Inauguration of Lenin Statue in Germany's Ruhr Region Gathers Over 800 People

Around 800 people gathered at the inauguration of the 2.15 metre Lenin statue in Germany's Gelsenkirchen, in the Ruhr Valley. Despite initial controversy over the statue, the city court gave the local Marxist-Leninist party permission to put the metal memorial near its headquarters.

City authorities had originally opposed the statue, claiming that it would “disturb the view” of a neighbouring building, while a local council for the district of West Gelsenkirchen argued that it was inappropriate to put up a statue of Lenin because, in his opinion, the cultural icon is "representative of violence, suppression, terror and immense human suffering".

People seemed to see the historical figure differently, with some social media users celebrating the statue's inauguration, and taking note that, to the contrary of statue demolition in the United States, "Gelsenkirchen takes a different approach and honors a Russian revolutionary".

​The video from the inauguration, showing a musical performance, was shared in social media.

​Some protested over the statue, echoing a local council statements that Lenin was an inappropriate figure to honor, even attempting to compare him to Hitler.