9‑metre Lenin statue relocated to Oostwold for Zummerbühne theater set

A nine‑metre, 17‑ton bronze statue of Vladimir Lenin was moved from the industrial estate in Tjuchem to a temporary location in Oostwold, Oldambt, in the Netherlands. The relocation was carried out by low‑loader truck and heavy crane over several hours to serve as set décor for the music‑theatre production De Graanrepubliek by the Zummerbühne troupe.

The statue, originally displayed in Merseburg, East Germany, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, was stored at a former Soviet air‑force base before being bought in 1997 by Groningen entrepreneur Henk Koop. Organisers stress that the placement is not a political statement but a historical backdrop for a play about 19th‑century class conflict in East Groningen. Theatre director Peter Funcke and heritage‑project leader Henriëtte Davelaar emphasised its role in sparking discussion about the region’s past rather than promoting communism. After the performances, the statue will become part of a new heritage centre on local communist history.