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Helen Betts | all galleries >> Budapest Adventure >> Memento Park: Budapest's Communist-era Monuments > Joseph Stalin's boots, model
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10-NOV-2012

Joseph Stalin's boots, model

The Stalin Monument in Budapest was completed in December 1951 as a "gift" to Joseph Stalin from the Hungarian People on his 70th birthday (December 21, 1949). It was torn down on October 23, 1956, by enraged anti-Soviet crowds during Hungary's October Revolution. Only the boots remained.

These are a life-size model of the boots from the monument; we measured their height against my husband, and they were about six feet high. The actual boots are here http://www.pbase.com/helenpb/image/147287657

The large monument stood 25 meters tall in total. The bronze statue stood eight meters high on a four meter high limestone base on top of a tribune 18 meters wide. Stalin was portrayed as a speaker, standing tall and rigid with his right hand at his chest.

On October 23, 1956, around 200,000 Hungarians gathered in Budapest to demonstrate in sympathy for the Poles who had just gained political reform during the Polish October. The Hungarians broadcast 16 demands over the radio, one of them being the dismantling of Stalin's statue. A hundred thousand Hungarian revolutionaries demolished the Stalin statue, leaving only his boots, in which they planted a Hungarian flag. The bronze inscribed name of the Hungarians' leader, teacher and "best friend" was ripped off from the pedestal. Before the toppling of the statue, someone had placed a sign over Stalin's mouth that read "RUSSIANS, WHEN YOU RUN AWAY DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!" The revolutionaries chanted "Russia go home!" while pulling down the statue. “W.C.” and other insulting remarks were scrawled over the fragmented parts of the statue. (From Wikipedia)

Nikon D700 ,Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
1/80s f/3.5 at 24.0mm iso3200 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Bill Klein14-Nov-2012 15:52
Fantastic shot, Helen! V!
Milan Vogrin13-Nov-2012 12:23
Nice presentation.
Zoltán Balogh13-Nov-2012 08:43
This is so interesting Helen, great job! V
joseantonio13-Nov-2012 05:03
Very nice presentation and great historical information...V.
fotabug13-Nov-2012 04:07
Your photo is superb! Lighting, etc, so well done! V
larose forest photos13-Nov-2012 03:27
This is fascinating. The boots make an intriguing image and certainly, given the background, a sobering one. A terrific, well taken image. V
Fong Lam13-Nov-2012 02:34
Perfect exposure in this interior shot and a fascinating story behind those well captured boots, Helen....V
bill friedlander13-Nov-2012 00:36
I don't think anyone would want to fill them. Nice shot and interesting background information. V
janescottcumming12-Nov-2012 23:37
Fascinating information and photograph. Great work! V
Jim Coffman12-Nov-2012 22:26
Great information and photograph!
Gary A. Rich (GRainelev)12-Nov-2012 22:26
Helen, such a great story. And to that, a terrific capture. This image is fantastic. V.
Karen Stuebing12-Nov-2012 22:19
Fascinating story. I like the light on the boots and displays in the background. Nicely balanced composition. V.
Martin Lamoon12-Nov-2012 21:34
Good exposure in this difficult light. v
Walter Otto Koenig12-Nov-2012 21:26
Cool high is shot. The look good in white. :) "V"
Alain Boussac12-Nov-2012 21:16
Impressive and well taken, and thanks for all the explanations, Helen. V.
Tomasz Dziubinski - Photography12-Nov-2012 21:15
Excellent shot of this model of historic shoes, Vote :)