Today, April 22, the world marks the 152nd birthday of Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Great October Socialist Revolution and founder of the first socialist state in human history, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. For a huge number of people, Lenin is an outstanding figure, which has influenced the course of world history. The birthday of the leader is celebrated today in different parts of Russia and around the world.
In Moscow, a procession to celebrate Lenin’s birthday was held on Red Square. Representatives of left-wing patriotic forces marched under red banners, and then laid flowers and wreaths at the Mausoleum. The head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov took part in the ceremony. About 1000 people took part in the procession. Tomorrow, on April 23rd, the Mausoleum will be temporarily closed in connection with preparations for the Victory Parade. It will be closed until May 16.
Residents and guests of St. Petersburg traditionally lay flowers to the monument to Vladimir Lenin on Moskovskaya Square, which is widely known as Bronze Lenin. This year by April 22 it was cleaned up and put in order. It is interesting that the monument was also installed on April 22 – the 100th anniversary of Lenin, designed by sculptor M.K. Anikushin and architect V.A. Kamensky. This is the highest monument to the leader of the world proletariat in the city. The pedestal height is 7 m 44 cm, the sculpture is 8 m 10 cm.
In Kazan, the city where Vladimir Lenin studied at university, there is the Lenin House-Museum. There, by April 22, a special program was prepared for visitors – the screening of a documentary film “Living Lenin” and a demonstration of fine art exhibits of the exhibition “V. I. Lenin. The symbolic image.” Also there starts the project “People’s Library”, in the framework of which visitors can choose any of the books about Lenin, his era and his heritage.
In Lenin’s hometown, in Ulyanovsk, on April 22 a subbotnik [subbotniks were days of volunteer unpaid work on weekends after the October Revolution. The tradition is continued in modern Russia] in the city began. Works are organized in all districts of the city. Parks, squares, streets and yards are being cleaned and trees are being planted. City authorities do not claim that a community workday is held in honor of Lenin’s birthday, but many citizens perceive the event as such.
In Novosibirsk, flowers were laid at the Lenin monument in the city center. But besides that, the event was also held in the Zayeltsovsky district. There is a monument to Vladimir Lenin in that district – it’s located on the site of the instrument-making plant, which for a long time was named after Lenin. The instrument makers and electronic workers of Zayeltsovka even now honor Vladimir Ilyich.
There are several monuments to Lenin in Rostov-on-Don. Of these, two have the status of cultural heritage sites – on Lenin Square and at the entrance to the Gorky Park. The latter was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, but in 1970 the sculpture was restored. Today, everyone who honors the memory of Vladimir Lenin brings red carnations to his monuments.
In Barnaul, a festive rally was held on the main square of the city near the monument to Lenin. Those who came to the rally crowd noted that this year they were finally able to do so, since the anti-coronavirus restrictions had been lifted. The rally ended with a laying of flowers at the monument.
In Ekaterinburg, it was decided to celebrate Lenin’s birthday not only with a rally and flower laying, but also with a motor rally. However, it will be held not on April 22, but on April 23. The participants intend to rally from Globus shopping center to 1905 Square.
A bust of Vladimir Lenin on Aloye Polye in Chelyabinsk was cleaned up on April 22. It was painted in bright bronze color, and the surrounding area was also cleaned of garbage and leaves. Such subbotniks are held annually near the Mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin in Aloe Polye.
Laying flowers at Lenin’s monuments, rallies, pickets, subbotniks and other actions are also held today in other Russian cities. The revolutionary leader does not disappear either from the pages of history or from people’s memory.
As part of the celebration of the 152 anniversary of Lenin, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center conducted a poll about the attitude towards Vladimir Lenin. 1,600 citizens of Russia expressed their opinion.
Respondents were asked to say who Lenin was and describe him in 2-3 words. 37% responded that Lenin was a “revolutionary and leader of the revolution,” 16% – “leader of the world proletariat,” 15% – “leader of the revolution,” 6% – “founder of the USSR,” 5% – “first leader of the USSR,” and 5% – “head of the Communist Party.”
Lenin was named “politician and statesman” and “leader of the people and an outstanding personality” by 4% of respondents, 3% called him “communist, leader of the Bolsheviks, smart and competent” and another 3% expressed a negative attitude towards Lenin, calling him “bad man”. Only 2% of those surveyed admitted that they did not know who Lenin was, and 2% said he was someone “lying in the Mausoleum.” Another 2% called Lenin “a reformer who changed the life of the country.” 7% had difficulty answering, and 6% gave other answers.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
