Preserving the Cold War in Sunny California

We are looking for a museum of Cold War history that has a collection of everything from East German blueprints to Soviet artwork.

Why Some Russians Miss the Soviet Kommunalka

The Kommunalka was a Soviet experiment in communal living. Entire families were forced to live in a single room, nevertheless some have surprisingly fond memories of the experience.

Statue graveyard in Moscow

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Right across the street from one of Russia’s most famous landmarks, Gorky Park, lies a grassy area full of statues of former Soviet leaders. The monuments were at one time scattered throughout Moscow, but after the fall of Communism, many were torn down. Now, they’re propped up again for all to see without explanations of their crimes. Jessica Golloher has the details from Moscow. Download MP3

Slideshow: Graveyard of Soviet statues

Moscow’s crumbling Soviet architecture

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Russia has seen a dramatic surge in new construction in recent years, especially in cities like Moscow. But Jessica Golloher reports that some Muscovites worry that historically significant buildings are being sacrificed in the name of progress. Download MP3(Photo: Jessica Golloher)

• Photo gallery: Moscow’s dilapidated Narkomfin building
• The BBC’s James Rodgers visited Narkomfin in 2008

Finding the right words

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Sergei Mikhalkov, the Russian who wrote the words of the Soviet and Russian national anthems, has died at the age of 96. He first wrote the lyrics for the anthem when Stalin was Soviet leader, but later rewrote them to omit references to him. Mikhalkov also wrote the words for the current Russian anthem adopted in 2001. Alex Gallafent took a look at the troubled anthem. >>> BBC coverage

A poet’s songs honor two Russias

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After the death of a prominent Russian poet, The World’s Alex Gallafent reports on the changing shape of Russia’s national anthem.