Essays /
"It's Only Natural" - effects of the global spread of the English language (argumentative essay) [15]
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It's Only NaturalSince the earliest civilizations, humans have sought means to commemorate idolized beings. Some cultures choose to dedicate literature and art for the remembrance of their greats. While other cultures, such as the ancient Egyptians and the Chinese, chose to immortalize their deities' by mummifying or embalming their bodies; such practices are still being performed in modern civilizations today, but are usually deemed unorthodox. There are many notable cases about embalmment of prominent figures such as 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln (Gannal), and Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. While Lincoln was temporarily embalmed so that his body could be transported, Lenin's not-so-temporary embalmment is much more controversial. Die-Hard communists argue that Lenin's body should remain on display as their hero, other less conservative Russians believe Lenin must be buried so that Russia can rid itself of the skeletons in the closet of its past. The time has come for Russians to finally bury the remains of the communist icon once and for all.
Vladimir Ilich Lenin was the Founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Russian Revolution of 1917, and architect and builder of the Soviet state (Britannica). Lenin, along with his comrades was responsible for the extermination of 4 million people through mass executions, death camps and state-caused famine. Lenin died in 1924 after a series of strokes.
It is said that in his will, Lenin asked to be buried at Volkov cemetery in St. Petersburg next to his mother. However, if that were the case, Stalin completely ignored Lenin's desire. At first, Lenin was to be displayed for mourners to pay their respects, but due to the difficult winter weather most people were delayed. Therefore Stalin ordered the temporary embalmment of Lenin until mourners get their final goodbye. However, after many months, the number of people did not dwindle. That triggered Stalin to permanently embalm Lenin and to eventually join him himself in the grand mausoleum, which later served as the symbolic heart of the Soviet Union. However, Stalin's body was removed six years after his death as part of the anti-Stalinization process.
To keep Lenin looking like he did 85 years ago a group of elderly scientists visits Lenin's tomb in Moscow's Red Square where he is provided with embalming fluid on his face and hands. Once every 18 months, the now 138-year-old Lenin spends about 60 days immersed in a glass tub of chemicals inside his red marble mausoleum residence. The Scientists make sure that Lenin's body remains, just as a living person's, 70% liquid (Tanner ). Some visitors of the tomb believe that what they saw could not be Lenin's real body, but a wax figure. Other speculators say that the only real parts of Lenin left are his hands and head.
As much as keeping Lenin's body embalmed is a complicated procedure, transferring it to the cemetery in St. Petersburg would be much more difficult. One Communist pensioner who declined to give his name warned that social unrest would ensue if Lenin was moved. Last year a survey by VTsIOM found that at least one-quarter of Russians still regard Lenin as having moved Russia forward.
Until recent years, most Russians were against burying Lenin. Those against the burial of Lenin are composed of communist extremists; mainly Russia's poor and elderly; and followers of the Catholic Church who refuse to give Lenin a Christian burial. Some Russians, such as Lenin's eighty three year-old niece Olga Ulyanova, his closest living relative, says that at fifty three Lenin was too young to have left a will and too caught up with affairs of state to think about such a thing. She adds he should be left where he is. Also, followers of the Russian Communist Party believe Lenin's body is like a monument, and should be displayed for praise.
The first secretary of the Moscow Communist Party Alexander Kuvaev expressed the communist's opinion on the matter Lenin's burial. He declared "The Communist Party will not allow an outrage against Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Moscow Communists will always defend this genius of mankind." (Osborne)
Considering that Putin has said the collapse of the Soviet Union was the biggest tragedy of the 20th century, the reburial of Lenin is unlikely to happen on his watch.(Rachlin) In 2001, Putin said that burying Lenin would suggest Soviets "had lived in vain."
Due to various reasons, most Russians today are all for the reburial of Lenin's body. Those who are against communism want to carry on the anti-Stalinization process by removing Lenin's body from the Red Square. Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, a spokesman for the Orthodox Church said making a show of Lenin's body was "not normal" from the church tradition's perspective.
An opinion poll released by the Levada Analytical Center said 40% of the 1,600 Russians surveyed last week believe Lenin's body should remain in the mausoleum and 51% think it should be buried. No margin of error was given. According to the Kyiv Post, the Russian Police closed the Red Square ahead of a planned protest on the 85th anniversary of the death of Lenin. The protestors intended to dress up as mummies and demonstrate outside the mausoleum with a coffin made out of paper.
The reburial of Lenin would be the beginning of a necessary confrontation between Russia and the murderous dictatorships of Lenin and Stalin. (Rachlin ) Vladimir Lavrov, the director The History Institute said: ""If a mausoleum with Hitler's remains existed in Berlin, wouldn't that intimidate other countries and peoples? Or would it be considered acceptable?" Russia needs to have a confrontation with history similar to what Germany has gone through, Russia must face the facts. Lenin and other
There are not many Russians visiting the tomb anymore, the numbers of communists visiting the tomb is not what they used to be. Nowadays, most people visiting the tomb are foreign tourists. This fact in itself should convince all communists who are against the reburial of Lenin's body to reconsider. Communists should realize how their praised leader has come to be a mere tourist's attraction.
In our modern world today, it is not customary for nations to preserve their leader's remains and display them. Keeping Lenin's body is simply extremely bizarre. Every nation honors and respects its founding fathers, but very few go to such extensive measures as to embalm them. In the United States for example, we find Mount Rushmore.
Lenin himself is a very controversial individual. Depending on who is discussing him, he is either a hero or a villain, a genius revolutionist or a mass murderer. I believe, Burying Lenin's body would grant him a permanent place in Russian history. In the end, Russians must not forget that Vladimir himself wanted to be buried. Whether he is to be praised or cursed, Lenin must be reburied simply for it is only natural.
References:- J.N., Gannal. History of Embalming. Paris: Judah Dobson, 1838.
- "Vladimir (Ilich) Lenin." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia.com.
- Rachlin, Samuel. "Mr. Putin, it's time to bury Lenin." 5, OCTOBER 2006
- Tanner, Adam. "Lucky stiff - preservation of Vladimir I. Lenin's embalmed corpse." National Review (1994):
- Osborne, Andrew. "Russians want Lenin's embalmed body buried." Independent 2004: