Russia's politics of memory
俄罗斯的政界往事
NemtsovBridge
涅姆佐夫桥
A fight over the site of a politician's killing is a proxy for a broader battle
关于政治家遇刺之地的争论标志着论战范围扩大化
Remembered with love
以爱缅怀
MEMORY has long been the subject of fierce and often deadly ideological battles inRussia. Those who control the past also control the present. Following the murder of Boris Nemtsov, a liberal opposition leader, on a bridge by the Kremlin, a fight for his memory, and for the Russian flag, is taking place. In Soviet times, purged Communist Party members were excised from photographs as though they never existed. Now it seems the Kremlin is trying similarly to airbrush Mr Nemtsov.
追忆哀思已成为俄罗斯激烈之思想论战的永恒主题。曾经的执政者今日仍旧谋权在位。继自由党反对派领导人鲍里斯·涅姆佐夫于克里姆林宫大桥遇刺之后,俄罗斯正展开一场关于追忆涅姆佐夫以及俄罗斯国旗的论战。苏维埃时期,照片中要删掉被清洗出局的共产党员,仿佛他们未曾出现过一样。如今的克里姆林宫似乎正以同样的方式妄图抹去涅姆佐夫在大众心中的印记。
First Kremlin spin-doctors tried to divert attention from Mr Nemtsov's murder to the “sudden” disappearance of Vladimir Putin, Russia's president. Ten days later, Mr Putin re-emerged triumphantly and celebrated the anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimeaat the spot where Mr Nemtsov died. A frenzied crowd yelled “Ross-i-ya”, as if that could quash memories of Mr Nemtsov and his opposition to war inUkraine.
起初,克里姆林宫的公关专家试图将公众视线从涅姆佐夫遇刺案,转向俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京“突然”失踪案上来。十天之后,普金总统又得意洋洋地再次出现在公众面前,并在涅姆佐夫遇害之地庆祝俄罗斯吞并克里米亚半岛之事。疯狂的人群高喊着“俄-罗-斯”,仿佛这样便能够淡去对涅姆佐夫的追忆哀思,淡化他对乌克兰之战的反对。
In the middle of the night on March 27th, a month after Mr Nemtsov's murder, the authorities cleared the bridge of flowers and photographs. Thanks to Mr Nemtsov's friends and followers, the memorial was restored. People across the country ordered flowers online, and supporters took them to the bridge. Mr Nemtsov's photographs under Russian tricolours have been remounted on the balustrade. Volunteers guard the memorial day and night in snow and rain, sustained with tea and food by ordinary folk. They will not go away; they are being true to Mr Nemtsov's spirit.
3月27日的午夜,也就是涅姆佐夫遇害的一个月后,俄罗斯当局清扫掉了大桥上的鲜花以及照片。多亏了涅姆佐夫的挚友以及追随者,这些纪念物品才得以保留恢复。俄罗斯全国人民从网上订购鲜花,由涅姆佐夫的拥护者带到大桥上。涅姆佐夫在俄罗斯三色旗下的照片已被重新装裱挂在了矮护墙上。志愿者不论风雪、夜以继日地坚守看护着纪念品,普通民众会送些茶水和食物以供他们充饥。他们不会离去;他们始终忠于涅姆佐夫灵魂。
He managed to stay in politics despite state propaganda labelling him a “foreign agent” and “fifth column”. But fighting Mr Nemtsov after his death may prove even harder than it was during his life. Groomed to beRussia's liberal president by Boris Yeltsin, the charismatic, honest Mr Nemtsov could turn into a symbol ofRussia's unfulfilled promise. The display ofRussia's national flag next to his name should be particularly troubling for the Kremlin.
尽管国家宣传将涅姆佐夫扣上“外国特工”和“内奸”的帽子,他在政治上仍保有一席之地。不过,涅姆佐夫遇刺后的论战或许会比他生前的争议愈加激烈。鲍里斯·叶利钦赞誉他是俄罗斯魅力超凡、真诚坦率的自由派领袖,可谓是俄罗斯宏图未展的象征。在涅姆佐夫名字旁边悬挂俄罗斯国旗令克里姆林宫非常不悦。
The bridge has already been dubbedNemtsovBridge. It could now become a focal point of liberal opposition to a brutal regime, a role that after 1991 was played by the White House, then the seat of the Russian parliament. The Kremlin will try to clear the bridge of traces of Mr Nemtsov's murder. But the harder it tries, the more resonant the spot will become.
这座大桥已被冠以涅姆佐夫大桥的名字。如今它成为自由党反对残酷证券的聚焦点。俄罗斯议会统治中心与白宫1991年后充当的角色相同。克里姆林宫企图清除大桥上涅姆佐夫被害的证据。然而,他们愈是如此大力地抹去记忆,这座大桥的名号愈是回声嘹亮。译者:陈思思 校对:石海霞