It says a huge amount about the confidence of the royal family, that they feel able to respond to their Nazi home movie with nothing other than outrage that anybody should see it. They make no denial they were giving Nazi salutes, no statement that the royal family did not support the Nazis. Of course the young children had no idea of the implications. But the adults most certainly did. The missing figure is the cameraman, future King George, who was filming his wife and brother displaying the family sympathies.
The royal family were of course German themselves – completely so. Since George I every royal marriage in line of succession had been conducted in strict accordance with the Furstenprivatrecht, to a member of a German royal family. The Queen Mother, who was of course not expected to feature in promulgating the line of succession, was the first significant exception in 220 years. She was evidently trying hard to fit in. But I am not sure German-ness has much to do with it. Nazi sympathies were much more common in the aristocracy than generally admitted. Their vast wealth and massive land ownership contrasted with the horrific poverty and malnutrition of the 1930’s, led the aristocracy to fear a very real prospect of being stood against a wall and shot. Fascism appeared to offer social amelioration for the workers with continued privilege for the aristocrats. It is completely untrue that its racism, totalitarianism and violence was unknown in 1933-4. They knew what they were doing.
Happily fascism was defeated. The royal family is of course only the tip of the iceberg of whitewashed fascist support – without even starting on industrialists, newspaper proprietors, the Kennedys, etc. etc. But the Buckingham Palace option of outrage that anybody should ever remember is very sad – still more sad that such a position gets such popular support.
We never did get round to shooting the aristocrats.
I am an optimist in politics. My experience of life has taught me that altruism is a far stronger human urge than selfishness. Modern political fashion is based on the denigration of the urge to cooperation, and I do not believe will survive.
Which leads me to believe we are now living in an embarrassing past. Future generations will look back at the massive and exponentially expanding gap between rich and poor, at the super state security services and near total surveillance, at the violent wars waged in ill-disguised annexation of resources, and be amazed that people could support it. I also think that enormous shame will attach to all those who support the excruciatingly slow genocide of the Palestinians. That will be part of our embarrassing past.
Gaza Beach Bum
Even Galloway felt fit to condemn Assad when he bombed the Palestinian refugee camp at Latakia.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/george-galloway-mp/a-statement-on-the-situation-in-syria-by-george-galloway/195231300540947
And we of corse can see what happened in Yarmouk when Palestinian refugees started to disagree with Assad
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/syria-yarmouk-isis_n_7029632.html
Daniel, “They [the SNP] were advancing the case for separation even when the enemy were at the gates of the channel ports and threatening to invade and occupy us……..” Even if this was true (I don’t really care) – are you seriously suggesting that the SNP of today are Fascist sympathisers? If not, what is the point of bringing this up? Is the Labour party of Tony Blair the same Labour party of Keir Hardie? If I shouldn’t belong to the SNP because of what they may (or may not) have espoused in the distant past, by your logic, I should have continued supporting Labour because of what they were in the 1900’s?
Btw…I wonder if the Sun will now follow this up with a Page 3 topless photo of Her Madge, wearing a black steel SS helmet, brandishing a leather whip and wearing kinky boots?;)
Oh please. This was a total non story. I have photos of my sister and I happily playing cowboys and Indians among the hay bales in fields nearby where we lived in the 1950s – complete with handguns and rifles. Now we are horrified by what we know (and I suspect there is much we still don’t know) of what went on in the Empires of the West as they exterminated native tribes, and are both committed pacifists and socialists. Older friends remember strutting about flinging out one hand while using a finger of the other to mime a Hitler moustache above their upper lips. They weren’t Nazis. What you do as a child in play has no bearing on what an adult believes (assuming you grow up and learn).
Becky Cohen : “in the eyes of my German friend there is no distinction between the nationalists of the BNP or the nationalists of the SNP”
Please tell your German friend that to most SNP voters, there is little distinction between the nationalists of the BNP and the politics of Westminster. We want independence so we can be less like the BNP.
