Statues and Historical Memory (I): The Evolving Monumental War from Bulgaria to South Africa

The role of monuments in shaping collective memory can be divisive, particularly when those monuments represent a controversial or painful past. Across the globe, such statues become flashpoints in the struggle to reconcile historical legacy with modern values. 

Your war diarists were recently in Bulgaria, where we witnessed the historical debate symbolised in the Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia. Erected during the communist era to commemorate Bulgaria’s alignment with the Soviet Union after the Second World War, it pays homage to the Soviets who had liberated much of eastern Europe. Not everyone sees it this way, where newer generations believe that the Soviets colonised the eastern European states. 

The monument has been a target of vandalism for over 15 years, and in 2023, following the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the statue was defaced again. Later on, some ‘older’ generation Bulgarians and many younger supporters who subscribe to Russia’s narrative came out in counterprotest and set up a picket to protect the monument. This clash between the present and the past and the competing views is another chapter in the culture wars and reflects Bulgaria’s ongoing struggle to reconcile its communist past with its European future.

The generational divide in Bulgaria is emblematic of a broader trend seen in many post-colonial and post-authoritarian countries. For the older generation, the Soviet monument represents a time of stability and security, symbolising an era of employment, education, and unity. Conversely, younger Bulgarians, who have grown up in an EU-member state, view Europe as a symbol of progress and democracy, and see the Soviet era as one of repression and stagnation.

This debate over historical symbols extends beyond Eastern Europe to other parts of the world. In South Africa, the vandalism of the statues of General Botha and Field Marshal Smuts reflects the country’s ongoing struggle with its past. These acts of vandalism are part of a broader conversation about how to address figures whose legacies are seen as both pivotal and problematic. 

Below is an extract from Tony’s recent co-authored book Botha, Smuts and the First World War

The vandalism of Botha and Smuts’s statues was an outcry to their pride of place in central public spaces in South Africa – their prominence no longer chimes with majority South African public opinion, with contemporary politics and with modern heroes. Throughout the 20^th century powerful British and South African leaders erected statues to Botha and Smuts and mainly white South Africans and Britons paid homage to their former leaders, their likenesses trapped in their antiquated stone, bronze, and concrete structures. 

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History has certainly come alive, and it remains an emotive topic. Who could blame South Africans who are offended by these statues – who could blame those who want to see a change in art and sculptures in public spaces. Equally we cannot fault many South Africans and the government who want a more balanced response to the statue debate. Answers are hard to come by, where norms, politicisation of grievances, historical links to the past, and law and order must be considered – in the age of social media, organising protests, mobilising political messages, and spreading information has become easier. For those suffering, learning about the link between older leaders, reflected in bronze busts, and the poverty caused by the Land Act, could only make matters worse. 

The #RhodesMustFall movement at the University of Cape Town (UCT) set the whole thing in motion and the removal of the statue of Cecil Rhodes, a symbol of British imperialism and colonial exploitation, was a powerful statement against the legacy of racism and inequality, demanding transformation within South Africa’s educational institutions.

In each case, the monuments’ histories—like those of the societies they represent—remain in flux, continually reinterpreted by new generations seeking to understand and address their complex legacies.

Your War Diarists,

Tony & Max

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