A smashing new memorial statue of Sean Russell - Irish nationalist and Nazi collaborator - went up in Fairview Park just over a week ago. Monuments, by their nature, can usually rely on some kind of public support… at least in the times and places they are erected.But so unpopular is the memorial to the IRA man who colluded with fellow nationalist fanatic Hitler (during a war in which Ireland was supposedly neutral), that the last one was repeatedly vandalised by anti fascists, most effectively in December 2004 when its head and saluting arm were detached from it.
Supporters of Russell, including Cumann Uaigheann Na Laochra Gael (The National Graves Association) claim we should not read too much into Russell’s little Nazi adventure - which culminated in him dying of natural causes on a U-Boat on the jaunt home - but it’s hard not to, isn’t it? Especially as Russell was looking for a Nazi-backed “free” Ireland, at a time when Hitler’s intentions towards the world’s Jews, including Irish ones, were well known.
Indeed, The Simon Wiesenthal Centre suggested after the last attack that the remains of the monument be left as a monument to why there should be no monument. “It’s a blot on the history of Ireland, but blots have to see the public light”, a spokesman said. And I can see the logic of that.
But Cumann Uaigh.... The National Graves Association, which looks after the (burial) plots of our numerous patriot dead, will have none of it. They are determined we will have a monument to Russell whether we like it or lump (hammer) it.
So determined, in fact, that the lastest version is made of bronze, on the basis that the durable material should resist attempts to hack bits off it. Not only that, the head actually contains a tracking device, in order to facilitate its recovery should anyone make off with it again. I kid you not! I mean, you could hardly make this up anyway.
Sadly, for supporters of the dubious “republican", all this high-techery (as opposed to high treachery) does not protect Russell’s effigy completely. Last Wednesday it was daubed with various uncomplimentary slogans such as “Nazi Scum” and “Hitler’s Friend”.
But you know, I don’t think Russell would have taken offence at any of that.
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9 comments:
Small correction mate - Russell's arm was hacked of ages ago because right-wingers thought he was giving a communist salute. It was replaced by a new, less saluting arm, totally out of proportion with the rest of the statue ... making Russell look like a deformed cripple. The later beheading then was an anti-fascist action allright.
By the way ... there never was any planning permission for the memorial, so if anybody wanted to do something about it from the landowners point of view ...
The whole Russell-Ryan-episode is still shrouded in mystery and lies, as any quick look into literature will tell you. What you will get is white-wash, some of it mixed with strong self-serving motives. The fall guy for Ireland's nazi past was Francis Stuart - he got off worse than Irishmen actually serving in the SS.
Cheers for that about the arm, Bernd. Yes, I read something something some time ago about two guys who were Ireland's two official SS members (think you had something on it on your blog too).
Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't more Irish involved (or at least second-generation) in the British Freecorps?
Thorny issue, Gombeen Man, mainly due to a lack of consistent documentation: The two Irish SS started off in the BFC, then went into "normal" SS units, all under the guise of false names (which had a very "Norman" ring to them). Another Irishman has supposedly served as a doctor in the SS, no paper trail though ...
But as you say ... I wouldn't be surprised by a lot. Remember that O'Duffy even offered to raise an "Irish Legion". An offer which (afaik) Himmler never even bothered to formally decline.
I suppose even Himmler had standards to maintain, Bernd! ;-)
You argue that Sean Russell dealt with the Nazis when Hitler made it clear what his plan was for the Jews? The Nazis never made it clear what their plan was for the Jews until the Wannsee Conference, in January 1942, and hadn't actually began a mass killing against Jews until the invasion of the Soviet Union six months prior. Russell died 1 year before the killings began, and 18 months before there was a massive effort to eradicate the Jews by the Nazis.
People can oppose Russell for many reasons, including dealing with an aggressive Facsist nation. But to portray him as a willing participant in the Holocaust is just factually incorrect.
It should really have been obvious to anyone with half a brain even before the war that the Nazi's didnt intend to send the Jews to a holiday camp in Poland or anything
Hitler had first made it clear in 1919 that the Jews were "to go", upon becoming Reichskanzler in 1933 he stated in his first official speech that in case of war the "Jewish race in Europe" would be exterminated.
Therefore I disagree with Anonymous ... quarter of a brain should have been enough.
Proper Nazi's deserve proper Nazi monuments....
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss136/seanthegerman/seanthenazi-web.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss136/seanthegerman/seanthenazi-large.jpg
Thanks, Anon. That deserves its own blog entry.
Sean Russell Monument gets Nazi flags
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