STALINKA

[Francoise Rosset]

I'm interested as to why the word "Stalinka" itself is a problem
(I associated it with both the housing projects and the Leninka,
as mentioned already by others, or else anything to do with Stalin).

I'm not Russian, did not live through or specialize in Stalin's time,
so this is a serious and genuine question.
Is it because it's too mild? too facetious? because it was used to
glorify Stalin? Why would Russians in particular see this site as
disrespectful or a glorification or apologia?
Would the title "Stalinka" signal to Russians that that's what
they should expect?

The only thing marginally un-serious in the e-mailed announcement
was the lead-up, delivered in Helena Goscilo's usual tongue-in-cheek
tone.

>  > "Hitleriana" and "Hitlerka" for a Russian collection of Hitler-related
>  > papers but it would look like a collection for Neo-Nazis.

And so would this set of pictures to a neo-Stalinist -- but is that because
this site is warped, or the beholder?
"Hitleriana," "Staliniana," "X-iana," etc. are standard descriptors and titles
  for "sundry materials about" X.

The materials: I've seen them, the site is not "blocked" (now there's
a neutral word... ). I accessed them both times I tried. They're pictures
relating to Stalin and to the cult of Stalin: no commentary besides
identification, and the short "Information" window is purely descriptive.
The Home page picture is a classic picture of Stalin as sun/light/god --
perhaps the one place where visitors might misread the site, esp. if they
choose to not  read the description.
The pictures, if anything, show how totally pervasive Stalin's hold was on
the collective popular psyche. But the site assumes you know that already.

No blogs, please. Enough little green footballs out there already.

-FR


-- 

Francoise Rosset
Russian and Russian Studies
Interim Coordinator, Women's Studies
Wheaton College
Norton, Massachusetts 02766

phone:  	(508) 286-3696
fax #:    	(508) 286-3640
e-mail: FRosset at wheatonma.edu

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