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This mnemonic was sent to me by a reader called Riva, who wrote that it had helped her to remember the different aspects of destalinisation, and hoped it would help other students do the same.

Thank you, Riva.

 

 

Describe the key features of Khrushchev's policy of destalinistion

A de-Stalinisation Mnemonic

 

De stroyed the cult of Stalin and the perception that he was a legend starting with the secret speech of 25 February 1956

S talin’s statues and portraits were removed from public places

T he secret police were given less power

A bolition of the death penalty

L aws of censorship were relaxed so there was more freedom in the media and the arts

I ncreased freedom was given to writers and artists

N o elimination of his rivals, as Stalin had done, they were just given unimportant jobs instead

I ndication of a less brutal control of the party

S talingrad was renamed to Volvograd

A lso erased Stalin from history by taking his body from the Red Square where it was buried and buried it in a grave alongside the walls of the Kremlin with other Soviet leaders.

T housands of political prisoners were released from Gulags which were closed.

I mproved Khrushchev’s image – portraying him as good and Stalin as bad and disassociated himself from Stalin’s crimes even though he had been responsible for thousands of deaths himself

O ther places and buildings named after Stalin were renamed

N evertheless, the basic elements of the Soviet system, including the dominance of the Communist Party, remained intact

 

    


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