Jump to content

Statue of Lenin in Kharkiv

Coordinates: 50°00′17″N 36°13′52″E / 50.00483°N 36.23119°E / 50.00483; 36.23119
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mupper-san (talk | contribs) at 14:26, 7 November 2022. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Statue of Lenin in Kharkiv
Monument to Lenin in then named Dzerzhinsky Square (now Freedom Square) in 1973
Map
50°00′17″N 36°13′52″E / 50.00483°N 36.23119°E / 50.00483; 36.23119
LocationKharkiv, Ukraine
DesignerAlexander Sidorenko
MaterialGranite, Bronze
Length720 m
Width125 m
Beginning date5 November 1963
Opening dateNovember 1964
Dedicated toVladimir Lenin
Dismantled date28 September 2014
Due to Ukrainian decommunization laws, it shall not be rebuilt.

The Statue of Lenin in Kharkiv was a sculpture monument to Vladimir Lenin, located in the Freedom Square, Kharkiv, Ukraine, that was toppled and demolished in 2014. It was the largest monument to Lenin in Ukraine, designed by Alexander Sidorenko after entering an open competition to design the monument in 1963, in the lead up to the anniversary of the October Revolution.

The monument ID was 63-101-0682.[citation needed]

Description

The statue is composed of Lenin, gesturing towards the Kharkiv Regional Administration Building with his right hand, a crumpled cartouche in his left, atop a pedestal. The pedestal includes two bas-reliefs: on one side a worker, sailor, and soldier under the Red Flag, and on the other a worker, a collective farmer, and a scientist who raised a model artificial satellite above his head. In the middle, the plinth was mainly empty, except for the inscription of Lenin's name in Ukrainian, held on by steel pins at its feet.[1][2]

History

The statue pointing to the Kharkiv Regional Administration Building in September 2007

The monument was placed and planned by the Kharkiv City Council through the memorandum placed to build the sculpture to the square in 1963, the commission was accounted by sculptor Alexander Sidorenko, the building was commissioned by Oleksiy Oliynyk and Makar Vronsky, the monument was opened in November 1964, the eve of the October Revolution festivities in the USSR.

After the collapse of the USSR and restoration of independence of Ukraine, many activists, politicians, and individuals called for the destruction of the sculpture, to remove a remnant of the era of Russian colonisation in the area.

In 1994, it was proposed to replace this monument with a chocolate one, and to distribute chocolate to children.[citation needed]

By order of the Ministry of Culture No. 468 of 30 May 2013, the monument was entered in the State Register of Immovable Landmarks of Ukraine as a monument of monumental art of local significance, protection number 27-Ha.

Euromaidan and Revolution of Dignity

The monument on 22 February 2014, surrounded by protesters with red flags and Russian flags protecting it.
Pro-Russian demonstrations beneath the statue on 28 February 2014
protesters bearing words "Protect Nationalism", "Caution! Fascism on "Freedom and Benderovets. REMEMBER - KHARKOV IS NOT YOUR TERRITORY."

During the Euromaidan and Leninist events in Ukraine on 22 February 2014, after thousands of Euromaidan activists marched from the Palace of Sports to Freedom Square, discussed for the mass demolition of the monument and all other insignias of the Soviet past. During the discussion, it was decided to demolish the monument after a decision in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Groups of Kharkiv residents who identified themselves as the "St George's Ribbon" called pro-Russian inhabitants and Anti-Maidan activists to defend the monument and organised round-the-clock protection. The Mayor of Kharkiv Hennadiy Kernes opposed the toppling of the monument.[citation needed]

In the evening of 21 September 2014, Right Sector activists painted the monument and burned the St George's ribbons that remained there. The next day, the inscriptions were erased by utility workers.[3][4][5]

Demolition

See also: Demolition of monuments to Vladimir Lenin in Ukraine

On 28 September 2014, a pro-Ukrainian march and rally was held in Kharkiv under the slogan "Kharkiv is Ukraine" with the participation of about 5,000 people. After the pro-Ukrainian action, most of its participants (about 3,000) gathered in Freedom Square and began to demolish the monument to Lenin, which was attended by fighters of the Azov Battalion, activists of the Eastern Corps, Public Guard, Kharkiv Euromaidan, and Kharkiv Ultras.[6][7][8][9]

Initially, it was planned to saw the monument in parts with the help of a car lift, in particular, to saw off the head and hands, but the police did not allow special equipment to the monument and blocked all entrances to the square. At the same time, activists with the flag of the Azov Battalion cut out the inscription "Glory to Ukraine" with a perforator, at about 19:00 UTC+2.[10][9][11]

