The CIS and Baltic press on Russia

RIA Novosti ^ | 16 June 2006 | Various

[Romanov]

ESTONIA

Analysts point to Russia's currently weak position on the international stage and its attempts to restore its damaged image at any cost. "The history of the Russian people, their religion and national individuality were the biggest targets of Soviet repressions. The current national awakening is still in the bud and is going through an identity crisis... The Orthodox faith, the main basis of the Russian culture, is awakening. But there are some causes for concern. The Orthodox faith, especially when controlled by the state, does not contribute to the weak Russian democracy. Russia seems to have two ruling ideologies now: the Orthodoxy and vodka, both being equally hailed... Russians have little collective memory, but without it a new national identity cannot appear. You cannot go back to the rural community to get it." (Eesti Paevaleht, June 9.)

[Romanov]

The whole article - which is a round up of the foreign press on Russia - is an interesting read. Pay particular attention to Estonia. They've nailed the problems.

Also pay attention to the countries that some on here have been saying (wrongly) are solidly in Russia's camp.

[Romanov]

Ping!

[GSlob]

It's nice that the article is specifically mentioning "national awakening". Condolences in advance. As Igor Guberman wrote,
"Eshche on prosnyotsya, narod-ispolin,
I dukh ego myslej svobodnykh
Vzov'yotsya kak pukh iz evrejskikh perin
Vo dni probuzhdenij narodnykh..."

[Romanov]

I thought you would have posted this from Guberman:

"Rossiya vekami rydaet
O detyakh lyubimykh svoikh;
Ona samykh luchshikh s"edaet
i plachet pechalyas o nikh"

If you're ever in Moscow (and I still say you should go back at least once ;) ) when Guberman is there good luck in finding a ticket for any of his shows. Sold out months in advance.

[GSlob]

"...i plachet pechalyas o nikh"
"And his tears were crocodile tears; and his contrition was that of an asp" - Shchedrin.
Well, I'm not visiting -the place is on my "to avoid" list, between Somalia and Zimbabwe. My diagnosis is known: that same "national individuality" [the word "Russity" is shorter] found itself absolutely adequate expression in communist oppression and corruption [Zinoviev's "communality"]. Further, most of the bad things which ever did, do, and will, happen there are its necessary corollaries and consequences. Thus any of its "awakenings" are a cause for condolences to those on the receiving end. To "awaken" from, and not to:
"Ya kucheyu gorzhus', v kotoroj ya sizhu
I zad rukovodyashchij predanno lizhu"
it is necessary to radically change that Russity: subtract the Orthodoxy [not so much for its theology as for its Byzantium baggage of subservience to the state], propensity to alcoholism and Mongol heritage [and how much will one be left with?], and add a large dose of individualism. Stir, and left to stew.

[Mazepa]

I might be late with my addition: http://ilibrary.ru/text/1041/p.1/index.html
(special thanks to unbreakable)

[GSlob]

Thanks for nostalgic memories. On May 1/81, accompanied by the popular celebration [they even put a mass demonstration - would you believe it?] of my departure and the noise of incoherent brezhnevite mumbling from all the loudspeakers I got through the customs and flew out of Kheremetyevo airport - and I quoted those very lines of Lermontov...

[Simargal]

Skifi

Mil'eni - vas. Nas - t'mi, i t'mi, i t'mi.
Poprobuyte srazites' s nami!
Da, skifi - mi! Da, aziati - mi,
S raskosimi i jadnimi ochami!

Dly vas - veka, dly nas - ediniy chas.
Mi, kak poslushnie holopi,
Derjali shit mej dvuh vrajdebnih ras
Mongolov i Evropi!

Veka, veka vash stariy gorn koval
i zaglushal groma, lavini,
I dikoy skazkoy bil dly vas proval
I Lissabona, i Messini!

Vi sotni let glydeli na vostok
Kopy i plavy nashi perli,
I vi, glumys', schitali tolko srok,
Kogda nastavit' pushek jerla!

Vot - srok nastal. Krilami b'et beda,
I kajdiy den obidi mnogit,
I den prydet - ne budet i sleda
ot vashih Pestumov, bit mojet!

O, stariy mir! POka ti ne pogib,
poka tomishsy mukoy sladkoy,
ostanovis', premudriy, kak Edip,
Pred Sfinksom s drevneu zagadkoy!

Rossia - Sfinks. Likuya i skorby,
I oblivayas' chernoy krov'u,
Ona glydit, glydit, glydit v teby
I s nenavist'u i s lubov'u!...

Da tak lubit' kak lubit nasha krov',
Nikto iz vas davno lubit!
Zabili vi chto v mire est' lubov',
Kotoraya i jjet i gubit!

Mi lubim vse - i jar holodnih chisl,
I dar bojestvennih videniy,
Nam vnytno vse - i ostriy gall'skiy smisl,
I sumrachniy germanskiy geniy...

Mi pomnim vse - parijskih ulic ad,
i venecianskie prohladi,
limonnih rosh dalekiy aromat,
i Kelna dimnie gromadi.

Mi lubim plot' - i vkus ee i cvet,
I dushniy, smertniy ploti zapah...
Vinovni l' mi, kol' hrustnet vash skelet
V tyjelih, nejnih nashih lapah?

Privikli mi, hvataya pod uzdci
Igraushih koney retivih,
Lomat' konyam tyjelie kresci,
i usmiryt' rabin stroptivih...

Pridite k nam ! ot ujasov voyni
Pridite v mirnie ob'yat'y!
Poka ne pozdno stariy mech v nojni,
Tovarishi! Mi stanem brat'ya!

A esli net - nam nechego teryat',
i nam dostupno verolomstvo!
Veka, veka vas budet proklinat',
Bol'noe pozdnee potomstvo!

Mi shiroko po debrym i lesam
Pered Evropou prigojey
Rasstupimsy i obernemsy k vam
Svoeu aziatskoy rogey!

Idite vse, idite na Ural!
Mi ochishaem mesto k bou
Stalnih mashin gde dishiy integral,
s mongolskoy dikou ordou!

No sami mi otnine vam ne shit,
otnine v boy ne vstupim sami,
Mi poglydim, kak smertniy boy kipit,
svoimi uzkimi glazami.

Ne sdvinemsy kogda svirepiy gunn
V karmanah trupov budet sharit'
Jech goroda, i v cerkov' gnat' tabun
I myso belih brat'ev jarit'.

V posledny raz - opomnis' stariy mir!
Na bratskiy pir truda i mira,
V posledniy raz na svetliy bratskiy pir
Szivaet varvarskaya lira!


Blok.