Briar
My post specifically excludes the children and refers solely to the behaviour of George, Edward and Elizabeth (sr.). That makes your trite dismissal irrelevant.
fascism has not been defeated, its alive and well,imho. Still this is a great article because it speaks of those who then supported fascism, who today failed to deny their opposition. That in itself is proof enough that there are backers of fascists alive and well today.
The USUK allies are supporting an Apartheid fascist state in the middle East and its inevitable that their very own judgement is tainted by it.
The Nazi’s only interred Jewish and Roma children, whilst Bibi’s IDF is only targeting Palestinian children, a strange correlation.
fascism is rife all over eastern Europe and its under swell in the CDU/CSU party, you only have to look at the lack of Germany’s Government reactions to Pegida’s support for burning the home of those claiming asyl in Germany. Police is protecting asylum seekers, but they are not prosecuting outright fascists for their actions, and when they do its long drawn out trials, funny that, similar to Britain’s lack of zest to get past high ranking paedophiles to court..
In her letter to Angela Merkel, my names sake on the ultra left side of the spectrum, most likely family over three corners, also forgot to mention the connections between attacks on immigrants and the austerity program of Merkel.
The left in Germany is sitting on the fence.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026982202
Spot on!
“Complete lack of evidence to back the assertion.”
Apart from the official records released by MI5 in 1994.
It was 1933, six years before the start of the war in Britain, the death camps were still in the future and Nationalism was the popular peoples party of the day. Hitler was extremely popular, had a huge cult following based more on his charisma than logic, they called him the “people’s chancellor”. By many the Weimar system and people were seen as morally bankrupt and corrupt, Hitler was portrayed as a new young energetic progressive and radical leader who was a man of the people and would save the people and he was backed by an army of fanatical followers. People wanted to be part of the new movement without even thinking about what it was. He portrayed it as the struggle of the underdog, the common man against the oppression of the government and he had a propaganda machine that made his myth more real than reality.
That was 1933, people then didn’t have the benefit of hindsight, today we do.
Daniel
19 Jul, 2015 – 2:34 am
“Much of the British gentry also held a fondness for Hitler and the Nazis.”
……………………………………………………………….
More recently; Mrs Thatcher just loved the fascist General Pinochet.
GBB
If I am talking rubbish about Assad bombing and starving Palestinians then perhaps you point to where the evidence I provided is a fabrication. All you are demonstrating at present that you have no real interest in the plight of the Palestinians – just that you wish to use them as a political tool against the Israelis.
I recall what, Kaiser Wilhelm II said on hearing that George V was changing the family name, from Saxe Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
He said in a sarcastic manner, “I shall go to the theatre tonight and enjoy the Merry Wives of Saxe Coburg Gotha.”
With regards to the Kennedy’s Joe Kennedy JFK’s father springs to mind, during prohibition in the USA he was known as “Bootlegger Joe” supplying alcohol to the rich and famous.
He tried to have Alexander Pantages of the renowned Pantages theatres framed for rape, Joe Kennedy went on to have an affair with actress Gloria Swanson.
Back to the Royals, here Prince Philip comments on how the Royals found Hitler and his Nazi movement attractive, and also how the Royals had inhibitions about the Jews.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-379036/Prince-Philip-pictured-Nazi-funeral.html
Fred,
in 1933/4 disgusting anti-Semitic literature and speeches were already the stock in trade of Hitler and the Nazis. The brutality was already on the streets. They were already having those massive book burnings, and had already rounded up gays and gypsies.
Of course you will find examples of people who supported Scottish independence who were sympathetic to the Nazis. Just as you will find unionists who were sympathetic to the Nazis. That does not make either you or me a Nazi. But to excuse the Nazi sympathies of the royal family on the basis that Hitler seemed like a nice man, is pathetic.
You are such a prat ResDiss. Historical evidence such as the observational and testimonial statements of UNRWA, that relate at grass roots the blow by blow accounts of fighting in al-Yarmouk refugee camp between the Palestinian jihadist organisation Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis and Nusra Front. The fighting opened a ‘worm-hole’ by which Western backed terrorists could infiltrate the camp where terrorist commanders organise and enact atrocities to old women and innocent children, blaming government soldiers and pro-Assad fighters thus shifting the focus back to one of the primary Western aims – removing Bashar Assad from power.
