Who’s the greatest Russian ever?
Published 24 September, 2008, 22:52
Russians are choosing their best countrymen: tsars, poets and controversial figures made it to the list of a project called “Name of Russia”, similar to the UK TV programme «100 Greatest Britons». Twelve finalists have already been named, but choosing number one has turned out to be a tricky job.
The most challenging task in the whole project was, probably, protecting the site where the ‘national vote’ has been carried out from hacker attacks. Millions voted online this summer, but when Joseph Stalin, the notorious Soviet leader and tyrant, topped the ratings, it turned out the site was attacked.
The Echo Moscow radio station also questioned some of the results. It conducted a similar telephone survey among listeners, and its results were quite different.
Aleksey Venediktov, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Echo Moscow’ radio, said that the problem is that most active and aggressive internet users are extremists and anarchists.
“They used the option that one could click many times to vote. Our listeners named poet Aleksandr Pushkin and scientist Mikhail Lomonosov”.
After their site was attacked by hackers, the Name of Russia had to begin the poll again, with voting closely monitored. Stalin still managed to get on the final list, but this time only at number 12.
“Name of Russia” offered 500 of the country’s most famous people to choose from. Similar shows have been a success in more than a dozen other countries.
Organisers of the Russian version say their goal is not only to entertain and get good show ratings. Producer of “Name of Russia”, Aleksandr Lyubimov noted that they want to compete with light entertainment shows in prime time and to convince the audience that history should be interesting.
Starting in October Name of Russia will go prime time, each programme devoted to one candidate. Those who want to make their choice, have until December. Meanwhile, they can brush up on their history.
The twelve famous Russians that top the list:
1. Prince Aleksandr Nevsky
2. Aleksandr Pushkin, poet
3. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, writer
4. Peter the Great, tsar
5. Vladimir Lenin
6. Aleksandr Suvorov, army commander
7. Catherine the Great, tsarina
8. Ivan the Terrible, tsar
9. Pyotr Stolypin, tsarist Russia minister, reformer
10.Aleksandr II, tsar
11.Dmitry Mendeleev, scientist
12.Joseph Stalin, Soviet leader
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