这座位于保加利亚的苏联纪念碑一直被人以滑稽的方式调侃

这座位于保加利亚的苏联纪念碑一直被人以滑稽的方式调侃

If you were born in the Eastern block of Europe, you sure as hell saw a lot of Soviet monuments around. Soldiers, proudly leaning in forward in anticipation for a head-on fight with their guns in hands, fellow comrades standing in all their imposing and muscular glory, huge heads of Lenin… You’ve seen them all. While for the older generation, it can really evoke positive sentiments, even memories of the glorious Soviet army maybe, for the young ones these monuments are usually synonymous with the good ole Soviet brain-washing.

如果你出生在欧洲的东部地区，你肯定能在那里看到很多苏联纪念碑。士兵们骄傲地向前倾着身子，期待着一场手握枪支的正面战斗，同志们带着他们所有的威严和肌肉发达的荣耀站在那里，巨大的列宁头颅……你们都见过。而对于老一代来说，它确实能唤起积极的情感，甚至可能唤起对光荣的苏联军队的记忆，对于年轻一代来说，这些纪念碑通常是苏联洗脑的同义词。

The young generation of Bulgarians falls into the latter category. In Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a huge monument for the Soviet Army was built back in 1954. However, it sure has seen better days, as the monument becomes a victim of vandalism over and over again. The city officials clean it only to find it painted over again.

保加利亚的年轻一代属于后一类。在保加利亚首都索非亚，一座巨大的苏联军队纪念碑建于1954年。然而，它肯定有过好日子，因为纪念碑一次又一次地成为破坏的牺牲品。市政府官员打扫后发现它又被刷了一遍。

It all started in 2011 when the monument was painted to look like a mish-mash of American pop-culture icons

这一切始于2011年，当时这座纪念碑被涂成了美国流行文化偶像的大杂烩

Image credits: Ignat Ignev

The painting job was done by a group of anonymous artists who call themselves Destructive Creation. The daunting military figures were turned into much friendlier subjects like Superman, Ronald McDonald, Santa Claus, and Wonder Woman. A slogan which translates into English as “In pace with time” was scribbled beneath them.

这幅画是由一群自称是破坏性创作的匿名艺术家完成的。令人生畏的军事人物变成了更友好的主题，如超人、麦当劳叔叔、圣诞老人和神奇女侠。下面还潦草地写着一句英文口号“In pace with time”。

In 2012, the monument’s soldiers were given balaclavas in support of Pussy Riot

2012年，为了支持Pussy Riot乐队，纪念碑的士兵们被授予了巴拉克拉法帽

Image credits: Nikolay Tsekov

In 2012, three previously arrested members of the Russian feminist protest punk rock band Pussy Riot were convicted by a Russian court and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment each. This was widely criticized outside Russia and on the same day of the conviction, colorful knit balaclavas (trademark of Pussy Riot members) were put on the heads of figures of the monument.

2012年，三名之前被捕的俄罗斯女权主义抗议活动朋克摇滚乐队暴动小猫(Pussy Riot)的成员被俄罗斯一家法院定罪，各被判处两年监禁。这在俄罗斯以外遭到了广泛的批评，在定罪的同一天，人们把五颜六色的编织头饰(Pussy Riot成员的标志)戴在纪念碑的雕像头上。

In 2013, it was covered in pink in honor of the anniversary of the Prague Spring in 1968

2013年，为了纪念1968年的布拉格之春，它被粉红色覆盖

Image credits: Ignat Ignev

The pink color is a reference to the painting of The Monument to Soviet Tank Crews in Prague by David Černý in 1991., while the slogan beneath the figures says “Bulgaria apologizes.”

粉红颜色指的是这幅画的苏联坦克纪念碑大卫Černy于1991年在布拉格。雕像下面的标语写着“保加利亚道歉”。

In 2014, it announced “Glory to Ukraine”

2014年，它宣布“乌克兰光荣”

Image credits: Vassia Atanassova

In February 2014, the monument was painted once again and this time it honored Ukraine that was (and still is) a victim of Russia’s aggression. One of the soldiers and the flag above was painted in the national colors of Ukraine and the phrase “Glory to Ukraine” was written in Ukrainian on the monument. An obscene reference to Vladimir Putin was also made, by calling him “Kaputin.” The vandalism was an act of support of the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution.

2014年2月，这座纪念碑再次被粉刷，这一次是为了纪念乌克兰，它曾是(现在仍然是)俄罗斯侵略的受害者。上面的一名士兵和国旗被涂上了乌克兰国旗的颜色，纪念碑上用乌克兰语写着“乌克兰荣耀”。还有人污蔑弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)，称他为“卡普丁”(Kaputin)。这种破坏行为是对2014年乌克兰革命的支持。

Here’s how the monument looks without any paint on it

这是没有任何油漆的纪念碑的样子

Image credits: kashulk