town. However, there is no absolute
certainty:
For the above reasons we will continue to carefully watch, how the situation develops, we will continue the sign-in and are prepared to take determined action – unless we have not received full information and absolute clarity about the fact that our town will not be ruined by the áimmortalization of a murderer. |
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06.05.05
Statement by the Krasnoyarsk „Memorial“ Organization
The governor of the region, Alexander Khlopotin, announced in public that neither a Stalin monument nor a bust will be erected in the town in the near future. In this connection he referred to the decision of the municipal authorities. The text of this decision is not known to us, but we are glad that reasonable, common sense gained the upper hand.
At present, the Communist still entertain hopes to be able to change the decision of the administration. They organized a meeting for the presentation of the bust today, which was, in fact, placed on Markovskiy street, in the very proximity of Lenin. The conflicts that arouse during the presentation testify that Stalin is a symbol of rupture and opposition.
“Memorial” once again explicitly states: “There will be no Stalin!”
03.05.05
Today at 4 p.m. a briefing will be held in the House of Science and Technics concerning the erection of a monument and a bust of Stalin in Krasnoyarsk. „The mayor maintains his silence, but we are not going to keep silent“.
| The Krasnoyarsk
„Memorial“ organization and the Krasnoyarsk Association of Victims of
illegal plitical reprisals are organizing a sign-in against the erection of
a Stalin memorial in Krasnoyarsk: the action will start on Monday, at 10
a.m., by the town administration building. Support the action!
Are you incensed about the about the way of acting and the methods of
the municipal administration? Then let the bureaucrats know your opinion! |
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27.04.05 During the news on Chanel 7 a strange scene was shown on the TV screen, but we were unable to believe it, until we had gone on the spot and seen for ourselves. For this is how the Gvardeysk Park looks today:
Compare the scene with how it looked last Saturday:
A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder!
We can now cross off the question of “what was that supposed to be?” The second question – “who did that?” remains unsettled. We sinerely hope that Petr Ivanovich Pimashkov will be prepared to explain the scene to the citizens of Krasnoyarsk and take necessary steps accordingly.
The sign-in will go on. It is now being carried through by our voluntary assistants “on the spot”.
26.04.05 19.00h
Our action was disturbed by heavy rain today.
To be more exact – it was disturbed, but notinterrupted …
The sign-in is in full swing
The youngsters of Krasnoyarsk do not need Stalin!
During the sign-in a lot of interesting opinions came to our ears. In 90% of the cases they sounded like this:
About Stalin:
About the Krasnoyarsk municipal administration:
About the way and methods of deciding important matters:
26.04.05 14.00h
The Advisory Committee of the municipal administration recommended by 14:1 votes to refrain from the erection of a Stalin monument in a public place in the centerof the town. The leading motives for this decision are the inexorable resistance of the people in town towards Stalin’s figure and the fear of possible disturbances. The committee was unable to give a detailed explanation about its principle attitude towards Stalin. In order to make a concession to the Communists, the committee did not exclude the possibility of raising a bust of the generalissimo inside the Pantheon of Glory.
Well then, one of the problems was solved: the starting point of confrontations and conflicts is now practically eliminated. The authorities solved their problems. But what about the deeply hurt feelings of the victims of political reprisals? What about the opinion of many, many citizens, who principally do not support the erection of such a monument? It is of no importance, where, in what way and in which quality a Stalin monument is going to be erected. The decision tha it will be erected at all is the important factor. It means that the imagine of our town is now closely connected with Stalin’s name. Regardless of whether the bust will be standing in a public place or inside a building – the whole world will learn about the fact that a Stalin bust was erected in Krasnoyarsk.
We categorically refuse to accept the erection of a Stalin bust in Krasnoyarsk.
The Executive Board of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” organization
26.04.05 8.30 a.m.
All day long signatures were collected next to the mayoralty. Activists of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” organization, as well as members of the Krasnoyarsk Association of Victims of political Reprisals took part in the action.
The sign-in will go on today and tomorrow.
