Soviet Some reconaissance from Moscow Museums

[Paul L Murphy]

I was wandering past those exact same steps only three days ago. As usual there was an accumulation of die hard party members present. My Russian teacher is one of those who insists that it was all much better in the good old days. Sadly, for many people it was since Russia has gone through more than its fair share of trauma over the past 15 years.

[Ed_Haynes]

I was wandering past those exact same steps only three days ago. As usual there was an accumulation of die hard party members present. My Russian teacher is one of those who insists that it was all much better in the good old days. Sadly, for many people it was since Russia has gone through more than its fair share of trauma over the past 15 years.

In New Delhi, I never give to beggars (who are mostly "pros", even if under 15 years of age). In Moscow, I broke my rule when approached by GPW veterans wearing their medals.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Paul L Murphy]

Ed,

Same sentiments here. I am pretty hard nosed about begging after the accumulation of countries in which I have lived but something sticks in the throat when you see pensioners and veterans having to beg because their state has effectively thrown them to one side.

[Riley1965]

Ed and All,

My Stalin comment was a joke. I realise that things were in many ways better for the Russians prior to the downfall of the USSR. It is sad to see veterans and others having to beg for the kindness of strangers. I would go home broke from giving to these fellow veterans.

Best,

Doc

[Bryan]

I will add some of my pictures from the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War. I was there 1 month ago and I had a great time in Russia as usual. First of all 2 small videos from the museum.

#1 Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War - Glory Room

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-1471438384795267493

#2 Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War - Berlin Panorama fresco

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-3312175440891825493

#3 Museum by night

[Bryan]

#4 Close-up from the statue in front of the museum. Is it St-George? The obelisk is quite impressive. All the names of the Hero cities of the USSR are written on it.

[Ed_Haynes]

Lovely LOVELY nighttime photos. I may just steal those for my computer desktop!

[Bryan]

#5 Main hall of the museum. It is very impressive to me. If I'm right they started to build the museum in 1986.

[Bryan]

Lovely LOVELY nighttime photos. I may just steal those for my computer desktop!

Ed send me your e-mail. I will send you the full sized picture.

[Bryan]

#6 The Glory room of the museum

[Bryan]

#7 The ceiling of the Glory room

[Bryan]

#8 I liked the art section of the museum.

[Bryan]

#9 The Generalissimo bust in the hall.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the memorial hall.

[Bryan]

I think I have read that every chain represents one person killed during the war.

[Ed_Haynes]

That is what I was told. Impressive anyway.

[Riley1965]

WOW!!! I, too, LOVE Those night time pictures!!! Question...Is the Museum wheelchair accessable?

Doc

[Bryan]

I do think they have elevators.

[Wild Card]

Hi Soviet,

Absolutely fantastic pictures, thank you so much for sharing them with us. Unfortunately, when I was there in ?95, it was open only to visiting dignitaries; and we (just barely) didn?t make the cut.

With regard to your question in post #56 - yes, that is definitely St. George. While I can not speak with certainty as to what the intended purpose is in this case, I would point out that the coat of arms of the city of Moscow is St. George imposed on a red background.

Thanks again, they are great,

Wild Card

[Ed_Haynes]

According to the guidebook, the main victory memorial is 141.8 meters high, representoing the 1418 days and nights of the GPW. It was desigmned by Z. Tseretsly. The stela has images of various battles of the war. At the 100-meter point is a flying victory (Nike) image with a gold wreath of glory and two angels blowing trumpets. (Socialist realism?) At the bottom of the pillar it is indeed St. George.

[Ed_Haynes]

Question...Is the Museum wheelchair accessable?

Sadly, I was struck that most museums in Russia are probably not wheelchair accessable. Especially for military museums, where aging and injured GPW veterans congregate, this struck me as odd.

[Ed_Haynes]

Some of the dioramas at the GPW museum:

[Ed_Haynes]

Another.

[Ed_Haynes]

And one more. Generally, this is not an "artform" I especially like, but these weren't badly done.

[Ed_Haynes]

The saddest was the space museum out at the VDNKh exhebition (deserving of a thread in its own right!) I had expected a great deal out of the Cosmonautics Museum.