US/UK bombing has seriously undermined Assad’s command and control as well as destroying his heavy weaponry. Assad’s army is weak and exhausted -consequently Britain and PM poison Cameron want the final garroting of Syria, even preparing a vote (likely to succeed) to legitimise UK air strikes that will finish the job and leave yet another failed state in the Middle East.
http://yalibnan.com/2015/06/20/egyptian-president-be-ready-for-the-fall-of-assad/
Good observation, as it can be seen in evidence, there is still the same irrelevant proposition is being repeated, apparently repetition makes “truth”, these days!
==============
Nevermind, there is an intellectual comfort blanket that most people enjoy burying their heads in; “fascists were defeated”. This is the only rationalization of the massive industrial human cull that took place, killing mostly innocent civilians circa WWII. Fact that the same bunch of political operatives were on both sides duking it out, and the peasants were doing the dying and getting maimed, somehow cannot be faced up to.
As already pointed out, a footballer committing a quenelle in public is made an example of, a comedian who invented the quenelle is censured by court orders, and his fans are left standing outside the theater with their tickets in their hands, are turned away from watching a comic at work. Because quenelle is perceived to be an “inverse nazi salute”!
It no longer is permissible or tolerated to refer to Jews in any negative form, however at the same time, it is quiet permitted, and promoted as acceptable the pejorative treatment of Muslims and all things Islamic. In fact Julius Striecher would be hard pushed to think of the negative headlines depicting the Muslims.
The above are not Fascist conduct at all!!!!! The fact that expansionist policies of a bunch of supremacist lunatics as portrayed in “defense of the realm” is made the official international policy of the USUK that has been successively resulting in destruction of Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Libya, ……… is not a product of “fascists at work”, not at all!!!! Not at all!!!!!
The narrative of good winning over the evil, as reflected in the “fascists were defeated” that has been assiduously set in place has come to bite the backsides of those whom set it up. However, the question is why recourse to such a tried and trusted method as this blunt instrument, at this time?
Becky Cohen
19 Jul, 2015 – 8:36 am
“Believe me, in the eyes of my German friend there is no distinction between the nationalists of the BNP or the nationalists of the SNP…”
……………………………………………………….
Sorry Becky but your post (540 words) is mostly bollocks with a few facts thrown in to deceive the unwary.
According to papers released by MI5, which led raids against many Scottish nationalists, “subversive literature” and a “large cache of weapons” were found in Donaldson’s house.
The allegations in the MI5 files, which were first released in 1994 after Donaldson’s death, were absolutely denied by his widow, Violet Donaldson, and by the surviving leaders of the SNP at the time.
Arthur Donaldson was never charged, and no evidence for the MI5 allegations has ever been produced.
The lying cowards at Whitehall waited till Mr Donaldson died, so he couldn’t defend himself against allegations, without any foundation.
Is it any wonder then that Ireland broke free.
“in 1933/4 disgusting anti-Semitic literature and speeches were already the stock in trade of Hitler and the Nazis. The brutality was already on the streets. They were already having those massive book burnings, and had already rounded up gays and gypsies.”
Oh yes, the signs were all there but people were so caught up in the momentum of the cult they chose to ignore them, cognitive dissonance and denial stepped in and in March 1933 44% of the electorate voted for Hitler.
> We never did get round to shooting the aristocrats.
Indeed, that’s an interesting solution – perhaps we could call it a
“final solution”! – for the problems of the working class that Mr
Murray discusses.
True, it’s been tried before and there were a few unfortunate side
effects – famines, deportations, mass executions, etc – but on
the other hand, there’s a home movie that we can get self-righteous
about, so let’s remember what’s important here.
