Pushkin, Dostoyevski and the other great Russian heroes.

The discussion about what constitutes cultural heritage is complicated by the darker streaks of our past. A recent contest in Russia to determine the greatest national figure in Russian history turned up Joseph Stalin in the impressive 12th place. He stood proudly next to poets and writers (such as Pushkin, Dostoyevsky) as well as other leaders closer to his own caliber (Ivan the Terrible, Lenin, general Alexander Suvorov).

It is hard to argue that Stalin does not constitute a part of Russias cultural heritage. If we define cultural heritage as something of importance to a certain group or community, as we have done in class so far, then certainly, Stalin fits the category. What is both troubling and telling, is the fact that Stalin is not only viewed as an important historical figure, but as a positive historical figure by many, particularly in the younger generation.

The troubling aspect of this fact, I think need not be explained. But this perception of one of history's greatest mass murderers also shows, how history and heritage, though both begin with an h, may produce quite different understandings.

Stalin's case in Russia, is of course an extreme example, but similar cases can be found on the other side of the Atlantic as well. Take, for instance the case of the Monticello manor, home of Thomas Jefferson, which has for decades been presented without any regard to the detail (quite evident in the fact Monticello was, after all, a plantation) that the great American president was also a great American slave-owner.

In short, there is a tendency to over-emphasize the virtues of nationally important figures and downplay the vices. This is, of course, stating the obvious, but it is also an aspect where museums, universities and legislators are in a position to change things. One topic that has come up time and again in classroom discusion and in our readings, is that in the end, curators are the ones who give us the story. This is a case not unlike the British pre-fab controversy, where the specialists are expected not to mirror popular opinion, but to exhibit foresight and a sense the bigger picture.

It seems that Russian concept of the bigger picture involves writing history textbooks, in which Stalin is legitimized as a national hero. Go figure.