Talk:Eduard Limonov

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Home, maybe you know Limonov only for his political activities, but I suspect that this is because you're interested in fringe politics and not in literature. He's not just a poet; he's also known for a number of novels and memoirs. If you read this article, you'll discover that the literary community thinks of him as a talented Russian writer who unfortunately got involved in fringe politics. I don't know where you're getting "artist" since as far as I know he's just a writer. Isomorphic 22:10, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

Also, a google search revealed nothing to suggest that Limonov is affiliated with the International Third Position. They share similar ideology, but it seems strange to give him a political affiliation he probably wouldn't give himself. Isomorphic 22:14, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

I was thinking of "third position" as far as his political philosophy (ie influence of Strasserism) rather than a formal affilation but I can live without that link. I do think his politics merits mention in the opening though. I understand that many people only know him through his literary reputation and know nothing, or are uninterested, in his politics but there are also many who know him as a political figure and aren't as interested in his literary work (indeed, at this point, he may be better known as a politician than as a poet). As for "artist" I got that from his involvement in the punk/avant garde movement in the 1970s (and mean "artist" in the broader sense ie poets are artists) but again, if author/poet is more precise, so be it. Homey 23:50, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

Sure, he's an artist in the sense that any writer is an artist. But if you say he's a writer and an artist it implies (at least to me) that he does something artistic besides writing. I'm happy with the intro as it now stands. Also, thanks for making it clear that he founded the National Bolsheviks. "Currently leader" didn't do him justice, since he's the only leader they've ever had. Isomorphic 03:47, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

I got the impression that Limonov's artistic activity extends beyond writing but that's just an impression, I thought "artist" was more encompassing than just "writer" or "poet" but you're right about the problems with the phrase "writer and artist". Homey 14:54, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Anti-Semitism

"Delenda est Judea sounds pretty anti-Semitic to me" - I would like to know the source for this citation. At least, I could not find any materials on the Net mentioning it.

On a side note, it might very well be true that Limonov was an anti-Semite. I do not know - I was not particularly interested in him until recently. I do know however that his views changed quite radically from what they were in early 90s, and I have not seen any anti-Semitic sentiments at all in his modern writings. int19h 04:47, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Until just a few weeks ago the National Bolshevik Party of Canada had the slogan "Judea delenda est" (The Jews must be destroyed) on the main page of their yahoogroups site. Homey 06:18, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

This is interesting, and I will certainly look more into it. It should be noted that there was a split in the party not long ago, where part of the "old guard" declared the latest party policy to be too liberal; both groups claim NBP as their name, so it can be hard to tell which is which.
On a side note, AFAIK "Judea" is translated not as "Jews", but rather as, well, "Judea" (as in the country bearing that name), by which I guess they mean Israel - which carries a subtly different connotation (I think that's what some call anti-Zionist rather than anti-Semitic). It is still very strange, though, as NBP has an Israeli division ([http:// nbp.up.to), most members of which are, unsurprisingly, Jewish immigrants from ex-USSR. So either it is left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, or there's more to it than it seems.
int19h 22:57, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
AFAIK "Judea" is translated not as "Jews", but rather as, well, "Judea" (as in the country bearing that name),

As a Latin word being translated into English the phrase's literal meaning is "The Jewish nation must be destroyed".

"by which I guess they mean Israel" then why not say "Israel delenda est"? There's a famous headline from a British paper in the 1930s quoted often by anti-Semites concerning the passage of a resolution calling for a boycott of German goods by a a Jewish congress. The headline reads "Judea declares war on Germany". The name "Judea" has been quite commonly used to refer to the "Jewish people" though it is a bit arcane now it is still quite commonly used in that way by anti-Semites. Homey 01:18, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


"most members of which are, unsurprisingly, Jewish immigrants from ex-USSR."

Actually, quite a number of immigrants to Israel from the ex-USSR are not Jewish or have dubious claims to Jewish heritage- a result of Israel's desperation to find settlers for the West Bank in the 1990s.Homey 01:22, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] recent addition not sourced properly

regarding "In 1995 Limonov was judged by a Russian court of having committed ethnic hate crimes. In his decision"In essence, E. V. Limonov (Savenko) is an advocate of revenge and mass terror, raised to the level of state policy." [1] " there is no source for any judgement against Limonov in 1995. The link is to a 1996 decision at a pretrial hearing, with no conviction (only a recommendation to see if prosecution can happen). If there was a conviction, we should definitely put it in, so please find a real source if possible. Dsol 15:39, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

Do not readd unsourced material, 69.253.195.228. This is official policy: wikipedia:CITE You can play by the rules or be blocked. If he was judged in 1995, don't give us a pretrial hearing document from 1996. Dsol 20:01, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] may be useful

http://web.archive.org/web/20020226000715/www.exile.ru/117/limonov.php when i have time i'll focus some attention on this sorry and onesided article. I would tag it npov now, but I hate when people who are too lazy to edit do that.

