Poland mothballs communist-era monuments

LEGNICA, Apr 30 (AFP): For nearly 70 years, an imposing monument to Soviet Red Army soldiers dominated a central square in the southwestern Polish town of Legnica.

Known as Little Moscow, Legnica hosted the largest Soviet military base in Poland during the Cold War.

But one day recently, in the early hours, the classic example of Stalinist-era propaganda was hauled away to a warehouse to be mothballed with dozens of other monuments under a new de-communisation law. According to town spokesman, Legnica acted in order to qualify for a state refund of the removal costs, which had included hiring a crane.