Spotting Ronald Reagan in Warsaw

In Warsaw and looking for adventure, I headed out from my hostel near the Copernicus statue into the drizzle in search of Ronald Reagan. And sure enough, at the edge of a small park across from the U.S. Embassy is a monument honoring our 40th president.

Cast in bronze, the statue of Ronald Reagan captures him in 1987 at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, when he challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to Tear down this wall! The statue project was initiated by Polish business community, funded by private donations and sculpted by a national artist.

Without the support of Ronald Reagan, we wouldn't have a free Poland, said Lech Walesa, November 2011, as he unveiled the statue. Lech Walesa was co-founder of Poland's Solidarity movement in 1980 and, ten years later, the first popularly elected president of Poland.

Along with flowers and candles, an official bouquet complete with Polish flags and streamers emblazoned Solidarity grace the site.

The statue faces the U.S. Embassy, Warsaw. 

The November, 2011 dedication ceremony included a statement from U.S. President Barak Obama and a message from Nancy Reagan.

Photos of Chicago grace the fence of the U.S. Embassy, Warsaw. The security guard, a Polish fellow, gave me permission to photograph them but only from across the street. Security issues, you know. ;)

When and where did I last see this magnificent flag? Probably right here, on a previous trip to Poland.

A salute to Ronald Reagan for encouraging other countries in their quest for freedom. What a wise leader he was. President Reagan said the right words at the right time, nudging Central and Eastern Europe toward freedom. And what an impact!

How about you, dear blog reader, have you been overseas and happened upon a statue of an American leader? Please do share. . .

The McCarthy Era Began: February 9, 1950

On this date in 1950, U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that the U.S. Department of State was riddled with Communists. Thus began the 4- year era of McCarthyism.




Who would ever have predicted that within fifty years, Communism would decline in Russia and a democratic form of government would emerge? While there are folks here who pine for the good old days when Lenin and Stalin were in power, the younger generations have moved on. And the U.S. has moved on too. Joseph McCarthy's tactics and claims were exposed and the U.S. is concerned with security threats of a rather different nature.

Do You remember the McCarthy witchhunts?

Karl Marx: Insider Information

Here in Rostov-on-Don, Karl Marx Square is a well-known hub of transportation and retail just east of the city center. Karl Marx Square happens to be between my bus stop and our church building so I see the Karl Marx statue in weather fair and foal. (Time out while I check that word. I know it's not fowl weather...although birds do enjoy perching atop his head.) Okay, make that foul weather. And, moving right along. . . .

Karl Marx Square: Captured with cell phone during a steady snow. 

On a recent afternoon, I had a look at Karl Marx' backside, or rather, at the back of his statue, and noticed that he's holding something. It's likely that this has been a secret. Until now.  And I figure that You have a right to know this: Karl Marx is holding a snowball. And we photographic evidence.

Karl Marx and his secret snowball. (Click to enlarge.)

Can only imagine what plans he has for that snowball. So he was really into politics, economics, sociology, class struggle and such, according to Wikipedia. And now we know. . . the rest of the story. He could be a prankster. 

What sort of fun have You had with snowballs? Today a snowball helped me scare the socks off my neighbor boy, Vova, running into him on the sidewalk with his head in the clouds.

Russian Teens Baffled by Communist Holiday

Back in the days when the Communist Party ran things around here, November 7th was the Day of the Revolution, a major holiday. Today the party faithful still parade through town, their ranks a only remnant of earlier strength. But to the teenagers I ran on a recent afternoon, November 7th was just another day. In fact, they were clueless that it had ever been a holiday. Here's how that went.

Sure, you can take my picture, I said. Just make sure I'm the youngest, thinnest and the most beautiful one in the photo. (Whahah!)

Well, they did try. ;)

I'd been downtown an hour or so already, perusing souvenirs from sidewalk vendors in Gorky Park and hoping to target some Communists. With my camera, of course. November 7th is their big day so they were making their presence known. They were celebrating the October Revolution, when Communist forces lead by Vladimir Lenin took over the Russian government. That was shortly after Czar Nicholas II was booted out of office and summarily executed.

Well, November 7th no longer a public holiday and the Communist Party has faded considerably. But to the die-hard party loyalists, the day remains sacred. Earlier that morning, en route to church, we had spotted a few dozen celebrants gathered near the Stella statue, waving their red flags with gold hammers and sickles. Their usual routine is to march through the city on Pyshkinskaya Boulevard making considerable racket with bullhorns and a brass band and then gather at the statue of Lenin.

Later that afternoon, I managed to catch several stragglers who were lingering after the festivities. I was still watching for Communists and sure enough, there at the Lenin statue was a faithful komrad, pleased to salute for a photo.

The placard says something about 93 years since the revolution. And that is of such significance to the three-plus generations of Russian folk who lived under Communism.

See the teens on the street would have been born after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, after Russia opened up in the early 1990's and after the USSR dissolved soon thereafter. They don't remember life before McDonald's. Their parents and grandparents would remember the fanfare of November 7th, of course, up through the 1980's. Girls would remember getting new dresses for the parade and the masses were released from school and work to celebrate in the city streets.

So then, I wanted to know what these youth were thinking. And they wanted to take my picture so we got to chatting.

Me: Is today an important holiday to you?

Them: Today is a holiday? (giggle, giggle) What holiday is it? Maybe Men's Day?

Noooo, Men's Day is in February.

Is it Russian Independence Day?

Nooo, Independence Day is in June. . .

See the man over there at Lenin's Statue? The guy with the red flag? Today's the day of the October Revolution, when Communism came into power.

Ohhh. . . (giggle, giggle)

So that was the end of that. And then it was on to questions about the America, the usual questions. Another topic entirely. . .

Oh, you need to meet Komrad So-and-so. We met earlier in the park when I was looking for souvenirs. Seems that he's a local officer of The Party.

He was chatting with the coin and pin vendor there at Gorky Park, near the statue of Lenin.

He was kind enough to let me circle around as to get a better shot at him. I didn't mention that I'd been hoping to photograph folks of his ilk. . .

The statue to Lenin. It's amazing how many Lenin statues are still standing throughout Russia and Ukraine. Probably interesting to know how many have been pulled down, too.