Boris Yeltsin and Nikita Mikhalkov
The leadership of the Yeltsin centre, received the prize named Kenneth Hudson in the competition “European Museum of the year”, commented on the statement of film Director Nikita Mikhalkov about the similarity of this award with the award of the Third Reich. The statement published on the website of the centre.
According to the management of the Museum, Mikhalkov has insulted not only the institution itself, but also other museums, won in the contest. It is emphasized that for several decades of existence of the award the awards were received by the Museum of history of Polish Jews “Polin” (Warsaw), Museum of world cultures (Cologne), Memorial centre of the slave trade and slavery (Guadeloupe), Museum of vanished taste “Kolomna pastila” (Moscow) and other projects. “How can you compare the awards to these museums and our Museum with the iron cross from the armed forces of Nazi Germany?” ask the authors of the statements.
The centre’s management apologized to his European colleagues, “which is publicly insulted and humiliated the person having the passport of our country,” and assured the participants of the contest and the Museum community that the majority of Russians belong to their educational mission with great respect.
May 7 Mikhalkov in an interview with radio station “Moscow speaking” said, “I am absolutely not surprised that the Yeltsin center received the award behalf of Kenneth Hudson. I’m not surprised and react to it is exactly the same as if I learned that a citizen of the Soviet Union, some Cocobolo, became a policeman, received the iron cross of the Wehrmacht”.
On awarding the Yeltsin center awards became known the day before.
“The presidential center of Boris Yeltsin” was opened in November 2015 at the home of the first President of Russia, in Ekaterinburg. It was conceived as a socio-political organization that promotes the rule of law, the study and development of Institute of presidency in Russia. In addition to the Museum and exhibition halls, there are library, archive, educational and children’s centres.
Iron cross the highest German award for military merit. Established by the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm after the victory over Napoleon in 1813. Was given to the participants every major campaign, including the Second world war, with some changes.