21 January marks the centenary of the death of the man of whom Ferdinand Peroutka wrote that "he entered the body of time like a sharp iron spike". Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the architect of the Bolshevik coup in Russia, imprinted his fixed ideas on a state which, to the misfortune of hundreds of millions, gradually transformed itself into a world power under the name of the Soviet Union.
In a debate that recalled Lenin's personality and times, the trio of guests reflected on the causes and effects of the Bolshevik Revolution. What role did it play in the Russian historical narrative and in the history of the world? How is Lenin's "work" perceived in contemporary Russia? Why has Lenin received criticism from Vladimir Putin? A discussion with historian Daniela Kolenovskaya, political geographer Mikhail Romantsov and journalist Libor Dvorak. The evening was hosted by David Svoboda.
The 20th Century Memory Museum debate took place on 29 January 2024 at the Václav Havel Library.