During the action to demolish the monument to Lenin, the pedestal was mined and inspected, but the report on the demining turned out to be false. In addition, according to Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko,[9][12] law enforcement officers surrounded Freedom Square during the demolition of the monument to Lenin in order to prevent armed provocations.[8][2][13]

During the first attempt to demolish the monument, the cable broke, injuring one of the activists, after which the monument's legs continued to be sawn, and climbing ropes were replaced with steel ropes. One man who tried to harm this process was beaten by pro-Ukrainian activists for insulting the Ukrainian people.[citation needed]

At about 10:30 pm, activists tied two ropes to the figures and pulled them down and knocked down a monument to Lenin on Freedom Square in Kharkiv. After that, a crowd of people rushed to the monument, lighting fireworks and smoke bombs, as well as greeting each other shouting "Glory to Ukraine" once more. Kharkivites also tried to seize a piece of the monument as a souvenir. In total, the process of demolition of the monument took about four hours.[8] Activists set Ukrainian flags in the shoes of the statue of Lenin that remained on the pedestal.[14][13][8]

The sculpture was severely damaged, it left just a torso without one arm, its head, front abdomen, or boots. The remains of the statue of Lenin were transported to the Malyshev plant and the Kharkiv regional highway near the ring road.

Aftermath

Initially, the police opened a criminal investigation into the attempt to overthrow the monument to Lenin under Part 2 of Article 298 (destruction, destruction or damage to cultural heritage sites) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

However, a few hours after the demolition, the city's official website published an order signed by the Governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Ihor Baluta, in which he “instructed the relevant structures to take measures to exclude the monument to Lenin, located on Svoboda Square in Kharkov, from the register of historical and cultural monuments, and also to take measures for the dismantling of the monument". Baluta then signed an order forming the "settling the situation regarding monuments to totalitarianism", according to which he decided to take urgent measures to dismantle the monument and remove it from the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine. The criminal proceedings were also terminated, and the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov announced the termination of the criminal proceedings on the fact of damaging the monument on the basis of this order. Some of the local media called it a "Vandalism". The next day, Kharkiv police officially announced the termination of the criminal proceedings.[15]

On 29 September 2014, the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Ihor Baluta noted that the fall of the monument did not damage the subway structures.[citation needed]

Later, activists of the Kharkiv public organization IT Sector offered Hennadiy Kernes to exchange the sculpture's nose for an armoured personnel carrier or a T-80 tank for the Azov Volunteer Battalion, otherwise they will hold an auction. Lenin's 35 kg ear off the monument was also put up for auction, which is being exchanged for a thermal imager for the Kharkiv Territorial Defence Battalion.[citation needed]

On the morning of 4 October 2014, a cross 3.5 m high, 1.5 m wide, and over 100 kg in weight, with the inscription "Save and Preserve" was installed on the top of the pedestal, with the inscription "Save and Preserve" and "Put a cross on Lenin", which stood temporarily.[citation needed]

In April 2015 a Kharkiv Court ruled that the destruction of the monument had not been illegal since, on 28 September 2014, then Governor of Kharkiv Oblast Ihor Baluta had decreed that the monument should be removed. In this court case, the Kharkiv city council attempted to recognise this decree by Baluta as illegal.[16]

In November 2015, Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes officially admitted that because of Ukrainian decommunization laws, the statue of Lenin could not be rebuilt.[1] According to him, it was planned for architects, artists, and the city council to decide how to give Freedom Square a "European appearance" in the near future.[1] Radio Free Europe reported that Kernes would be pushing for the building of a "modern fountain", which once was located at the same spot as the toppled Lenin statue.[1]

The pedestal and foundation of the statue were dismantled and removed in April 2016.[17] In August 2016, pavers were laid on the site where the statue of Lenin stood.[18] On 8 August 2016, the First Deputy Mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, stated that "In the place where there was a monument to Lenin, there will be nothing."[19]

  • Monument prior to demolition in 2010
    Monument prior to demolition in 2010
  • The moment in the process of being toppled
    The moment in the process of being toppled
  • The toppled moment
    The toppled moment
  • Protesters take the bronze remains of Lenin after the fall.
    Protesters take the bronze remains of Lenin after the fall.
  • the first piece by an unknown man take as souvenir.
    the first piece by an unknown man take as souvenir.
  • The vacant plinth on 29 September 2014
    The vacant plinth on 29 September 2014
  • The vacant plinth on 29 September 2014
    The vacant plinth on 29 September 2014
  • The dismantled Lenin statue on 7 October 2014
    The dismantled Lenin statue on 7 October 2014

