It’s So True!

I’ve known Sasha since I lived in Yoshkar-Ola.  His observation is a bit crude (and I’ve written to him to suggest he tone back his rhetoric a bit) but it’s very true.  For some reason when American’s think of the capital of the oppressive Soviet regime they think it was all Russians (It was not, it was lots of different nationalities oppressing many and one of the saddest things in history) and for some strange reason they picture Saint Basil’s Cathedral (The real name is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin of the Moat, nicknamed St Basil’s after St Basil the Blessed) as the Kremlin.

Since you’re probably here to learn Russian rather than read me babbling let’s check out some words!

Кремль/Kremlin:

If you look in the dictionary it will probably say something obscure like Citadel.  (Nice word Citadel but not super descriptive of what we’re dealing with especially in modern vernacular).  After living in America for all these years I think I have a better way to describe a Kremlin.

Firstly there is not only one Kremlin.  The word Кремль is not unique to Russian and would I suppose best be translated as fortress.  All of them are a LOT like ‘forts’ I see in America; A small town usually serving as both a capital and a shelter in the event of war. This town was surrounded by walls of either wood or brick, with towers.  Near where I live there are several American ‘forts’ which were used in the American Revolution and previous wars.  These are extremely similar though the Kremlins I’ve seen in Russia are usually triangular and the forts in America I’ve seen are usually some sort of star shape.  I don’t know a lot about military defense but I know a Kremlin when I see one.

Bottom line: next time you hear Kremlin don’t start thinking of a city state like the Vatican; think about a defensive fort, usually an outpost, and remember the triangular Kremlin in Moscow was essentially 60% of Moscow when it was used.  Yes Moscow used to be relatively small before it became the massive city that is as big as some American States!

Tvoi Uchitel,

Lyudmila Green