Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Bandera statue

Last weekend a statue of Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera was unveiled in Lviv.

Rather embarrassingly, some observers say the statue resembles those of Lenin, erected in many Ukrainian cities in the latter half of the last century. There are particularly close similarities to the one constructed in the typical social realism style, that still stands in downtown Kyiv [see photo].

The Lviv newspaper 'Vysokyi Zamok' points out the similar postures - arm on lapel, coat caught in the breeze, the purposeful revolutionary stride with left foot forward..Oh dear..

LEvko says Bandera was not politician or a public figure, rather the head of an underground national liberation organization. Does the statue portray this?

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