The Monument to Stalin - Prague

The Monument to Stalin--though it is no longer standing--is still a great controversy in Prague. My questions largely revolve around public opinion of this monument and the repercussions of building it and how they have changed over time. That is to say, how has opinion about the monument changed since it was commissioned? How has it remained the same? What is it about this monument (aside from simply who it commemorated) that allowed it to leave such a lasting mark on a society it was in for a mere seven years and that never really accepted it? (In other words, why isn't a monument that was so short-lived forgotten, especially because it was a monument many would rather not remember?)