Toponims and Memorial signs of Dnipropetrrovsk/Dnipro in the process of decommunization

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15421/272207

Abstract

The peculiarities of historical policy at the local level, strategies and results of the transformation of the historical and cultural landscape of Dnipropetrovsk / Dnipro in 2015–2016 through a radical change of the commemorative space are revealed. The problem is considered in two perspectives: the «toponymic revolution» and the decommunization of local monuments. The process of toponymic decommunization was led by professional historians, among whom there were two contradictory approaches. One of them, which can be conditionally called local lore, was defended by a well-known expert on the history of the city M. Kavun. He believed that the cardinal «toponymic revolution» threatened to distort the cultural face of the city, which should be approached with caution, returning primarily historical names, giving streets and squares the names of people who played a prominent role in urban history and events that were important in the collective biography of the city. Another position, which can be called state, was held by the dean of the historical faculty of the Oles Honchar Dnipro National University S. Svitlenko, who considered the priority of establishing in urban toponymy the idea of a continuous millennial history of Ukraine, its unity and original connection with Europe. According to the results of the discussion, the second approach gained the support of the authorities. Despite the desire to cover the entire history of Ukraine, many of the new names were related to figures related to urban history. They completely replaced the Katerynoslav revolutionaries, fighters against the autocracy, local Soviet and party activists, and heroes of war and labor. The basis of the new city pantheon were representatives of the Ukrainian national movement, well-known figures of education, science and culture. Thus, the «toponymic revolution» sharply raised the issue of the relationship of local, regional, national and global components in the construction of urban cultural landscape; the problem of combining signs and symbols of different periods and historical memories. The practical implementation of this process revealed the readiness of activists to urgently «recode» the collective historical memory, to take radical measures to unconditionally implement the current ideological guidelines. «Decommunization» in Dnipropetrovsk was accelerated and resembled «ideological iconoclasm». This was most pronounced at the toponymic level, as streets, avenues and squares were less protected from the willful efforts and ideological preferences of local activists. Unlike place names, monuments and memorials are protected by the state as cultural heritage sites, and therefore most of them continue to maintain the longevity of the history of Dnipropetrovsk / Dnipro.

Published

2022-06-20