Abstract
In the last two decades Ukraine became a battleground of two post-Soviet historical narratives of World War II: the Communist narrative, based on the experiences of the veterans of the Soviet Army, and its nationalist alternative, based predominantly on the experiences of the fighters of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. There is also a third, liberal interpretation of the war that is slowly emerging in contemporary Ukraine. This chapter examines the role that the cult of Joseph Stalin plays in articulating these three approaches to the history of World War II. It takes as its point of departure the incident that took place in the city of Zaporizhia in Southern Ukraine in December 2010 when a statue to Joseph Stalin, installed a few months earlier by the members of the Communist party of Ukraine on the doorsteps of their regional headquarters was beheaded by Ukrainian nationalists.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amar, T.C., I. Balyns’kyi, and Y. Hrytsak (eds.). 2010. Strasti za Banderoiu. Kyiv: Hrani-T.
Bagnet. 2011. “V Zaporozh’e Gitler voproshaet gorozhan chem on khuzhe Stalina i trebuet sebe pamiatnik.” Bagnet, 6 Dec. Retrieved from http://www.bagnet.org/news/society/168114.
Gazeta.ua. 2011. “‘Nasha Ukraina’ prizvala dobit’ Stalinizm i spasti ‘trizubovtsev.’” Gazeta.ua, 23 Nov. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/politics/_nasha-ukraina-prizvala-ukraincev-dobit-stalinizm-i-spasti-trizubovcev/410984.
Halyts’kyi korespondent. 2011. “U poshukakh terorystiv.” Halyts’kyi korespondent, 22 Jan. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.gk-press.if.ua/node/4236.
Hochschild, A. 2003. The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin. New York: Mariner Books.
“Kniga otzyvov.” n/d. “Kniga otzyvov. Otkrytie pamiatnika I. V. Stalinu. Zaporozhskii obkom Kompartii Ukrainy.”
Levada, Yu. 2000. Ot mnenii k ponimaniiu: sotsiologicheskie ocherki. Moscow: Moskovskaia shkola politicheskikh issledovanii.
Levinson, A. 2010. “Zachem mertvyi Stalin nuzhen zhivym rossiianam.” Politics, 25 March. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://polit.ru/article/2010/03/25/stalin/.
Levy, C.J. 2011. “Hero of Ukraine Prize to Wartime Partisan Revoked.” New York Times, 12 January, A11.
Lukanov, Yu. 2010. “Spasybi Banderi za pam’iatnyk Stalinu.” Livyi bereh, LB.ua, 10 May. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://society.lb.ua/life/2010/05/10/43269_spasibi_banderi_za_pamyatnik_sta.html.
Mendelson, S. and T. Gerber. 2006. “Failing the Stalin Test.” Foreign Affairs January–February.
MIG. 2011. “V Zaporozh’e s drakami i skandalom otkryli novyi pamiatnik Stalinu.” MIG.news.com.ua, 7 Nov. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://mignews.com.ua/ru/articles/92033.html.
News RU. 2013. “Sotsiologi porassuzhdali nad zagadkoi Stalina v sviazi s godovshchinoi smerti—i ‘krovavyi tiran’ i ‘mudryi vozhd’.” News RU, 4 March. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.newsru.com/russia/04mar2013/stalin.html.
Novosti. 2012. “V Zaporozh’e prodolzhaetsia bor’ba s pamiatnikom Stalinu.” Novosti, 12 Jan. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://abzac.org/?p=12383.
Plamper, J. 2012. The Stalin Cult: A Study in the Alchemy of Power. New Haven, CT and London: Yale University Press.
Pohliad. 2012. “Sprava Stalina zhyve, abo derzhavnyi teroryzm v Ukraïni 21 stolittia.” Pohliad, 27 June. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://poglyad.te.ua/podii/sprava-stalina-zhyve-abo-derzhavnyj-teroryzm-v-ukrajini-21-stolittya/.
Politiko. 2011. “Vidpovidal’nist’ za pidryv pam’iatnyka Stalinu vziala na sebe orhanizatsiia ‘Rukh Pershoho sichnia.’ Ofitsiina zaiava.” Politiko, 1 January. Retrieved 11 January 2017 from http://politiko.ua/blogpost50828.
Radio Svoboda. 2010. “Stepan Bandera—heroi Ukraïny.” Radio Svoboda, 23 Jan. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/article/1936818.html.
RT. 2010. “EU to Ukraine’s New President: Please Reverse Honoring Nazi Collaborator.” RT, 25 Feb. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://rt.com/politics/eu-resolution-bandera/.
TSN. 2010. “Petro I u reitynhu heroiv Ukrainy obiishov Banderu.” TSN, 28 Sept. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://tsn.ua/ukrayina/petro-i-stav-geroyem-ukrayini.html.
Ukraïns’ka pravda. 2010a. “Komunisty khytristiu vstanovyly Stalina v Zaporizhzhi.” Ukraïns’ka pravda, 5 May. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2010/05/5/5010465/.
Ukraïns’ka pravda. 2010b. “Obezholovlenyi skandal’nyi pam’iatnyk Stalinu?” Ukraïns’ka pravda, 28 Dec. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2010/12/28/5727613/.
Ukraïns’ka pravda. 2010c. “Vidpovidal’nist’ za holovu Stalina vziala na sebe mobil’na hrupa.” Ukraïns’ka pravda, 29 Dec. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2010/12/29/5728631/.
Ukraïns’ka pravda. 2010d. “Pam’iatnyk Stalinu vidnovyly.” Ukraïns’ka pravda, 29 Dec. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2010/12/29/5731032/.
Ukraïns’ka pravda. 2011. “U Zaporozhi pidirvaly pam’iatnyk Stalinu.” Ukraïns’ka pravda, 1 Jan. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2011/01/1/5740807/.
Vremia. 2004. “Ivan Shekhovtsov. Advokat Stalina.” Vremia, 29 Nov. Retrieved 1 Aug 2016 from http://timeua.info/011204/shehovcov.html (as at 11 Jan 2017 URL inactive).
YouTube. 2010a. “Stalin Monument Opens in Zaporizhia, Ukraine.” Uploaded 7 May. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exKx46yy0NQ.
YouTube. 2010b. “U Zaporizhzhi idol znyshcheno.” Uploaded 28 Dec. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlmbIZfffNg&feature=related.
YouTube. 2010c. “Pamiatnik Stalina v Zaporozh’e. Rech’ veterana VOV Shekhovtsova.” YouTube. Uploaded 5 May. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W9mfJQMOR8.
Zaxid.net. 2011. “Cherez pidryv pam’iatnyka Stalinu KPU vymahaie zabraty heroia u Bandery.” Zaxid.net, 1 Jan. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017 from http://zaxid.net/home/showSingleNews.do?cherez_pidriv_pamrzquoyatnika_stalinu_kpu_vimagaye_zabrati_geroya_u_banderi&objectId=1119893.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Plokhy, S. (2017). When Stalin Lost His Head: World War II and Memory Wars in Contemporary Ukraine. In: Fedor, J., Kangaspuro, M., Lassila, J., Zhurzhenko, T. (eds) War and Memory in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus . Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66523-8_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66523-8_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-66522-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-66523-8
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)