Can you see the somber reflection in the Neva River? We are standing before the \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0430 Plaque a memorial to a dark chapter in Russian history. This plaque commemorates the victims of political repression. It serves as a stark reminder of the state terror that millions suffered in the USSR.
The \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0430 Plaque was unveiled during Perestroika in the 1990s. During this time Russians began to confront the long-suppressed history of repression. This plaque is part of a larger monument by Mihail Chemiakine. He was a prominent member of the Leningrad nonconformist art community.
The \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0430 Plaque is near the “Metaphysical Sphinxes”. These sphinxes draw inspiration from ancient Egyptian sculptures. Chemiakine’s sphinxes have a disturbing twist. From a distance they seem to blend into the surroundings. Up close their emaciated forms become clear. Ribs jut. Necks are extended. One side of their faces are bare skulls. This haunting detail symbolizes the duality of life and death. It reflects the horrors of Soviet repression. The living and the dead exist side by side in the nation’s memory.
The pedestals display quotations from famous poets and authors. Many of them were victims of repression. These include Osip Mandelshtam and Anna Akhmatova. Joseph Brodsky and Alexander Solzhenitsyn are also featured. Raoul Wallenberg’s signature is also on a panel. He was a Swedish diplomat who saved Jews from the Nazis. He disappeared after being captured by the Red Army. The texts highlight the importance of literature. It has become the main monument to the history of state terror in Russia.
Between the sphinxes is a composition of granite blocks. A fissure runs between them like a prison window. The skulls face Kresty Prison across the river. This was a notorious holding prison. Thousands of Leningrad citizens passed through it on their way to the Gulag.
The location of the \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0430 Plaque is significant. It stands on Robespierre Embankment now Voskresenskaya Embankment. The embankment’s former name is a reference to the French Revolution. It is a subtle reminder of the dangers of state terror.
As you stand here consider the weight of history. Think of the millions who suffered under Soviet rule. The \u0416\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0430 Plaque serves as a memorial to their memory. It is also a warning against the dangers of unchecked power. Let us remember this lesson as we continue our tour.