Release: "Comrades, Socialism is Unforgettable!": Paradoxes of Memory in Eastern Europe

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991, removing images of communist propaganda from public spaces became one of the most pressing preoccupations in Lithuania and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Statues of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and many other proletarian ideologues were toppled by jubilant crowds. People seemed desperate to forget oppressive socialism. Then, in the late 1990s, to the surprise of many, the defaced Soviet-era statues were “remembered”, restored, and put on display at an open-air museum known as Grÿtas Park. Today, the museum’s collection and popularity continue to grow. This fascinates University of Regina Anthropology professor Dr. Gediminas Lankauskas.