Moscow
The mayor of Moscow shocked the country this week by siding with those who want to put a huge statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Soviet secret police, back up in a prominent city square. Dzerzhinsky launched the Red Terror, during which his secret police killed thousands of anti-Bolsheviks. His statue, which stood outside KGB headquarters, was felled in 1991 during the celebrations of the end of the Soviet Union. But Mayor Yury Luzhkov has chosen to focus on his positive achievements, saying, “We should remember that he solved the problem of homeless children.” Right-wing politicians vowed to block the statue’s return. They called instead for a monument to the millions of victims of communism.
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