Karl Marx, VI Lenin and Georgi Dimitrov in Chisinau, Moldova

VI Lenin, Karl Marx and Georgi Dimitrov – Chișinău, Moldova

The new location of the Lenin statue is much more pleasant than its original location in the centre of town (in front of the Government building, I understand), having to endure the noise and pollution from the traffic. Now he stands in the park beside quite a large lake, used for boating, to the west of the city centre. However, in his new location Vladimir Iliych isn’t alone. On his right hand side is a large bust of Georgi Dimitrov (the Bulgarian Communist leader, defiant defendant against the Nazis over the accusation of being involved in the Reichstag fire of February 27th 1933 and General Secretary of the Communist International) and on his left Karl Marx (the founder, with Frederick Engels, of the revolutionary theory of the working class).

In translation this location is described as an ‘honour board’ or ‘hall of fame’ neither of which seem appropriate but I have been unable to come up with an alternative that sounds correct in English.

I have no idea where the the busts of Dimitrov and Marx came from but the whole group has been treated with respect and not having been dumped here as some afterthought. A formal, marble back drop, together with honorific laurel scrolls, had been created for the new location demonstrating that consideration and expense had been involved in the relocation.

Although the plinth on which VI Lenin stands bears his name there’s no indication of who his two companions are. Why that’s the case remains a mystery to me. I also don’t understand why the lettering is in Cyrillic and not also in Romanian.

Apart from a slight mark on Vladimir Ilyich’s groin, there’s no damage, as far as I can see, to any of the three statues. And the area is generally clean and shows signs of regular maintenance.

If you visit Comrades Lenin, Marx and Dimitrov be sure to have a look at the bas reliefs on either side of the main entrance to the building beside the ensemble. This is now an events venue – but which must have had a more official, governmental purpose in the past.