Resident Dissident
19 Jul, 2015 – 8:36 am
“Perhaps all those salivating over Galloway should remember that he was not above “saluting the indefatigability” of a fascist or being paid to appear on Al Mayadeen a tv channel that is constantly supportive of that other fascist Assad and is probably funded by him.”
……………………………………………………………
Didn’t Her Majesty entertain Assad at Buckingham Palace in 2002?
He also had tea and biscuits with Prince Charles.
……………………………………………………………………
Your last sentence ResDis:
“It should also be remembered that Oswald Mosley like Galloway also dabbled in left wing politics.”
Is what an intelligent person would recognise as a non-sequitur but you seem to like using them.
You are such a prat ResDiss.
Better a prat than a sycophant who swallows the propaganda of Assad whole and without demur.
Scorgie
It is not a non sequitur just a reminder that some fascists were involved in left wing politics before they turned to supporting fascist. I didn’t say that they all did.
Mr Scorgie
“Sorry Becky but your post (540 words) is mostly bollocks with a few facts thrown in to deceive the unwary.”
__________________
Well, that may be your opinion, Doug, but would you like to flesh out your accusation of “bollocks” a little? For our edification, you understand, and to show us you’re being serious.
While you’re at it, you might also usefully tell us the objective of the alleged “deceit” and whom you mean by “the unwary”.
Thanks in advance, Doug.
Mr Scorgie
Apologies, but I should have added “take your time” and no need to reply immediately because I shall be absent for most of the afternoon: some beach football and beach volley beckon, I’m happy to say!
Resident Dissident
19 Jul, 2015 – 8:40 am
“I should also point out that Assad has made no small contribution to the “excruciatingly slow genocide of the Palestinians” in recent years as a result of his attacks and sieges of Palestinian refugee camps.”
……………………………………………………………………………..
Completely out of context and factually nonsensical if I may say so.
I will ask though why are there Palestinian refugees in Syria and other nearby countries?
Could it be the actions of The Jewish State ResDis?
The Telegraph, have the knives out for Mr Corbyn, no surprise there then.
Jeremy Corbyn, friend to Hamas, Iran and extremists.
If Jeremy Corbyn wins, Labour will be in the extraordinary position of having a leader with among the most extensive links in Parliament to terrorists.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11749043/Andrew-Gilligan-Jeremy-Corbyn-friend-to-Hamas-Iran-and-extremists.html
“It is not a non sequitur just a reminder that some fascists were involved in left wing politics before they turned to supporting fascist. I didn’t say that they all did.”
Hugh MacDiarmid being the classic example.
The spiv in No 10 promises to get even tougher. Much more than just sending down Paveways is promised.
Notice it is HIS parliament.
”Standard practice’
Speaking about the UK’s possible role in fighting the group, Mr Cameron told NBC: “I want Britain to do more. I’ll always have to take my parliament with me.
“We’re talking and discussing at the moment, including with the opposition parties in Britain, what more we can do. But be in no doubt, we’re committed to working with you to destroy the caliphate in both countries.”‘
UK will help destroy Islamic State, David Cameron tells US
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33584548
His stooge Gen Richards was on Marr earlier to back him up.
See Milord’s Register of Interests. Even the King of Bahrain is a client.
‘Register of Interests
1: Directorships
Chairman and Director, Palliser Associates Ltd (provision of strategic advice to governments and companies) (the company is 100% owned by the Member and his wife – see category 4(a); personal clients are: Ondra Partners (whose business is financial advice); Vitol Group (whose business is energy provision); International Institute for Strategic Studies; the King and Government of Bahrain; the King and Government of Jordan; Government of UAE/Royal Ruby Group; Huntsworth plc (international PR and communications company); Apache Asia (traditional merchant bank with offices in Hong Kong and Singapore); Portfolio Consulting and Advisory Company LLC (an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management LP; USA); CQS (global asset management); income from employment listed in category 2 is also paid to Palliser Associates Ltd).’
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-richards-of-herstmonceux/4317
A well feathered nest.
Resident Dissident.
You excel in absurdity. Galloway does NOT support Assad.