Putin is
a huge Solzhenitsyn fan, and made this very clear while the writer was alive by
publicly meeting him and praising him, (pictures below), and attending his
funeral.
Significantly
in his speech, Putin criticized the "totalitarian system which
brought suffering and severe trials to millions of people", and praised
Solzhenitsyn for criticizing it and for calling for morality.
Solzhenitsyn
was a staunch Christian in his later years and urged his countrymen to look to
their traditional religion for moral strength.
Transcript
of Putin's remarks and the very moving ones of his widow below:
And here
is a Russian TV report about the event: (No transcript)
Transcript:
Vladimir
Putin:
Ladies
and gentlemen, dear friends, Mrs Solzhenitsyn. Today we are unveiling a
monument to Alexander Solzhenitsyn – our outstanding compatriot, writer,
thinker, a war veteran, who participated in the Great Patriotic War and was a
true patriot of Russia.
December
11 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. For
us, it is not only a day of remembrance and respect, but above all an occasion
to revisit his literary, social as well as philosophical heritage, which
is woven into the very fabric of the 20th century and continues to be
up-to-date – for us, for Russia, and for the world.
I
remember well all the meetings with Alexander Solzhenitsyn – his wisdom, his
prudence and a deep understanding of history.
His
heart and soul, his thoughts were filled in equal measure with pain for the
Fatherland and unlimited love for it. These feelings fueled all his
work. He clearly delineated the true, genuine, people's Russia and the
totalitarian system, which brought suffering and severe trials to millions of
people. But even being in exile, Solzhenitsyn would not tolerate anyone to
speak evil or scornfully of his homeland, and opposed any manifestations of
Russophobia.
A man
of integrity, an exceptionally principled person, Solzhenitsyn never wanted to
be comfortable. In his writings, in his literary, journalistic and social
activity, he openly and consistently defended his views and
convictions, and argued the unconditional value of the morals that provide
for a healthy society.
Without
understanding the country's past there can be no meaningful movement into the
future, Solzhenitsyn believed. Therefore, he directed his efforts toward
finding and designating ways to improve Russia, so that the hardest and
most dramatic trials that befell our country would never happen again, so
that our multiethnic people would live in dignity and justice.
This
is how he saw his mission, his goals and the meaning of his service.
Friends,
the centenary of Alexander Solzhenitsyn is a landmark occasion for the whole
country. Many events have been timed to this date to perpetuate the memory
of our great compatriot.
One of
them is the unveiling of a monument in the writer's native town of Kislovodsk,
and the opening of his memorial museum in Moscow, as well as conferences,
exhibitions, lectures, productions and theatrical adaptations of his works in
many regions. But the most important thing is that Solzhenitsyn’s voice is
still being heard. His thoughts and ideas resonate in people’s minds and
hearts.
Popularising
his work, encouraging and introducing new young readers to it is the best thing
we can and must do to honour his memory. I must certainly express special
gratitude to Natalia Solzhenitsyn for her tireless work and her truly
invaluable contribution to the preservation of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s legacy.
Thank
you.
Alexander
Solzhenitsyn’s widow Natalia Solzhenitsyn:
Dear
friends, I would like to thank everyone who remains receptive and true to
Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s ideas and memory.
Allow
me to thank the prominent members of the organising committee. They are very
important people with busy lives. Still, they were able to dedicate their
time and effort to the celebrations of Solzhenitsyn’s centenary across the
country.
As
Alexander Solzhenitsyn said back in the 1970s: throughout my life all I do is
walk the earth of my Fatherland, and it is only her pain that I hear, and
I cannot write about anything but her. Afterwards his was expelled from
the country, but they never succeeded in separating him from his homeland. He
returned when he was allowed to do so.
So
throughout his life he walked the earth of his Fatherland, and now that he is
no longer with us he rises once again, and will always stand upright. I am
especially delighted that on the monument’s right side is Matryona, the true
Christian who can be found in any village, city and across our land.
Let us
cherish the righteous ones, who are still among us, staying in the
shadows. To his left is an image of Ivan Denisovich, carved in
stone. For him, life in a prison camp was challenging, but on the outside
life can also be dangerous, miserable and hard.
What I
would like to say is that the world has gone mad, and in many places people do
not live as they should: killing each other, keeping one another in
poverty, hunger and other hardships.
For
this reason, the day in the life of Ivan Denisovich is not yet over. We
have to be mindful of this, and see the world around us with open eyes.
Whenever
we spot an opportunity to help Ivan Denisovich, it is the responsibility of
each and every one of us to do so.
Thank
you all very much.
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