RUSSIA: Former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin remains an iconic figure in Russia's North Ossetia.
- 00:02:51
- ITN Source
RUSSIA: Former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin remains an iconic figure in Russia's North Ossetia.
More than 50 years after his death, Soviet dictator leader Josef Stalin is making a comeback in Russia's volatile North Caucasus. Drive through any small town in Russia's North Ossetia republic, and you will see a statue of Stalin gaze at you. But these monuments are not just the remains of the country's dark past. The busts and statues of Stalin are looked after by a growing number of admirers of the Soviet dictator. These supporters keep the monuments clean and visit them frequently bringing freshly cut flowers. After Stalin's death in 1953 his successor Nikita Khrushchev denounced him, condemning his tyrannical rule which included state terror, mass deportations and political repression. Khrushchev demanded an end to Stalin's self idolisation, calling for the removal of Stalin statues all over the Soviet Union. But recent opinion polls show that Stalin is undergoing a revival in Russia. He is often ranked in third place in popularity behind Tsar Peter the Great, and Russian revolution leader Vladimir Lenin, even edging out President Vladimir Putin. In North Ossetia, people regard Stalin highly and they see him as the saviour of Russia. Ossetians claim that Stalin, although Georgian, had Ossetian blood. Portraits and sculptures of the dictator are a common sight on Ossetian streets. "My husband brought the statue to our house, he simply respects him. He said he [Stalin] was a great man who won the war (World War Two)," said farmer Rima, as she fed her chickens next to a silver bust of Stalin. Her husband's view is backed by members of the local war veterans' association. They see Stalin as a great leader who led the Soviet Union to victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. The veterans wear their war medals with pride and regularly bring fresh flowers to a golden Stalin statue located in the centre of the small town of Beslan. But it is not only veterans in this impoverished mountain region who idolise Stalin. Living too far away from Moscow to benefit from Russia's energy-fuelled economic boom, a younger generation believe life was better under Stalin's rule. "There was food rationing during Stalin's time, but at least people were not starving, they did not die of hunger. Today, we are not starving either, but we don't have enough; all we have is four walls to stare at, and the pensions (we get), just a few kopeks, are not enough to live on," said a woman living in the village of Dzhigvgis (Pron: Zhi-give-gees). In Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia, an organisation called the 'Stalinists of North Ossetia' is trying to win funding and support for a permanent museum to honour Stalin and glorify his memory. "At the beginning of September two exhibitions will be opened in the museum. The first will be called "Stalin and World War Two" and the second will be called "Stalin's era and Ossetia". If the parliament and the head of the republic will help us and give us a small room in the centre of the city, we plan to open a permanent museum so people can visit it whenever they want," said chairman of the 'Stalinists of North Ossetia' organisation, Noday Zadiyev. The organisation distributes Stalin memorabilia such as pens, badges and calendars to supporters across Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union.
ITN Source | August 7, 2006
