Return of the Tyrant

Sergey Maximishin

In the face of mounting criticism of its diplomatic record abroad and myriad problems rattling its social fabric, Russia is rediscovering its faded Soviet glory through a most unlikely personality cult.~~50 years after Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev’s now famous 'secret speech' denouncing the crimes of Josef Stalin, an official museum dedicated to the Soviet dictator opened its doors in Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, in 2006. Initiated by local businessman Vasiliy Bukhtiyenko, it occupies pride of place at the official complex commemorating the epic World War II battle that changed the course of the war. ~~Bukhtiyenko’s enthusiasm, however, has cost him dearly. In April 2010 he was found electrocuted and bludgeoned to death at a private tennis court in the city. While the local police initially refused to speculate on the motive it is generally assumed that it was timed to coincide with celebrations commemorating the 65th anniversary of the end of WWII, which have sparked a heated and acrimonious debate about Stalin’s memory. ~

The statistics in today’s Russia are telling. More than half of Russians questioned consider Stalin to have been an “able statesman” while a third of all Russians feel either respect or sympathy towards him. A whole 29% of those interviewed said they wished Russia had a leader of Stalin’s calibre to guide Russia into the future. In 2008, state-owned Rossiya TV conducted a poll to find the nation’s “favourite Russian”. To the dismay and embarrassment of the producers, Stalin topped the list. A hurried re-run of the poll still saw him cling to third place. ~~Russia’s current internal convulsions - from an ever falling life expectancy, especially amongst men, to the loss of international clout and influence in Eastern Europe and further afield have brought about a wave of national soul-searching.~~Nicholas II, Russia’s last Czar, was the focus of adoration during the early 1990s under president Yeltsin. Vladimir Putin’s early years in the presidency saw Yuri Andropov, former head of the KGB, venerated for the stability he imposed on the Soviet Union. More recently, however, the Great Patriotic War, as World War II is popularly known in Russia, and Stalin as the Soviet Commander-in-Chief, are once again capturing the public imagination to an unprecedented degree. ~~The museum in Volgograd is not the only expression of Stalin-mania sweeping the country. Local beer brewer Boris Isgarshev has been churning out Stalin lemonade. The labels extol Russia's past as a “great power” and its World War II victories. Public buses in St Petersburg carry Stalin’s face, surrounded by ruddy-cheeked, smiling children.~~ On Vladikavkaz’s “Glory Avenue” street seller peddle bags, mugs, magnets, posters and mobile phones bearing the likeness of the famous Georgian. In scenes not seen since the 1940s, members of the Communist Party have started to march on the annual May Day celebrations with huge portraits of Stalin proudly held high.~~Stalin’s unspeakable crimes – the millions who died of starvation, deportation, imprisonment and pointless military adventures – are slowly being airbrushed out of history by historians and politicians alike. As the boss of the independent radio station Echo Moscow explains, “both Putin and Medvedev are staunch anti-Stalinists but they’re turning a blind eye to this vile renaissance ….. to consolidate the authoritarian system.”~~Visitors to the Stalin Museum seem to approve enthusiastically. As one visiting doctor from Moscow exclaims: “Today we’re missing a new Stalin! Maybe he’ll appear. Then our lives will once again become respectable.”~~Longer text available upon request~