Bishkek Revolutionaries – Lenin – Marx – Engels – Dzerzhinsky – Frunze – Red Guards – Revolutionary Martyrs

The Red Star and the Hammer and Sickle

The Red Star and the Hammer and Sickle

Bishkek Revolutionaries – Lenin – Marx – Engels – Dzerzhinsky – Frunze – Red Guards – Revolutionary Martyrs

For those interested in the Soviet (and Socialist) past of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan there are still a few remaining statues and monuments to that period of a time when the people were attempting to make a better future for workers and peasants.

Unfortunately, as is becoming almost universal now, (as yet) I have few, if any, details about any of these statues or monuments.

VI Lenin - Bishkek

VI Lenin – Bishkek

VI Lenin – standing, making a speech

This statue was originally in Lenin Square (now Ala-Too Square) on the other side of the Historical Museum. The statue was originally installed in Bishkek in 1984 and the statue stands 10 metres high.

Location;

In the park behind the State Historical Museum and across the road from the House of Government.

GPS;

42.877582 N

74.606187 E

VI Lenin - in school precinct, Bishkek

VI Lenin – in school precinct, Bishkek

VI Lenin bust – with small garden

Location;

Razzakov Street 62/103. Behind the lyceum and seemingly part of a housing estate.

GPS;

42.873294 N

74.603402 E

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels - Bishkek

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels – Bishkek

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels – seated, relaxed and in discussion

Location;

At the north-west edge of Central Square Park, across the road from the Supreme Courft of the Kyrgyz Republic.

GPS;

42.878999 N

74.605547 E

'Iron Felix' Dzerzhinsky - Bishkek

‘Iron Felix’ Dzerzhinsky – Bishkek

Felix Dzerzhinsky (‘Iron Felix’)

It might be surprising for some people to realise that Felix Dzerzhinsky, the first head of the Cheka, the organisation tasked with defeating counter-revolutionary elements within the young Socialist state, is still considered with great deal affection and respect by populations throughout the former Soviet Union.

Location;

In the small park on the west side of the National Library.

GPS;

42.881221 N

74.610105 E

Mikhail Frunze - Bishkek

Mikhail Frunze – Bishkek

Equestrian statue of Mikhail Frunze

This, I think, is unusual. The Soviets weren’t really into equestrian statues – or at least as far as I knew. The only other one I’m aware of is of Marshal Zhukov, in Revolution Square by Red Square, in Moscow – but that was installed in 1991, when Socialism had been ditched and the nascent capitalists were looking for some sort of justification for their miserable existence, piggy-backing on past Soviet/Socialist glory.

The city that is now known as Bishkek was called Frunze from 1926, on the founding of the Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR).

Location;

At the bottom end of Erkindik Boulevard, opposite the station building of Bishkek 2.

GPS;

42.865110 N

74.605887 E

Martyrs of the Revolutionary Movement - Bishkek

Martyrs of the Revolutionary Movement – Bishkek

Martyrs of the Revolutionary Movement

This was inaugurated in 1978 and is the work of a local sculptor, Tinibek Sadykov. For this work he won the All Union Lenin Prize. The female figure at the top of the colon is of a young local woman, Urkuya Saliyeva, a Socialist organiser from the south of the country, who was murdered in 1924 by reactionary locals. The figures in the rest of the monument represent the ‘awakening’ workers and peasants.

Location;

In its own park opposite Chui Avenue 100

GPS;

42.876498 N

74.610505 E

Memorial to the Red Guards - Bishkek

Memorial to the Red Guards – Bishkek

Memorial for the Red Guards

This was erected in 1960 and marks the common grave of of the Bolshevik dead in the Belovodsk counter-revolutionary uprising of December 6, 1918. Unfortunately, the Eternal Flame has been extinguished by the local reactionary capitalists – the same breed they died fighting against in the early days of the Socialist Republic.

Translation of text on monument;

Eternal Glory to those who fell in the struggle for Soviet power – original in Russian. [Facing the eternal flame.]

For Soviet power Glory forever for the fighters – original in Turkman.

Two commanders are buried here. [On the left hand side]

Location;

In Dubovny Park, just behind the Russian Drama Theatre.

GPS;

42.87840 N

74.60840 E

Works for Children and Young Adults

Looking at a magazine

Looking at a magazine

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Works for Children and Young Adults

The secret of a Cap, Ko Yen; illustrations by Hua San-chuan, (Peking: FLP, 1961), 20 pages.

