La Pasionaria - a Spanish connection

La Pasioniara” (“The Passion Flower”) sculpture by Dan Dooley (http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/) La Pasioniara was Dolores Ibárruri, a Spanish Republican politician, communist, and prominent anti-fascist propagandist during the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. 
Her phrase "Better to Die on your feet than live forever on your knees" is carved on the plaque. La Pasionaria served as inspiration for sculptor Arthur Dooley in 1974, when various trade unions and Labour movement supporters funded the memorial. It is a memorial to British citizens who served in the brigades during the war.


Photo: J. Wilson

On the plinth it says: "2,100 VOLUNTEERS WENT FROM BRITAIN; 534 WERE KILLED, 65 OF WHOM CAME FROM GLASGOW". 
These volunteers from across Europe went to Spain to join the brigades and help in the fight against a fascist insurgency, all sadly in vain as the fascists rose to power under the leadership of Francisco Franco.
An interesting blog about some of this social and political history in Glasgow: http://glasgowpunter.blogspot.com/2014/10/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Necropolis memorials to French and German figures from Glasgow industrial history

Image
The Glasgow Necropolis is a fascinating location and there is a huge amount of historical information that has been gathered and can be found on this website:  https://www.glasgownecropolis.org/ Three particular people we have highlighted here are the German Henry Dübs , the F renchman  Pierre  Jacques Papillon  and Professor Coats, who did some training in Wurzburg. All highlight the importance of European links in Glasgow's heritage. _____________________ Henry Dübs  At the Necropolis you can find a Memorial to Henry Dübs (1816 – 24 April 1876), a 19th century German-born engineer who worked in Glasgow. He was Works Manager and Company partner at Neilson and Company in Springburn, who built this locomotive for Finland : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_D%C3%BCbs . This exquisite technical drawing from Neilson & Company from the Science Museum collection: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110094432/drawing-of-5-0-gauge-6-wheel...
Read more

Customs House

Image
Photo thanks to B.Porr Opened in 1840 and designed by an Irish born customs offical John Taylor, who worked for the customs. Still to be expanded and photograph needed!
Read more

Jenny Lind and Rouken Glen Park

Image
The area known as Jenny Lind in the South of Glasgow seems a strange place and way to commemorate the famous 19th-century Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind (1820-1887), known as the Swedish Nightingale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Lind) . It would seem that at some point she had put up in an inn (or farmhouse) in the area which changed its name in honour of the occasion. See https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/17330363.jenny-lind-glasgow-area-named-greatest-showman-star/ .  The area is part of the Stirling Maxwell estate, so one cannot help wondering if there is some link between this great artist and the wealthy family, as there was for Chopin. Jenny Lind’s presence on the Glasgow cultural scene, however, is better documented. The following advertisement is found in the  Glasgow Herald  on 29 September 1848 (alongside reports of Chopin’s visits, and concern regarding political developments in France). THEATRE ROYAL - JENNY LIND THE REMAINING TICKETS for the T...
Read more