The Russia Journal :: The Russia Journal :: Opinion || Articles RJ STREET POLL: What do you think about the idea of reestablishing the monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky at Lubyanskaya Pl.?
By YELENA BUSOVIKOVA / The Russia Journal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SERGEI PESHEKHONOV, SALES MANAGER
>From the historical point of view, there is a need for the monument to
Dzerzhinsky. I am not against the idea of putting the monument back on
Lubyanskaya Pl. It was a temporary, spontaneous decision to take it away
from the square in the first place. Anyway, Dzerzhinsky had done a lot in
Russian history, and deserves to live on in people’s minds. Of course, we
don’t know all the details about his life, but nobody’s perfect.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEKATERINA IVANOVA, COMPUTER SALESPERSON
It doesn’t matter, because I live in Dzerzhinsky town in Moscow region, and there is already a Dzerzhinsky monument in the center. If they eventually decide to return the monument to Lubyanskaya Pl., the most important thing is for it to be clean, well taken care of, and fitting to the landscape. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARINA BADAKYAN, STUDENT
Umm, I don’t even know… I don’t really care if the monument of Dzerzhinsky is in Lubyanskaya Pl. or not. I don’t remember it being there anyway. And I don’t know much about his personality or his life as a politician. Of course, the name is familiar to me. I studied him in history class, but the existence of the monument doesn’t really matter to me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALEKSANDER KRAVCHENKO, TV CHANNEL EDITOR
The idea is definitely a bad one. All of his actions are embodied in the monument. Dzerzhinsky is a frightening symbol in history. This monument is going to remind people of the past. People who cannot think independently will be led to believe that they don’t have to because someone will make the decisions for them. I would place the monument in the House of Artists park where it could be a friend to pigeons; hopefully the birds could make a good nest out of it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANTON SKOSARENKO, COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
I feel positive about the idea because Dzerzhinsky is part of our history, and history must be reflected for generations to come. Dzerzhinsky did a great deal of good for the orphans in the Volga region and was famous for his programs to help starving people. He did a great deal of charity work in the Soviet Union. The monument needs to be placed away from the monument to Alexander II, because this family was destroyed by Dzerzhinsky’s system. There should be a sign to tell people the history of the monument and the main activities of Dzerzhinsky. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAMARA GVOZDEVA, PENSIONER
>From the artistic point of view, the monument is magnificent. Every detail
is perfect and the pedestal is gorgeous. I don’t mind this monument as a
piece of art – as an example of Russian sculpture at Lubyanskays Pl. The
personality of Dzerzhinsky, however, is questionable. It is important that
we learn a lesson from the past and never repeat what he did. Not everyone
creates intelligent and good things in life. He may have made mistakes, but
there were rational impulses behind them.
[4 Oct 2002]
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