Well dead and on display, at least. Celebrations yesterday, April 22nd, to mark 140 years since his birth were, on all accounts, somewhat subdued, suggesting that the slogan “Lenin is more alive than all the living!” may be a little outdated. Despite the efforts of communists both in Russia and around the world to pay homage to Vlad, many people viewed the anniversary with indifference, preferring instead that his ghost be consigned to the history books (or novelty products).
A recent poll in the country found 30% of Russians speculating that no one save for historians will even know who he was in fifty years time. Although that’s a highly unlikely scenario, his popularity is, in contrast to that of his successor Stalin, on the wane. Saying that, his moth eaten socks have just gone on display in Ukraine . . . .
