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July 11, 2005
Shivers down my spine
That was my attempt at a lame pun about this story:
MEXICO CITY - One of history's most infamous murder weapons, the icepick police believe was used to kill Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky, has resurfaced just weeks before the 65th anniversary of his assassination.
Tests to authenticate the weapon have been delayed by a dispute between the current owner, who may hope to sell it, and Trotsky's grandson, who wants it for his museum — evidence of the ongoing struggle between socialist ideals and capitalism.
...
Trotsky helped lead the 1917 Russian Revolution, but split with Josef Stalin and fled to Mexico in 1937, accusing Stalin of betraying the revolution. Stalin is widely believed to have arranged Trotsky's Aug. 20, 1940, murder, in which a man sneaked up behind Trotsky and sank the icepick into his skull.
I've always had a morbid fascination with Trotsky's murder. I mean, an ice pick? Dear God! It's such a typically Soviet means of murder: these are the same guys who would later hang Hungarian revolutionaries with coathangers.
However, I was slightly disappointed when I got a look at the murder weapon. It's more of an axe than how I envisioned it. I always thought of it as one of these bad boys. Either way, that's a pretty shitty way to go, eh?
Posted by oz115 at July 11, 2005 02:46 PM