Replacement fountain

Modern fountain at opposite end of the park

After an open competition, it was decided on 3 February 2017 that Freedom Square would get a new 86 m tall monument.[20] At its top, there was planned to be an angel with an Orthodox cross watching over four figures who somehow resonate with the history of Slobozhanshchina (Anacharsis, Igor Svyatoslavich, Semen Hulak-Artemovsky, and Mykhailo Petrenko).[20] After the monument had been approved, residents in Kharkiv expressed opposition to the competition. According to them, the designed sculpture didn't fit in the context of the square, obliterating the symbolic value of the space. A petition demanding to cancel the decision on installing the column was registered on the official website of the Kharkiv City Council and more than 5000 people voted, establishing the minimum number for the Kharkiv City Council to give an official answer to the request. This petition was supported by Docomomo International.[21]

The 86 m high monument was never built and on 17 April 2020, at a session of the Kharkiv city council, Kharkiv Mayor Kernes announced that a new fountain would appear at the former site of the statue. This fountain was opened as the largest fountain in Ukraine, with a diameter of 36 meters, on 23 August 2020, Kharkiv's City Day.[22][23] However, it is situated at the opposite end of Freedom Square, at a more central location.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Statue of Lenin on Freedom Square in Kharkiv.
  1. ^ a b c d "Кернес: пам'ятник Леніну в Харкові не відновлюватимуть". Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b Logvynenko, Leonid (29 September 2014). "Падiння iдола". Головне в Україні (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  3. ^ У Харкові тривають сутички біля велетенського пам'ятника Леніну
  4. ^ Рада Євромайдану в Харкові відмовилася від ідеї знести пам'ятник Леніну
  5. ^ Харківський Євромайдан ухвалив демонтувати Леніна та обрати нового мера
  6. ^ У Харкові на проукраїнський марш вийшли тисячі людей (фото). Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine ТВі. 28.09.2014.
  7. ^ У Харкові влаштували марш «за Україну». Українська правда. 28.09.2014.
  8. ^ a b c d Юлія Гуш. В Харкові знесли пам'ятник Леніну (фото). Справжня варта. 29.09.2014.
  9. ^ a b c У Харкові марш «за Україну» переріс у повалення Леніна. Українська правда. 28.09.2014.
  10. ^ Татьяна Федоркова Участники акции на площади Свободы пришли к памятнику Ленину с перфоратором. MediaPort 28.09.2014 (in Russian)
  11. ^ У Харкові після маршу «за Україну» почали руйнувати пам'ятник Леніну (фото). ТВі. 28.09.2014.
  12. ^ У Харкові трошки «попиляли» Леніна та висвердлили напис «Слава Україні!». Еспресо.tv. 28.09.2014.
  13. ^ a b Харків повалив Леніна офіційно. Провокаторів попередили: до пам'ятника — зась. Українська правда. 28.09.2014.
  14. ^ Памятник Ленину на площади Свободы в Харькове снесли. MediaPort. 28.09.2014. (in Russian)
  15. ^ "Ukraine nationalists tear down Kharkiv's Lenin statue". BBC News. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  16. ^ (in Russian) The court denied the Kharkiv city council to recognize the illegal demolition of the monument to Lenin, UNIAN (07.04.2015)
  17. ^ (in Russian) On Freedom Square demolished pedestal the statue of Lenin (photo), SQ (11 April 2016)
    (in Russian) At the site of a monument to Lenin will not build anything on Freedom Square, SQ (11 April 2016)
    (in Russian) At the site of the monument to Lenin, there is a pit (photo, video), SQ (21 April 2016)
  18. ^ (in Russian) The reconstruction of the square in the square (photo), SQ (10 August 2016)
  19. ^ (in Russian) Liberty Square returned to original form, SQ (8 August 2016)
  20. ^ a b (in Ukrainian) Lenin in Kharkiv replacement found, Ukrayinska Pravda (3 February 2017)
    (in Russian) It is known to be a monument to the Freedom Square (photo), SQ (3 February 2017)
  21. ^ Under Threat: Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Ukraine (DATE: 27/2/2017)
  22. ^ (in Russian) Kernes showed what a "dry" fountain will look like in the square on Freedom Square, My Kharkov .info (18 April 2020)
    (in Russian) Kernes showed what the fountain in the square on Freedom Square will look like (video), My Kharkov .info (17 August 2020)
  23. ^ (in Russian) A new attraction has appeared in Kharkov (photo, video, updated), Gorod.X (24 August 2020)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Statue_of_Lenin_in_Kharkiv&oldid=1120535978"