Posted on 12/09/2010 2:43:13 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
A plaque commemorate Kim Philby, the British double agent, has been unveiled by Russia's spy agency, with a sculptural relief inspired by the two-faced Roman god, Janus.
The memorial was unveiled at the headquarters of the Foreign Intelligence Service in central Moscow by the agency's director, Mikhail Fradkov.
It features a quotation from Philby: "I look back at the life I led as given to the service of a cause that I sincerely and passionately believe is right."
The bronze sculpture depicts two portraits of the Cambridge-educated diplomat, hinting at his double life.
Alexei Tikhonov, the architect who helped design the memorial, said the memorial showed Philby as Janus, who as the Roman god of gates, doorways and time was portrayed with one head looking to the past and the other to the future.
"It was quite a controversial decision – we were very afraid about how professionals would react to it," he said.
The ceremony was attended by Philby's widow, Rufina Pukhova-Philby.
In a statement, the intelligence service described Philby as a "legendary agent and anti-Fascist, who made a vast contribution to protecting the security of our country."
Born in British India, Philby is believed to have cost the lives of hundreds of Western spies in Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe after revealing their identities to his Moscow handlers.
He was finally unmasked in 1963 as one of the so-called Cambridge Five spy ring and defected to Moscow.
He was given a modest salary by the KGB but wrestled with alcoholism and depression before his death in 1988.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Put it next to the one honoring Julius and Ethyl Rosenberg.
The usual vicious homosexual communist traitor.
God knows we have lots of them in the US.
They are all burning in hell now. Good place for them. Right next to the dead Muzzies who were shocked to find out they didnt wake up in heaven.
We should build a memorial for Herbert Philbrick.
According to a Wikipedia article about Philby, his post-defection years in Russia were...well, less than glamorous. He took to drnking heavily and experienced many bouts of depression.
To that, I say “GOOD!”.
He was a true believer ‘til the end. If he had become disillusioned about Soviet-style Communism, the alcohol amazingly suppressed his urge to speak up. That and the fear that the few small perks he had could be taken away if he spoke up kept him silent.
For all the damage he caused, he can burn in hell for all I care.
A really detailed story of Philby and the Cambridge spies is yet to be written. It would be quite a challenge for a historian of the 20th century.
A maybe not quite a safe topic to research - even now.
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