Catherine The Great Goes The Way Of Edward Colston

[ichkeria]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11580433/amp/Ukraine-dismantles-statue-hailed-Russian-empress-Catherine-Great.html

In Odesa.

Found a nice cosy link too :-)

Sad in a way to see any historic monument removed but this is one of many that are understandably being eliminated. The hideous Kyiv statue marking “friendship” between Ukraine and Russia was turn down months ago,
This will be part of Putin’s legacy.

Actually for historical accuracy it might have been more fitting had Catherine been depicted lying on her back, from what we know of her.
And the Russians already pinched the bones of one of her many “friends” Potemkin from Kherson.

[Khandro]

When you tear down statues, always keep the plinth, it will likely come in handy. :0)

[youngmafbog]

I can understand this one, Colston was a different matter. One represents the feeling a whole country has the other a few unwashed lefties.

I am behind the Ukrainian people, but it maybe should be kept in a museum as I am always doubtful of deleting history we are meant to learn from,

[ichkeria]

Ironically this statue was removed in Soviet times and re-erected in 2007.

I’m sure Catherine will find the experience of being mounted again wherever quite a familiar one ;-)

[Khandro]

Catherine wasn't even Russian, she was German - or actually Prussian - the daughter of an impoverished nobleman.

[ichkeria]

Stalin wasn't Russian either.
Not really the point, is it ;-)

[Khandro]

ichi; True, but I wonder if many know they are pulling down a statue of a German :0)

[jno]

do we really need the references to Catherine's alleged sex life? It seems to be only a slur when women (or gays) are referred to. Does anyone suggest portraits of Henry VIII should only show him lying on women?

[naomi24]

^I agree. That serves only to lose the real purpose.

[andy-hughes]

Historians now belive that the famous stories about Catherine's alleged private life are fictional nonsense spread by her enemies to tarnish her reputation.

It's similar to the notion of Napoleon being the 'little Emperor' when in fact he was five foot seven, above average height for men of his time.

[jno]

andy, basically, French inches at the time were bigger than English inches, so getting Napoleon's height wrong was probably a genuine mistake rather than (at least originally) deliberate propaganda.

https://www.history.com/news/napoleon-complex-short

Sorry, I'm digressing a bit. But there's a reason there aren't a lot of statues of Napoleon in Britain.

[Khandro]

ichi; I told my historian-wife that they were tearing down the statue of Catherine the Great in Odessa and she said, "Fools, without Catherine the Great, there wouldn't BE any Odessa".

I didn't pursue it.

[The Builder]

Hope you don't mind the diversion Ich, but this makes me think of a statue in the centre of Exeter. General Redvers Buller on horseback stands just outside Exeter College.

A local chap, he received the VC during the second Boer War.
Exeter City Council showed their embarrassment by suggesting that it should be taken down, as a stand against Imperialism.

We tend not to be too politically sensitive down here, and the students persuaded the Council to leave it alone.
Every now and then the students exercise their democratic rights and mount a large traffic cone on Buller's head.
If the issue is serious enough, the horse gets one too.

I'm sure Ukrainians could be even more inventive should Catherine stay put. ;o)

[ichkeria]

And of course it wouldn’t be Russia if they didn’t make something up along the same lines.

Why would Ukraine have monuments to that (!)
https://www.ukrinform.net/amp/rubric-society/3642366-russian-propaganda-makes-up-installation-and-demolition-of-monument-to-putin-in-zhytomyr.html

[The Builder]

Honestly Ich.
You just can't even get decent propaganda these days.......... ;o)))

[ichkeria]

It’s laughable but it’s primarily intended for consumption at home where many don’t necessarily know any better.
Every day Putin sends 500-700 of his men to their deaths on the front line.
So that’s the respect for humanity that exists in one way or another.

[Khandro]

ichi ; Can you spread any light on the strange 'fatal vertigo' effect afflicting so many Russian oligarchs? It would appear that they all love one another so much that when one falls from a window, the next one feels so bad about it that he throws himself out too even if its his birthday. There has to be an explanation;

'The deadliest threat to Russia’s oligarchs this year? Heights.

At least eight businessmen have died from falls in 2022, variously tumbling down stairs, off boats, over balconies and out of windows.

The latest to succumb to a bout of fatal vertigo is Pavel Antov, a Moscow-born politician and mogul nicknamed Russia’s “sausage king” for founding meat producer Vladimirsky Standart.

Antov was found dead at the Hotel Sai International in Rayagada, India, after apparently falling from a third-floor window.

He was reportedly visiting the hotel to celebrate his 66th birthday. Days earlier, another member of the party, Vladimir Bidenov, was also found dead surrounded by empty wine bottles.

Indian authorities have chalked up Antov’s death to suicide, blaming depression due to the death of his friend Bidenov.

The sheer number of similar deaths involving Russian oligarchs this year is remarkable, so much so that the phenomenon has garnered its own Wikipedia entry: ‘2022 Russian businessmen mystery deaths.’ There are 21 names on the grim list so far - almost two deaths a month.'

[The Builder]

Khandro. I can't remember where I read this but, before Christmas, someone bought a Putin Advent calendar.

With every window you open.......... a Russian falls out.

[ichkeria]

As much a mystery to ne as anyone else khandro.
And it’s going to get worse as Putin is about to commandeer all their money it would seem

[Peter Pedant]

and dont use the word 'defenestration' Ich
it conjures posts away
( I think the crazy deleting mods mistake it for self-abuse in a teenage boy ( you know, THAT!))

No Odessa wivvart Catherine the Great ( OK "Caffrin den" for our essex readers) - yeah but no but
No London without Claudius but we dont go putting up statues to him and then tearing them down do we?

[Khandro]

I've being trying to find an Armstrong & Miller "kill them" sketch, where Ben Miller does a spoof of Putin walking around in silk underpants, but can't find it.