During a session of the Advisory Committee of the town administration a compromise solution was found: a Stalin bust will be raised in any case, howeve, it will not be erected in any of the public places, but inside a building, in the Pantheon of Glory. Well, one of the problems has been solved: the starting point of confrontations and conflicts is now practically eliminated. But what about the deeply hurt feelings of the victims of political reprisals? It is of no importance, where, in what way and in which quality a Stalin monument is going to be erected. The decision that it will be erected at all is the important factor. It means that the image of our town is now closely connected to Stalin’s name. Regardless of whether the bust will be standing in a public place or inside a building – the whole world will learn about the fact that a Stalin bust was raised in Krasnoyarsk. Do we need that?
25.04.05
05-013 of the 25.04.2005
To the
Governor of the Region of Krasnoyarsk
A.G.
Khloponin
Subject: Erection of a Stalin memorial
Dear Mr. Governor!
In Krasnoyarsk the preparations for the erection of a Stalin memorial are well under way. Both local and foreign mass media report this (see survey HTTPS://www.memorial.krsk.ru ). The information given by the authorities on this subject aim at a misleading of the citizens, who are kept away deliberately from the process of an utterly critical political decision.
We are not going to judge about Stalin’s role in the history of our country here. We are convinced that you are on the point of getting involved in a sharp controversy on account of the subject in question; there is unrest among the people
We are very worried about the negative consequences which might arise, in case Krasnoyarsk rises to dame as a town adoring Stalin.
There are hotheaded supporters of Stalin in our town (mainly Communists), as well as irreconcilable opponents. The Stalin memorial could become the reason for confrontations and conflicts. Various kinds of political demonstrations, acts of vandalism are practically inevitable. Is it really necessary to provoke them by preparing the ground for them? Maybe this would suit certain forces perfectly. But it will, for sure, have disturbing effects on the creative activities which are just going on in the region.
If no attention is attached to the political tendency and aims of the investors, this will be detrimental to the image and authority of Krasnoyarsk.
Nowadays 26000 victims of political reprisals live in the region. A considerable number of people in our camp region are – direct descendants of victims of political reprisals. You should be aware of the history of the origins of the Norilsk Combine, too, shouldn’t you? The resolution of the Conference of Victims of political Reprisals (of the 04.04.05) takes offence at the erection of a Stalin memorial. It cannot possibly be that, upon the pursuance of political aims, people’s feelings are hurt in this way.
The Communists’ reference to claims of the veterans and the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Victory represent a – mean treachery. For the Communists this is a means to fulfill their tactical tasks to take over the power again. And Stalin’s political rehabilitation is a step towards the justification of Communist acts on the whole.
Yes, indeed, in accordance with the law you are not empowered to decide about this problem. However, you dispose of a considerable authority, dear Mr. Politician, not only within the region, but in Russia. Your opinion is attached great importance to. We hereby appeal to you to very clearly express your views on the problem in question in public.
Very truly yours,
the chairman of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial”
organization of historical illumination and education,
human rights and charity
A.A. Babiy
24.04.05 – 12.50h
Oleg Shenin during an interview with Radio “Svoboda”: the Stalin memorial will be erected in the Station district by the operetta theater.
"Vladimir Kara-Murza: Oleg Semenovich, are today’s authorities in Krasnoyarsk really capable of ushering in a process of re-erecting and raising Stalin memorials?
Oleg Shenin: A bronze memorial will be erected in Krasnoyarsk, it has already been casted. It is supposed to be erected in the Station district by the operetta theater. The mayorality has already dropped its final decision. Your interlocutor quite often uses the word “beast”. She probably means, that our people are beasts and that the creative intelligentia hit a dead end. Let me say that we have just more beast among ourselves than ever before. It is those, who stood in front of the White House, who are to be blamed that there are more than four millions of homeless, uncared-four children, drug addiction, prostitution and the like."
HTTPS://www.svoboda.org/ll/grani/0405/II.041205-1.asp
Why is Oleg Semenovich Shenin aware about what is going on, but Petr Ivanovich Pimashkov does not have the slightest idea?
