Botched Bryansk Statue

Nov. 9, 2010

A new monument to science pioneers unveiled in Bryansk turned out to be an embarrassment after it got the names of two prominent scientists wrong, the local news web site Nashbryansk.ru reported Monday.

The monument listed Albert Einstein as “Enstein” and gave the first name of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the founding father of Russia’s space exploration industry, as “Eduard,” apparently mixing it with his patronymic, “Eduardovich.” Only a plaster copy of the monument, which will be installed at the new Alleya Kosmonavtov (Astronaut Alley), was presented at Friday’s unveiling ceremony, said the report, which did not provide the names of the sculptors. Local authorities pledged to have mistakes corrected in the bronze version of the monument and install it Nov. 17.

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