Posted on 09/12/2019 2:34:30 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
A district assembly in Prague voted on Thursday to remove a statue of a Soviet World War Two marshal and replace it with a more general memorial following a row that has drawn in the Czech president and Russian authorities.
The statue of Marshal Ivan Konev, who led the Red Army forces that liberated most of Czechoslovakia and entered Prague on May 9, 1945, was erected in 1980. It has been the subject of controversy since the 1989 fall of communism because of Konev’s later endeavors, which included a leading role in crushing the 1956 Hungarian uprising as well as building the Berlin Wall in 1961. Czech historians say he was involved in Russian reconnaissance efforts ahead of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Russia has disputed his involvement.
The statue has been repeatedly defaced with red and pink paint in recent years, leading the Prague 6 district leadership to cover it up with tarp last month and consider its removal.That sparked anger among pro-Russian activists who repeatedly tore down the tarp covering the statue. The Russian embassy also protested, saying covering the statue was a desecration of the memory of fallen Red Army soldiers.
“We consider the decision today... on the transfer of the monument to Marshal I.S Konev to be egregious,” the Russian embassy in Prague said in a statement after Thursday’s vote...“We hope that despite today’s decision of the local authorities the monument of I.S. Konev will remain in its historical place,” the embassy said.
The mayor of Prague 6, Ondrej Kolar, had been given police protection after anonymous death threats.
Russia’s culture minister likened Kolar to a Nazi party official over the issue, according to Russia’s TASS agency.
Soviet-era war monuments have caused a stir in other places in eastern Europe.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
> Yup,the Soviets were in Poland as liberators. Just ask them,they’ll tell you! <
I guess it’s all relative. If I were a Polish parent in 1945, I’d sure want my kids to live under Soviet rule instead of Nazi rule.
I guess it’s like being poked in one eye instead of two.
I’m now using an IPad. And I can’t figure out how to post pictures. Anyhow, there is a really nice statue of Ronald Reagan in downtown Budapest. Flowers are often left at the foot of the statue. I wish I could post a picture of it here.
As you said, the Hungarians got it right.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ronald-reagan-statue-in-budapest
The red army entered Prague after Slavs mainly Ukrainians dressed in German uniforms known as Vasoff’s army paid by the Nazis who were fighting communists kicked the SS out of Prague and surrendered it to a Czech delegation who then turned them over to the advancing Russian Communist army
“The Confederates were literally traitors to their country.”
Whatever.
“Konev wasn’t a traitor.”
Nope. Just a willing agent of a government that murdered 25-30 million of its own citizens. That makes him much better.
Right?
L
> Slavs mainly Ukrainians dressed in German uniforms known as Vasoff’s army paid by the Nazis who were fighting communists kicked the SS out of Prague and surrendered it to a Czech delegation <
Vlasov’s army and the Germans were good buddies until it was obvious that the Germans had lost the war. Only then did Vlasov turn on the SS. So I don’t see him as much of a hero. Your mileage may differ.
Any of America’s large cities would like to have it, some would like to put it where they removed Confederate statues, New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville for example.
A wee bit different than the American white-washing and erasing of history.
The Soviet overlords were despised in Prague! The Czechs are wonderful allies of ours, same as the Poles!
When you erase history, you don’t get it back. It doesn’t matter how great your allies are or how noble their intent. That tactile reminder of history- regardless of the reasons established is lost for reflection and review.
Then your successive generations get to learn bitter lessons all over again.
On a related note...just to put things into perspective: in a book titled "Stasi",Simon Weisenthal...the famous Nazi Hunter and concentration camp survivor...is quoted as saying that in his opinion the Stasi was worse than the Gestapo.
Think about it.
The Czechs were invaded by the Soviets. Their history was thrown out. Their Christianity was thrown out. Their people who were against Communism and Stalin disappeared. All private property was stolen by the government. Why the hell they even had a Commie Fcks statue up this long is a mystery to me. Would you be talking this way about Hitler statues and photographs put up in synagogues?
Europe is chock full of Nazi reminders of their brutality, including the Czech Republic and Poland. Thats a good thing. None of them are in synagogues either, to my knowledge.
Regardless, Konev was NOT a liberator.
Are you sure Confederates didn’t kill anyone?
I personally don’t care what these dimwits do with the monuments.
It is their circus but there was a book written about it.
“Are you sure Confederates didn’t kill anyone?”
Where did I say they didn’t?
“I personally don’t care what these dimwits do with the monuments.”
Yet you felt compelled to comment anyway.
L
I don’t get the sense of your post at #24.
Do you suggest Confederate monuments to be removed too?
I guess your response would be that you didn’t say it.
“I don’t get the sense of your post at #24.”
Obviously.
“Do you suggest Confederate monuments to be removed too?”
No.
L
LOL, how do you think Charlemagne civilized the dark ages?
The statue of Marshal Ivan Konev is not a reminder of Russian brutality, but a statue glorifying Konev.
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