First lenin statue to be erected in 'West Germany' area

A German court gave permission on Friday, 6, for the first statue of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin to be erected in Gelsenkirchen, in the western portion of Germany. The monument is conquered by the Marxist-Leninist party of the country, the MLPD.

Although Lenin statues were common in east Germany, a region of the former Communist-dominated German Democratic Republic, there are none in western Germany. The one that will be installed in Gelsenkirchen is a monument of 2.15 meters high built in 1930 and acquired from the Czech Republic.

After much fighting with the city authorities, the MLPD obtained permission from a court to place the monument outside its headquarters. But the local government says it will appeal the decision, according to the British newspaper The Guardian,on the grounds that the statue will "disturb the view" of a historic building next door and violate the rules of preservation of historic monuments.

The council of one of gelsenkirchen's districts also opposed the initiative, arguing that Lenin is an inappropriate figure to be honored. In a statement, he said the communist leader represents "violence, repression, terror and immense human suffering."

"[Lenin is] incompatible with the free democratic constitutional order in Germany and he symbolizes the fight against and the abolition of our democracy," the council said.