New Stalin poster controversy erupts in Russia

Mar 19, 2010, 13:12 GMT

Moscow - Controversy over the historic role of late Soviet dictator Josef Stalin broke out anew in the western city of Kirov when a huge poster of him was put up by a private businessman, only to be taken down by city authorities, it was reported Friday.

The government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, reported on the incident in the ongoing run-up to the 65th anniversary on May 9 of the what the Russians celebrate as the day of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

A businessman in Kirov had a huge poster of Stalin and five Soviet generals put up, saying he had verbal approval from the city.

But this was disputed by a spokeswoman for the city administration, and the poster was removed a day later.

The incident is the latest in the dispute between factions, including the communists, who revere Stalin (1879-1953) and give him the main credit for the victory against Nazi Germany, and those who cite the horrors of Stalin's iron-fisted regime.

Stalin's detractors, including high-ranking politicians, argue that the dictator made many military blunders in the war and that credit for defeating Germany should go to the people in general.

Recently President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin added their voices to those condemning the Stalinist reign of terror.

But amid the dispute, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov has expressly approved several posters of Stalin to be set up along the parade route for the victory day celebrations.

Westere diplomats fear that foreign leaders, among them German Chancellor Angela Merkel, invited to the May 9 victory parade, could cancel their appearances in protest against the Stalin posters.