Good-bye, Lenin!
Ukraine Bans Communist Symbols
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Ukraine is experiencing a de-Communisation of public space. Thousands of monuments to Lenin and other Communist leaders are disappearing. Many streets and towns, including two major cities, have been given new names. The public display of Communist symbols is prohibited. The fighters of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army have been granted equal status with Soviet veterans, archives from the Soviet era opened. This is largely a catch-up development similar to what happened in Central and Southeastern Europe in 1989. Individual formulations in the laws on de-Communisation have sparked criticism. These would aim to banish the Communist past from people’s minds and run the risk of censorship.
(Osteuropa 3/2016, pp. 79–94)