Gorbachev: Victory celebrations no pretext for extolling Stalin

Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev said the role of Josef Stalin in the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany must not be overly exaggerated and that mass political purges in Stalin's era must be remembered.
"Of course, Stalin's name will be mentioned more than once during celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. But one shouldn't go so far as to say that we owe the victory to Stalin, or that victory would have never been attained without Stalin. This remarkable occasion must not be used to extol Stalin," Gorbachev told Interfax.
"While assessing Stalin's role, one should remember that he was the person responsible for mass reprisals, that he would stop at nothing and make use of every instrument to attain his goals," said Gorbachev.
"I have read through the archives. The slaughter machine worked not because he didn't know. He would sign death verdicts in large numbers, sending outstanding figures and ordinary people to death," he said.
"There can be no forgiveness. We must remember this," Gorbachev said.
 

Interfax, May 8, 2005