Poland dismantles Monument of Gratitude to Soldiers of the Red Army
A monument of gratitude to the Soviet army was dismantled in the center of the Polish city of Szczecin, as stated by the Szczecin city administration, Polskie Radio reports.
"The dismantling of the monument began on Wednesday. The column has been dismantled and within the next few days the foundation of the monument will be dismantled," Sylvia Tsiza-Slomsky, spokeswoman for the city administration of Szczecin, said.
She added that "during the dismantling, the bas-reliefs and other parts of the sculpture were preserved."
The city authorities announced that the sculptures and city coats will be exhibited in the southeastern military part of the Central Cemetery in Szczecin in 2018. There will also be information on the history of the monument.
The Szczecin Architectural Studio, Archaid, won a bid in March for the development of the square on which the monument now stands.
"After the repairs, it will be a space for residents of the city with benches and green spaces and exhibitions and events will be held there. This is the continuation of the Flower Alley," Tsiza-Slomsky added.
The authorities of Szczecin are also planning to dismantle one more Soviet monument - a monument to those who conquered Szczecin. However, the timing for its dismantling has not been selected yet.
On October 21st, the law on the demolition of Soviet monuments as part of the decommunization of the country came into effect in Poland. According to preliminary estimates, the law will affect more than 200 monuments to the soldiers of the Red Army.