Sir, – Pat Wallace, former director of the National Museum of Ireland, claims that his 1930s predecessor Adolf Mahr has been dismissed in an “unhistorical way” in a recent television documentary, and that he made a “major contribution to Ireland” (Letters, May 30th). Mahr was head of the Nazi Party here. One of his contributions to Ireland was launching a Hitler Youth group at his home in Upper Leeson Street. Dr Wallace states that Mahr being a Nazi was a “terrible mistake” and that it “damaged his life and health”. The Nazi Party damaged the life and health of many millions with the second World War and the Holocaust.
It was a disgrace to Ireland that a senior public servant was the chief Nazi in our country. – Yours, etc,
FINTAN SWANTON,
Westport, Co Mayo.