Heroic city - Stalingrad

[robertmf]

MOSCOW, January 31 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian city of Volgograd will call itself Stalingrad again for a few days this year, to mark the 70th anniversary of the epic World War II battle in that city, after local officials approved the measure on Thursday.

The city legislature said Volgograd would be named “hero-city Stalingrad” on February 2, marking the end of the battle and other milestone dates, over half a century after the city's name was changed in 1961, following the campaign against Soviet leader Joseph Stalin's "cult of personality."

The decision was made “after numerous requests” from World War II veterans, the city government said in a statement.

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Volgograd is well worth visiting if just to see Mamayev Kurgan and the adjacent eternal flame Memorial.

[Benedikt]

[QUOTE=robertmf;1119280]MOSCOW, January 31 (RIA Novosti) – [I]The Russian city of Volgograd will call itself Stalingrad again for a few days this year, to mark the 70th anniversary of the epic World War II battle in that city, after local officials approved the measure on Thursday.



if it is for a day or tow. and that is what the story is all about. it is a Russian internal affair, the veterans have fought there and left their live. and it is a good photo op and PR for a few chinovniks.
for many older people Stalin IS still a hero and as long as they live, let them have their 5 minutes in the limelight. not much else left for them...