For Kaliningrad’s 750th anniversary (even though Kaliningrad only really dates from 1945) the town received a spanking new onion domestyle church in the main square. It was built right behind the square’s previous landmark, a statue of Lenin.

Some might think that Lenin’s association with Karl ‘Religion Is The Opium Of The People’ Marx would place these two monuments at odds. Whatever. Lenin was moved for ‘architectural reasons’. Late last year he was promised a whole new Lenin Plozhad of his own, but so far it hasn’t materialised.

Make no mistake, statues of Lenin are becoming as scarce as hen’s teeth. So it’s nice that Swedish photographer Anders Thorsell has thoughtfully put together a page of Lenin statues, with such notable entries as the last remaining Lenin in Estonia. Anders is very careful to point out that this is not a tribute to Lenin page, but to the sculptors.

The bigger Lenin sculptures - like the horizon blotout head in Ulan Ude - are probably safe from the hammer. Berlin council planned to demolish its whole gang of granite Lenins, Stalins and Marxs, but just one blew the public works budget.

Main Square Kaliningrad, Before And After.
Church takes over from State.