“Spasibo.” That single Russian word means thank you. It echoes in West Hollywood. Today we stand before the WWII Soviet Army Veterans Memorial. It is the only monument on American soil honoring WWII veterans from the former Soviet Union.
This memorial resides in Plummer Park. It is a tribute to Red Army soldiers. These soldiers fought a common enemy. The memorial’s creation wasn’t without controversy. Some saw it as honoring Josef Stalin’s atrocities. Protesters appeared at the 2005 dedication. They carried signs and wore black armbands. They believed it was wrong to dedicate a monument on U.S. soil to a military that caused millions of deaths.
Jeffrey Prang, then WeHo’s mayor, defended the memorial. He said it honored American residents. These veterans fought during the war. They then came to the United States. They became part of this community. Prang emphasized that these folks were just soldiers.
The WWII Soviet Army Veterans Memorial became the first U.S. tribute to veterans of a foreign army. Only one other such monument exists in a country where the Red Army never fought. It is in Netanya, Israel. It commemorates the Soviets’ Eastern Front victory over Nazi Germany.
The Plummer Park monument cost about $100,000. Private and business donations funded it. The Los Angeles Association of Veterans of World War II paid most of the cost. This group consisted of Russian-speaking veterans in West Hollywood. They lobbied for the memorial for eight years. West Hollywood provided the site. The city allocated $25,000 to construct its foundation. The city also pays annual maintenance and security costs.
Mikhail Naruzetskiy designed the monument. He was a sculptor from Ukraine. He came to West Hollywood in 1993. The triangle-shaped monument rises nearly nine feet. It features engravings of three white cranes taking wing. It also has the opening verse of a poem by Soviet poet Rasul Gamzatov. The poem is titled “Cranes.” It imagines dead soldiers’ spirits rising as white cranes.
Russian-speakers in West Hollywood observe Victory in Europe Day every May. They gather at the memorial. The day marks the defeat of the German army in Europe. It also remembers the estimated 50 million people who died during World War II.
The WWII Soviet Army Veterans Memorial stands as a testament. It honors those who fought. It also acknowledges the complex history of the Soviet Union. It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection. It connects the Russian-speaking community to their past. It reminds us of the sacrifices made during WWII. It is a reminder of the human cost of war. The monument symbolizes hope. It honors the veterans who made West Hollywood their home.