The Robespierre Monument (Russian: Памятник Робеспьеру, romanized: Pamyatnik Robyesp'yeru) was one of the first monuments erected in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (later part of the Soviet Union), raised in Moscow on 3 November 1918 – just ahead of the first anniversary of the October Revolution, which had brought the Bolsheviks to power.[1] It depicted Maximilien de Robespierre, a prominent figure of the French Revolution. Located in Alexander Garden, it had been designed by the sculptor Beatrice Yuryevna Sandomierz (Russian: Беатриса Юрьевна Сандомирская, romanized: Beatrica Yur'yevna Sandomirskaya). Created as part of the "monumental propaganda" plan,[1] the monument was commissioned by Vladimir Lenin, who in an edict referred to Robespierre as a "Bolshevik avant la lettre".[2] It was only one of several planned statues depicting French revolutionaries – others were to be made of Georges Danton, François-Noël Babeuf and Jean-Paul Marat, although only the one of Danton was never completed.[3]
Created in the context of the ongoing Russian Civil War and with the country in a state of war communism, there were few materials available to make the statue.[4] Lacking bronze or marble, the monument was instead constructed using concrete, with hollow pipes running through it.[5] This design proved frail, lasting only a few days. On the morning of 7 November only a pile of rubble remained.[5] Over the following days different newspapers supplied varying versions as to why it collapsed, with Znamya Trudovoi Kommuny and others saying it was the work of "criminal" (counter-revolutionary) hands, some assummed White Guard saboteur exploded it with grenade, and Izvestia stating the statue's demise was caused by improper construction.[5][3]
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