Stalingrad Memorial Research Questions

In our research of the WWII memorial at Stalingrad, we hope to fully understand the meaning of the memorial to the world and Russian people. In order to achieve this understanding there are necessary questions to ask throughout the process. These questions include:

- What does the memorial represent to the Russian people regarding their past?

-To the Russians, is the memorial a symbol of triumph or despair, heroism or destruction, what is the general mood?

-Is the memorial more of a tribute to the general struggle in WWII, or simply a form of Russian nationalism commemorating its own efforts?

-Does Russia recognize its Stalin-era past through this memorial?

-Why is it maintained so poorly?

-Who built/funded the memorial, and who were primary backers?

-Has there been a transition in the perception of the memorial's symbolism/significance from generation to generation?