Komar & Melamid
KOMAR & MELAMID (born in Moscow, USSR, 1943 and 1945; live and work in New York City)
"They Were Our Enemies, But They Could Fight"
1999
Color laser copies and magazine rack
38 3/4 x 28 1/2 x 2 1/4"
Courtesy of Komar & Melamid's Studio
Statement
"To grave number 7!" proclaimed the gray-haired general. The shot glass with vodka quavered in his hand. Several elegant military officers stood up and downed their shots. "What is this grave number 7?" we asked our friend, the general's daughter, who was sitting at our table. "Oh, that's Hitler's grave. Father says that Hitler was our enemy, but the Wehrmacht could fight! Only a small circle of people know," she told us,"that Hitler is buried in Moscow. At the inner cemetery at Butyrka Prison. When they found his remains, Stalin ordered an autopsy in Moscow. The specialists determined that yes, this was Hitler. After that, Stalin visited the morgue, stood for several minutes gazing at the corpse, and left without saying a word. Everyone was afraid to ask what to do with the body. Finally, the head of the prison decided that he had to act according to the instructions given for any ordinary body that turned up in this morgue. The body was cremated, and the urn with ashes was buried under the next number in line, which turned out to be number 7. My father has a collection, you know, of Nazi medals and memorabilia. Now, why don't you ask me to dance?"