Little Soldier Chang Ka-tse, by Hsu Kuang-yao, (Peking: FLP, 1964), 123 pages.

Hunting with Grandad, story by Chan Fu-hsing; illustrations by Yang Yung-ching, (Peking: FLP, 1965), 24 pages.

I am on duty today, story by Yang Yi and Liang Ko; illustrations by Ku Yin, (Peking: FLP, 1966), 20 pages.

Observation Post 3, story by Li Ju-ching, drawings by Fan Yi-hsin, (Peking: FLP, 1967), 56 pages.

Little Sisters of the Grassland, a picture story book compiled by the drawing group of the Shanghai Film Studio and based on the animated cartoon of the same title. Tells the story of two little Mongolian sisters of the Inner Mongolia grassland. In order to protect commune sheep eleven-year-old Lungmei and her nine-year-old sister, Yujung, battle a blizzard for a whole day and night with the temperature at 37°C below zero. (Peking: FLP, 1973), 100 pages.

The Cock Crows at Midnight, a story told through still images from a marionette film produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. (Peking: FLP, 1973), 76 pages.

The Young Skipper and Other Stories, 4 stories for young adults. (Peking: FLP, 1973), 116 pages.

The Shepherd Boy Hai Wa, by Hua Shan, first written in 1945 and revised in 1972. Drawings by Hsia Shu-yu. This is a story that took place in the Haihang Mountains of China’s Shansi Province during the country’s War of Resistance Against Japan. The shepherd boy Hai Wa, on his way with his sheep to deliver an important message to the Eighth Route Army, falls into the hands of the enemy, out plundering the people’s grain. Hai Wa struggles against the enemy time and again with courage and forethought, and succeeds in delivering the letter. (Peking: FLP, 1974), 79 pages.

Landing the Giant Sturgeon, text and drawings by Tu Wei, (Peking: FLP, 1974), 40 pages.

The Call of the Fledgling and Other Children’s Stories, by Hao Jan, (Peking: FLP, 1974), 77 pages.

Three Sweaters, the story of a kindergarten child already showing concern for others, (Peking: FLP, 1975), 16 pages.

Two Peacocks, by Chen Wei, Peng Hua, et al., (Peking: FLP, 1975), 40 pages.

Billows Ferry, edited and illustrated by the Cultural Centre of Chitung County, Kiangsu Province, (Peking: FLP, 1975), 44 pages.

Going to School, by Kuan Hua. About the struggles of a family to send their 8-year old boy to school during the pre-Liberation era. Small book (Peking: FLP, 1975), 64 pages.

Stories of Little Red Guards, by Peng Kuo-liang. A series of short moralistic stories told entirely through artwork. (Peking: FLP, 1975), 48 pages.

Sea Flower, by Yu Sung-yen, with beautiful illustrations by Chen Yen-ning. This is a story about a Little Red Guard. (Peking: FLP, 1975), 76 pages.

A Young Pathbreaker and Other Stories, by Hsiao Kuan-hung and others. Ten stories about the lives of young people in China who have been tempered by the Cultural Revolution. (Peking: FLP, 1975), 204 pages.

How the Foal Crossed the Stream, adapted by Ming Yang. This story tells us that when we don’t understand something we should first find out exactly what the problem is, think about it and be sure we know the situation. Then we can decide what to do! (Peking: FLP, 1976), 20 pages.

Exchanging Seeds, about the spirit of commune members making things easier for others even when it meant shouldering difficulties themselves. (Peking: FLP, 1976), 28 pages.

Young Riders on the Grassland, by Hua Kuo-chang, the story of young Red Guards in Inner Mongolia emulating Lei Feng, (Peking: FLP, 1977), 40 pages.

Liu Wen-hsueh A boy martyr, illustrations by Lou Chia-pen, the story of a Young Pioneer of Chuchia People’s Commune, Szechuan Province, who put up a heroic fight against a class enemy and died at the age of 14. (Peking: FLP, 1977), 52 pages.

Liu Hu-lan, with beautiful paintings by Meng Ching-chiang, (Peking: FLP, 1978), 82 pages. The story of a brave young woman who died for the people and the revolution in 1947 at the age of just 16.

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