OPEN INVITE
FEBRUARY 4-11th 2025
The Yalta Memorial Garden
Cromwell Road
London SW 7
At the conclusion of WW2 the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom gathered to discuss the future of the liberated continent of Europe.
Stalin refused to leave the USSR territories. The venue was agreed to be the Livadia Palace overlooking The Black Sea. This former summer residence of Russian Tsars was being made habitable after being stripped of its contents even down to the door handles and plumbing.
American President Roosevelt was suffering debilitating health and in terminal heart failure. Winston Churchill himself was not without exhaustion and still had the war in the Far East to resolve. First Secretary Stalin was buoyant after the Russian Military successes to defeat Hitler. After five years of bombing and occupation many national borders were unsecured. Millions of displaced people were stranded and stateless.
Roosevelt and Churchill travelled independently across the Mediterranean Sea by boat via Malta. They, with their entourage then drove in convoy across The Ukraine to reach the Livadia Place.
Stalin’s train and entourage of negotiators arrived with ample provisions of vodka, caviar and pickled foods. His Military Attachés carried maps of the liberated Europe.
Stalin’s victorious army was still in situ in the many countries they had liberated. Diplomatic talks over the altered map of Europe was the main task. All provisions for the visitors were gathered from wherever they could be sourced. Reciprocal dinners sometimes overwhelmed the guests with the vodka, caviar and unfamiliar delicacies.
All three leader’s wanted the peace secured. Churchill was anxious and may have been hoping for Stalin’s support with the Far East issues. Stalin was determined and wily as he perfunctorily offered free elections. Irrespective of displaced person’s wishes President Roosevelt signed the Repatriation Agreement to return all displaced persons of Russia and other East European countries back to the USSR.
The leaders parted and returned to their respective capitals to report on the meeting.
President Roosevelt died shortly after returning to the USA.
Before long the haunting words of Churchill echoed:
‘From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron
curtain has descended across the Continent ‘
A small London green space in the heart of London known as the Yalta Memorial Garden is home to a dramatic and harrowing sculpture.
“ This memorial was placed here by members of all parties in both Houses of Parliament and by many other sympathisers in memory of the countless innocent men, women and children from the Soviet Union and other East European States who were imprisoned and died at the hands of communist governments after being repatriated at the conclusion of the Second World War “.
The first Memorial in 1982 by the renowned sculptor Angela Conner was repeatedly vandalised and finally cut in two with a stone saw, Destroyed by those to whom the truth was intolerable in 1986 Angela Conner created ‘ Twelve Responses to Tragedy’ It was erected in the summer of 1986 on the same spot as the first Memorial.
The time is again poignant to visit this important Monument on the 80th Anniversary of The Yalta Conference and lay our tributes to acknowledge that freedom was hard won and our freedom was not free.
FEBRUARY 4-11th 2025
The Yalta Memorial Garden
Cromwell Road
London SW 7
At the conclusion of WW2 the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom gathered to discuss the future of the liberated continent of Europe.
Stalin refused to leave the USSR territories. The venue was agreed to be the Livadia Palace overlooking The Black Sea. This former summer residence of Russian Tsars was being made habitable after being stripped of its contents even down to the door handles and plumbing.
American President Roosevelt was suffering debilitating health and in terminal heart failure. Winston Churchill himself was not without exhaustion and still had the war in the Far East to resolve. First Secretary Stalin was buoyant after the Russian Military successes to defeat Hitler. After five years of bombing and occupation many national borders were unsecured. Millions of displaced people were stranded and stateless.
Roosevelt and Churchill travelled independently across the Mediterranean Sea by boat via Malta. They, with their entourage then drove in convoy across The Ukraine to reach the Livadia Place.
Stalin’s train and entourage of negotiators arrived with ample provisions of vodka, caviar and pickled foods. His Military Attachés carried maps of the liberated Europe.
Stalin’s victorious army was still in situ in the many countries they had liberated. Diplomatic talks over the altered map of Europe was the main task. All provisions for the visitors were gathered from wherever they could be sourced. Reciprocal dinners sometimes overwhelmed the guests with the vodka, caviar and unfamiliar delicacies.
All three leader’s wanted the peace secured. Churchill was anxious and may have been hoping for Stalin’s support with the Far East issues. Stalin was determined and wily as he perfunctorily offered free elections. Irrespective of displaced person’s wishes President Roosevelt signed the Repatriation Agreement to return all displaced persons of Russia and other East European countries back to the USSR.
The leaders parted and returned to their respective capitals to report on the meeting.
President Roosevelt died shortly after returning to the USA.
Before long the haunting words of Churchill echoed:
‘From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron
curtain has descended across the Continent ‘
A small London green space in the heart of London known as the Yalta Memorial Garden is home to a dramatic and harrowing sculpture.
“ This memorial was placed here by members of all parties in both Houses of Parliament and by many other sympathisers in memory of the countless innocent men, women and children from the Soviet Union and other East European States who were imprisoned and died at the hands of communist governments after being repatriated at the conclusion of the Second World War “.
The first Memorial in 1982 by the renowned sculptor Angela Conner was repeatedly vandalised and finally cut in two with a stone saw, Destroyed by those to whom the truth was intolerable in 1986 Angela Conner created ‘ Twelve Responses to Tragedy’ It was erected in the summer of 1986 on the same spot as the first Memorial.
The time is again poignant to visit this important Monument on the 80th Anniversary of The Yalta Conference and lay our tributes to acknowledge that freedom was hard won and our freedom was not free.
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