Comments on: The Motherland…Falls? http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:30:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chiemeka N. http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-670 Chiemeka N. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:46:26 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-670 "Motherland Calls" may not have "Liberty"'s pretty face, but anyone who denies its impressiveness is, in my opinion, the worst art critic ever and does not deserve to be a critic. Mark S., or whatever your name is, how can you call this statue "hideous"? If it is then so also is your statue of Liberty ('cos I'm sure you're an American). Shame on you! When I first saw a picture of Motherland, I thought it was only about 20 feet high. But then I saw it again from another angle and I was like "Wow! This statue is a colossus! (it is 85 metres high)" I was dismayed to hear on BBC about its present predicament because I hope to come to Volgograd and see it one day. I know what this statue stands for. It's not about beauty! It's about a woman calling on her countrymen to defend Stalingrad. I don't care what people say about it being used for Communist propaganda. The fact remains that it is Russia's (or Volgograd's) version of the statue of Liberty, because it is just as impressive as Liberty. I really hope and pray that the Russian government and people work to save it. It would be both a shame and disheartening if they let it collapse! “Motherland Calls” may not have “Liberty”’s pretty face, but anyone who denies its impressiveness is, in my opinion, the worst art critic ever and does not deserve to be a critic. Mark S., or whatever your name is, how can you call this statue “hideous”? If it is then so also is your statue of Liberty (’cos I’m sure you’re an American). Shame on you!

When I first saw a picture of Motherland, I thought it was only about 20 feet high. But then I saw it again from another angle and I was like “Wow! This statue is a colossus! (it is 85 metres high)” I was dismayed to hear on BBC about its present predicament because I hope to come to Volgograd and see it one day.

I know what this statue stands for. It’s not about beauty! It’s about a woman calling on her countrymen to defend Stalingrad. I don’t care what people say about it being used for Communist propaganda. The fact remains that it is Russia’s (or Volgograd’s) version of the statue of Liberty, because it is just as impressive as Liberty. I really hope and pray that the Russian government and people work to save it. It would be both a shame and disheartening if they let it collapse!

]]> By: Pulchre http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-668 Pulchre Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:31:08 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-668 Why ever and for whatever it was built, it is now part of Russia's patrimomy. Eternal shame to those in the State who permit it to collapse when some effort now my save it all. Why ever and for whatever it was built, it is now part of Russia’s patrimomy. Eternal shame to those in the State who permit it to collapse when some effort now my save it all.

]]> By: Matt http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-664 Matt Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:53:53 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-664 Hideous Stalin-era artifact? This statue is not particularly beautiful, especially the face. But it is mighty impressive, especially in person. While it is easy to just write this structure off as Soviet propaganda it represents a part of the Russian psyche that goes back centuries. Think Alexander Nevsky. When you stand before the Motherland Calls and think of what happened there, the struggle, the incredible hardship endured by the people and soldiers, it is difficult to not be moved. Despite the Stalinists intent as Soviet propaganda, the Motherland Calls represents the strength and toughness of the Russian people. I hope they save it. Incidentally, the not attaching large structures to a base is very common. Many (not all) modern skyscrapers for instance. Yes they have foundations since sure footing on bedrock is needed to prevent sinking. But the foundations provide insignificant lateral support: the weight of the building is what keeps it in place. Hideous Stalin-era artifact? This statue is not particularly beautiful, especially the face. But it is mighty impressive, especially in person. While it is easy to just write this structure off as Soviet propaganda it represents a part of the Russian psyche that goes back centuries. Think Alexander Nevsky. When you stand before the Motherland Calls and think of what happened there, the struggle, the incredible hardship endured by the people and soldiers, it is difficult to not be moved. Despite the Stalinists intent as Soviet propaganda, the Motherland Calls represents the strength and toughness of the Russian people. I hope they save it.

Incidentally, the not attaching large structures to a base is very common. Many (not all) modern skyscrapers for instance. Yes they have foundations since sure footing on bedrock is needed to prevent sinking. But the foundations provide insignificant lateral support: the weight of the building is what keeps it in place.

]]> By: helen http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-412 helen Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:39:02 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-412 Such an amazing story, thanks for telling us all the details! Such an amazing story, thanks for telling us all the details!

]]> By: Mark S. http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-270 Mark S. Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:59:28 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-270 What a hideous Stalin-era artifact. The sheer scale of such a statue is scary... especially so when one realizes that the STATUE isn't even attached to the base! It relies soley on the sheer weight of the statue itself to keep it in place. The face is particularly ugly and the massive scale seems to want to intimidate and ultimately crush the individual. What a hideous Stalin-era artifact. The sheer scale of such a statue is scary… especially so when one realizes that the STATUE isn’t even attached to the base! It relies soley on the sheer weight of the statue itself to keep it in place.

The face is particularly ugly and the massive scale seems to want to intimidate and ultimately crush the individual.

]]> By: La Russophobe http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-250 La Russophobe Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:33:20 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-250 This account sounds eerily similar to what occurred with economist Evgeny Gontmakher last year. He warned about the possible collapse of Russian "monotowns" and was attacked by the Kremlin as a traitor. Now, we have seen the first collapse occur, at Pikalyovo outside St. Petersburg, because the Kremlin did nothing to address the crisis. http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/editorial-gontmakher-strikes-back/ It's noteworthy that the USSR itself lasted longer than the statue in Volgograd, now on its last legs, because so many other deep faults in the Soviet system were ignored in the name of propaganda. Even more noteworty that Russia is still governed by the KGB and still repeating the exact same mistakes from its past. This account sounds eerily similar to what occurred with economist Evgeny Gontmakher last year. He warned about the possible collapse of Russian “monotowns” and was attacked by the Kremlin as a traitor. Now, we have seen the first collapse occur, at Pikalyovo outside St. Petersburg, because the Kremlin did nothing to address the crisis.

http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/editorial-gontmakher-strikes-back/

It’s noteworthy that the USSR itself lasted longer than the statue in Volgograd, now on its last legs, because so many other deep faults in the Soviet system were ignored in the name of propaganda. Even more noteworty that Russia is still governed by the KGB and still repeating the exact same mistakes from its past.

]]> By: tony http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-248 tony Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:07:16 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-248 In Soviet times, anything that could be made to look superior to West's was done without regard to safety, cost, etc. Too bad. This is a beautiful structure. In Soviet times, anything that could be made to look superior to West’s was done without regard to safety, cost, etc. Too bad. This is a beautiful structure.

]]> By: Dictatorship of the Air » Crumbling Colossus http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-244 Dictatorship of the Air » Crumbling Colossus Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:32:35 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-244 [...] To read the rest of the piece, head over to The Russian Front by clicking HERE. [...] [...] To read the rest of the piece, head over to The Russian Front by clicking HERE. [...]

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