We insist on receiving an official confirmation that the municipal administration has not assigned a place for the erection of a Stalin memorial in the Station district.
24.04.05 10.00
We were informed that in the town district of Zelenaya Roshcha a place for a Stalin memorial has not only been assigned, but that the foundations are already completed. We sincerely hope that this is not the case, that the erection of a Stalin monument is not being planend at all: would it be possible to drop such a decision without apprising the mayor in advance? Wasn’t it him, who just assured us that the question has not even be discussed yet?
Or do the Communists erect a memorial, without having obtained the official permission by the administrative authorities? And into which direction does the public prosecutor look in such a case? Who does he take sides with?
Dissipate our doubts, Mr. Chernykh and Mr. Chepishko: give us your confirmation that the photographies do NOT show the foundations for a Stalin memorial. We would be very grateful to you.
The Krasnoyarsk „Memorial“ organization is going to realize a sign-in against the erection of a Stalin memorial in Krasnoyarsk: the campaign will start on Monday, April 25, at 10 a.m., by the town administration building. Come to support the protest action!
23.04.05
Dear citizens of Krasnoyarsk!
They are trying to erect a Stalin memorial in our town. We believe that this is an action of the Communist Party which is taking advantage of the war veterans, as well as the representatives of the town administration to push through their political aims.
The municipal authorities makes common cause with the Communists. Only after we had brought this matter before the public, it became evident during an interview with V.M. Chernykh, who is holding the position of the head official for the department of social policy, that a place for the erection of the memorial has already been assigned. At exactly the same time, the head of our town, P.I. Pimashkov, asserted that the problem has not even been discussed among the representatives of the town administration at all. One of them does not tell us the truth, an it would be of utmost interest and importance to learn – who it is. It is a matter of fact that they are trying to deceive us and to drop their decision with utmost secrecy.
By the way, there is yet another initiative maturing with the department of social policy, apart from the Stalin monument. The head of the department V.V. Kuimov has the opinion that too many memorials to the honour of victims of political reprisals have already spread in town. He therefore proposes to only keep one of them – the “Road of chains” on Predmostnaya
Place – a monument inmemory of Communists and revolutionaries. Any further comment is completely superfluous.
22.04.05
It has come to our knowledge that, among other preparatory measures cincerning the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Victory, it is intentioned to a erect a Stalin memorial. This ecision, which is of great public and social importance, was taken with great secrecy. The commissions who discussed this initiative did not invite to their sessions any representatives of the public. The citizens were not informed about the decision in the offing.
We therefore feel compelled to address ourselves to the head of our town by means of the mass media, I order to explain our point of view.
Dear Petr Ivanovich!
You are on the point of taking a decision regarding the erection of a Stalin memorial in the city of Krasnoyarsk.
If such a memorial is actually erected, this might lead to a series of negative circumstances surrounding the case. There are not only hotheaded supporters of Stalinism in our town (Communists, dyed-in-the-wool nationalists and degraded persons), but also numerous irreconcilable oponents. The 26000 victims of Stalinism, who live in the region, consider such an eternelization a serious insult (resolution of the conference of the Krasnoyarsk Assocoiation of Victims of political Reprisals attached). The memorial must not be erected in our town. Not a single person must be insulted by such a measure.
The memorial will become a source of permanent political tensions. Mass meetings of supporters and opponents, conflicts, acts of vandalism – this is what our town does not need at all.
Until now, Krasnoyarsk gave a good, appreciative imagine on the map of Russia. It is not worth the effort to show any urgency in this political question and then make a serious mistake.
You have personally done a lot for own town. Your name is associated in a deserving and laudable way with a number of buildings and constructions. We honestly do not want you to be one day named in one breath with Stalin when talking about the history of our town – Stalin, who a considerable number of citizens regard as the executioner of the people.
We consider it our duty to let you know the following: the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” disposes of very efficient possibilities to spread information and a great authority among the Russian public.
We sincerely hope in your political experience and wise decision.
Very truly yours,
the chairman of the Krasnoyarsk “Memorial” organization of historical illumination and education, human rights and charity
A.A. Babiy
