The lions commemorated Irina Farion. She accused Poland of business and quoted Hitler

Zdjęcie: Lwów upamiętnił Irynę Farion. Oskarżała Polskę o okupację i cytowała Hitlera

The Lviv authorities unveiled a memorial space dedicated to Iryna Farion, a extremist nationalist and linguist shot dead in 2024. The character who accused Poland of business in his life and reached for quotes from Adolf Hitler again becomes the origin of the dispute over Ukrainian memory policy.

Installation at Masaryka Street

The memorial stood at Masaryka Street, close where Farion was fatally shot in July 2024. The central component is simply a copper stela with slogans referring to language, freedom, nation and strength, and next to it a stone with 20 of its quotations. Mer Lwowa Andry Sadowy stressed that it was not a classical monument, where erstwhile a year flowers are composed, but a surviving component of the urban public space, present in everyday life of the inhabitants. It's a conscious decision to put the character of an activist in the city permanently.

Who was Iryna Farion

Farion was a linguist and 1 of the most recognizable faces of Ukrainian extremist nationalism, related to the organization of Swoboda and having a past seat in the ultimate Council. She made the defence of Ukrainian language the axis of her activities, attacking Russian-speaking compatriots, including soldiers defending the country. This uncompromisingness caused her both supporters and many critics who accused her of breaking the unity of the nation during the war.

Shadow of anti-Polish statements

For the Polish reader, another dimension of its activity is crucial. Farion repeatedly made statements against Poland, accusing her of occupying Ukrainian lands and Lviv. She besides argued publically with president Andrzej Duda. The most far-reaching charge is the recalling of Adolf Hitler's words by her, which for Polish historical memory is an insurmountable limit. It is hard to find a individual who would embody the most conflicting current of Polish-Ukrainian relations.

Tough signal for Warsaw

The authoritative commemoration of specified an activist by the authorities of a large Ukrainian city is not a substance of indifference. Ukraine remains a partner and a neighbour, to whom Poland truly helps, but the choices concerning memory have their pronunciation. Taking to the pedestal a figure associated with anti-Polish rhetoric and the flag state of nationalism sends a signal to Warsaw hard to reconcile with the language of the alliance. It is besides a reminder that the dispute over memory in the east can be easy warmed up and readily utilized by the 3rd party, for which the discrimination between Warsaw and Kiev is simply a real goal.

Source: WP News