Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870-1924) has been deceased for about 90 years, yet his body appears fresher and rosier than it did on the day he died.
Lenin’s Corpse Looks Increasingly Fresh
This is the assertion of those who are responsible for preserving Lenin’s body. They have developed experimental techniques to maintain the appearance of the revolutionary leader’s corpse.
They state that this technique is the result of nearly a century of research and refinement, creating a scientific method beneficial for medical applications.
Vladimir Lenin may have been dead for 90 years, but his body looks fresher and rosier than on the day he passed away. This photo of his body was taken in 1997.
For many, this is a terrifying and dreadful task. Yet it is the responsibility of a group known as the “Mausoleum Team”, which at its peak included up to 200 scientists working in the laboratory.
According to a detailed report by Jeremy Hsu from the American Institute of Science, Russians prefer to preserve the original shape, weight, color, and flexibility of the corpse rather than biological tissues.
“They have to frequently replace parts like skin and flesh with plastics and other materials,” says Alexei Yurchak, a professor of social anthropology at the University of California. “This is very different from mummification.”
The corpse of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was preserved under Stalin’s policy when he died at age 53 in 1924 and has been kept in Moscow, except for a period during World War II.
Lenin’s body has been displayed in the mausoleum in Red Square in Moscow for over two decades after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
This year, Russian officials closed Red Square, but the public was still able to visit him during the 145th anniversary of Lenin’s birth (April 22), which took place yesterday (April 23 in Vietnam time).
Yurchak noted that scientists often use a mild cleaner to treat the occasional mold that appears on Lenin’s face. The mold on Lenin’s cheek has caused great concern among scientists, as they were unable to remove it.
Each week, they study and examine Lenin’s skin, using devices to measure humidity, color, and contour to check for signs of dehydration. Every two years, Lenin’s body is submerged in a bath containing glycerol and potassium acetate for 30 days—a technique that scientists claim can help preserve the body for centuries.
Lenin successfully led the Russian Revolution in 1917. This photo of him was taken in 1918, six years before his death.
While Lenin’s blood, body fluids, and internal organs have been removed, his eyebrows, mustache, and beard have been preserved. Additionally, a material made of paraffin, glycerin, and carotene has been used to replace most of Lenin’s skin.
Some of these preservation techniques have been applied in medical fields, such as methods that help maintain blood circulation through the kidneys during transplants.
Red Square in Russia
In 2012, Russia made a historic decision to bury the preserved body of this Soviet leader. However, Putin has continuously postponed the decision to bury Lenin, arguing that Lenin remains a symbol for many older Russians.