[edit] why was he kicked out of the Soviet Union?

That's pretty much my question The Secretary of Funk 05:58, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

According to the legend, he was summoned to the KGB in 1973 and received an offer to become an informer. As he reportedly claims, upon his refusal he was faced with a choice between leaving Moscow and leaving the country, preferring the latter. No idea whether any of this is true. Guinness man 09:48, 14 April 2006 (UTC)
Seems like your standard dissident stuff. Seems kinda odd for a guy who admires Stalin and Beria though. The Secretary of Funk 23:34, 14 April 2006 (UTC)
That does not quite seem like standard dissident stuff to me because I believe in the 70's the privilege of leaving the country was reserved for Solzhenitsyn-caliber figures who, if dealt with in some other way, would have made too much noise. I don't think Limonov was particularly famous or influential at that point in his career, but this is just my impression...
As for his current views, he has publicly expressed support for Chechen separatists during the Beslan massacre, the recent liberal-democratic revolution (sic) and Stalin simultaneously. He seems to be a very confused and/or deranged individual who may need some help. Guinness man 11:10, 15 April 2006 (UTC)

That just goes to show what kinda man he is.A moral heroDzoni 13:24, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

I meant not wanting to become an informer seems like standard dissident stuff. I thought it was odd that someone who likes Stalin wouldn't want to be an informer but I guess it makes about as much sense as the other positions you pointed out. Although I remember reading a piece he wrote for The eXile where he says both Yanyukovich and Yushchenko suck. The Secretary of Funk 04:53, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] What a great man

Serbian people will never forget his support in 1992,when he personaly shot at Sarajevo.Limonov is one of few remaining true greatsDzoni 06:59, 7 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Is he a Christian? Is he bisexual? Where does he stand on Chechnya? What did he think of September 11th?

 a russian is no man, the boy's a pig.

Sorry for so many questions but there is so much contradictory information on this guy out there. I know he has some weird views but some of this just has to be distortions. 1) Is he Christian? He wrote an article in The eXile saying Joan of Arc is one of his heros and here's a picture of him wearing a cross http://ramones.ru/histories/ru/limonov/limo1.jpg 2) Is he bisexual and what is the NBP's stand on gays? This article http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-institutions_government/nazi_russia_3511.jsp says they want to get rid of them but Limonov himself has written about sucking guys dicks 3) That same article says the NBP supports a "final solution" type answer to the war in Chechnya. On the other hand, someone on this page said he expressed support for seperatists during the Beslan massacre. 4) The article from slate says his response to September 11th was "holy shit" but doesn't go beyond that. What was his opinion? Also, in the links there's an article about Islam but it doesn't work anymore. It might have some answers to questions about religion, Chechnya, and September 11th. Does anyone know where there's another copy? The Secretary of Funk 05:11, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

The article (in fact an interview) on Islam can be found at http://eng.nbp-info.ru/435.html.

I can't in all honesty see in Limonov an anti-semite, a homophobe or a racist. I've read a lot of his works, both political and literary - he is actually quite apt at being tolerant. He may be odd, deranged, a 'pervert' and all that, but come on - who's going to cast the first stone at him? He's intelligent, sexually omnivorous and apparently very good at being friends with just about anyone. Of course, there's a world of difference between him personally and the supporters his NazBolshevism attracts. It may well be that splinter groups or NazBol-ists outside of his immediate influence and supervision do actually condone and promulgate racism, antisemitism and homophobia - underpriveleged and underemployed lumpenproletariat is not known for their enlightened views of humanity and historical responsibility. But I would venture to say that Limonov *personally* can give, to use a Russian phrase, a hundred points handicap to the vast majority of his Russian contemporaries when it comes to tolerance.AxmxZ 22:42, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Contributions to the Exile

Please, please, remove this reference, I have a friend who's convinced the Exile articles are actually put together by Limonov - he's put money on it, and while I certainly don't have to hand over anything to him on account of a wikipedia article, it gives him good grounds to withold my winnings.Ticket-tout 20:05, 22 May 2007 (UTC)