By — Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/photos-praise-protests-and-ambivalence-mark-100-years-since-the-russian-revolution Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter PHOTOS: Praise, protests and ambivalence mark 100 years since the Russian Revolution World Nov 7, 2017 12:26 PM EDT Red flag-draped rallies in Moscow marked the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution on Tuesday. But despite the demonstrations, the crimes of the past and faded memories have made some Russians ambivalent about the centenary. Nov. 7 is the centennial of the second of two revolutions in 1917, called the Bolshevik movement, which overthrew the provisional government that had ended the tsarist autocracy eight months earlier and gave birth to the Soviet Union. Demonstrators attend a rally held by the Russian Communist party to mark the Red October revolution’s centenary in central Moscow on Nov. 7. Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters “A century on, the world is still discussing the consequences of the Bolshevik Revolution. But in Russia no one seems the least bit interested,” as the memories fade and Russians are more concerned about their daily lives, writes Oliver Carroll, Moscow correspondent for The Independent. Or as a columnist for RT put it, “Westerners are more into” the nostalgia around the historical events than Russians. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a Wall of Grief sculpture that remembers the hundreds of thousands of people killed under Communist leader Joseph Stalin. “This terrible past must not be erased from our national memory and cannot be justified by anything,” Putin said at the ceremony. Critics say Putin represses political opponents, though the Russian leader remains highly popular in the country. Demonstrators in Moscow carry a portrait of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin. Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters Russian historian Irina Shcherbakova told Deutsche Welle that Russians walk past reminders of the revolution every day in memorials and street names. The body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin still lies on display in a mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square. These days, however, “Nobody wants revolutions and uprisings instead of order and peace,” she said. On Tuesday, the Communist Party organized a parade and rally in Moscow, as seen in this video posted by Max Seddon, Moscow correspondent with the Financial Times: Stalin signs out in force for the Russian Revolution 100th anniversary march in Moscow pic.twitter.com/dCnfMhlqeD — max seddon (@maxseddon) November 7, 2017 Alec Luhn, Moscow correspondent for The Telegraph, captured these images of Spanish Communists flying Catalan flags in Moscow: Some of the Spanish communists are flying the Catalan flag at the 100th anniversary of the revolution in Moscow. Also Stalin pic.twitter.com/iayDPBHnUK — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 Another flag displayed the design of the eastern Ukraine separatist Donetsk People’s Republic: Front & centre at the 100th anniversary of Russian revolution in Moscow is the flag of eastern Ukraine separatist Donetsk People's Republic pic.twitter.com/UQli3lozmU — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 Some youth chanted, “Russia without Putin” and “Today with a poster, tomorrow with an assault rifle”: Komsomol youth were just chanting "Russia without Putin!" at 100th anniversary. Also "Today with a poster, tomorrow with an assault rifle!" pic.twitter.com/IR9zwZeXYQ — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 “The red banner will be raised above Russia again!” said Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, at the rally: "The red banner will be raised above Russia again!" MP Zyuganov tells 100th anniversary crowd near the Kremlin. Next up is Cuban delegation pic.twitter.com/QiB7E7A1vO — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 View more photos of the day: A demonstrator takes a selfie with a portrait of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Photo by Andrey Volkov/Reuters Russian Communist party supporters march in the northern city of Petrozavodsk, Russia, on Nov. 7. Photo by Vladimir Larionov/Reuters A woman in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, Russia, holds a sign that reads: “Stalin is our father, homeland is our mother, Soviet power is our sister and our friend.” Photo by Yuri Maltsev/Reuters Russia used the Julian calendar until 1918, thus the Bolshevik uprising also was known as the October Revolution. Photo by Andrey Volkov/Reuters We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko produced multimedia web features and broadcast reports with a focus on foreign affairs for the PBS NewsHour. She has reported in places such as Jordan, Pakistan, Iraq, Haiti, Sudan, Western Sahara, Guantanamo Bay, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Turkey, Germany and Ireland. @NewsHourWorld
Red flag-draped rallies in Moscow marked the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution on Tuesday. But despite the demonstrations, the crimes of the past and faded memories have made some Russians ambivalent about the centenary. Nov. 7 is the centennial of the second of two revolutions in 1917, called the Bolshevik movement, which overthrew the provisional government that had ended the tsarist autocracy eight months earlier and gave birth to the Soviet Union. Demonstrators attend a rally held by the Russian Communist party to mark the Red October revolution’s centenary in central Moscow on Nov. 7. Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters “A century on, the world is still discussing the consequences of the Bolshevik Revolution. But in Russia no one seems the least bit interested,” as the memories fade and Russians are more concerned about their daily lives, writes Oliver Carroll, Moscow correspondent for The Independent. Or as a columnist for RT put it, “Westerners are more into” the nostalgia around the historical events than Russians. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a Wall of Grief sculpture that remembers the hundreds of thousands of people killed under Communist leader Joseph Stalin. “This terrible past must not be erased from our national memory and cannot be justified by anything,” Putin said at the ceremony. Critics say Putin represses political opponents, though the Russian leader remains highly popular in the country. Demonstrators in Moscow carry a portrait of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin. Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters Russian historian Irina Shcherbakova told Deutsche Welle that Russians walk past reminders of the revolution every day in memorials and street names. The body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin still lies on display in a mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square. These days, however, “Nobody wants revolutions and uprisings instead of order and peace,” she said. On Tuesday, the Communist Party organized a parade and rally in Moscow, as seen in this video posted by Max Seddon, Moscow correspondent with the Financial Times: Stalin signs out in force for the Russian Revolution 100th anniversary march in Moscow pic.twitter.com/dCnfMhlqeD — max seddon (@maxseddon) November 7, 2017 Alec Luhn, Moscow correspondent for The Telegraph, captured these images of Spanish Communists flying Catalan flags in Moscow: Some of the Spanish communists are flying the Catalan flag at the 100th anniversary of the revolution in Moscow. Also Stalin pic.twitter.com/iayDPBHnUK — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 Another flag displayed the design of the eastern Ukraine separatist Donetsk People’s Republic: Front & centre at the 100th anniversary of Russian revolution in Moscow is the flag of eastern Ukraine separatist Donetsk People's Republic pic.twitter.com/UQli3lozmU — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 Some youth chanted, “Russia without Putin” and “Today with a poster, tomorrow with an assault rifle”: Komsomol youth were just chanting "Russia without Putin!" at 100th anniversary. Also "Today with a poster, tomorrow with an assault rifle!" pic.twitter.com/IR9zwZeXYQ — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 “The red banner will be raised above Russia again!” said Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, at the rally: "The red banner will be raised above Russia again!" MP Zyuganov tells 100th anniversary crowd near the Kremlin. Next up is Cuban delegation pic.twitter.com/QiB7E7A1vO — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) November 7, 2017 View more photos of the day: A demonstrator takes a selfie with a portrait of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Photo by Andrey Volkov/Reuters Russian Communist party supporters march in the northern city of Petrozavodsk, Russia, on Nov. 7. Photo by Vladimir Larionov/Reuters A woman in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, Russia, holds a sign that reads: “Stalin is our father, homeland is our mother, Soviet power is our sister and our friend.” Photo by Yuri Maltsev/Reuters Russia used the Julian calendar until 1918, thus the Bolshevik uprising also was known as the October Revolution. Photo by Andrey Volkov/Reuters We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now