Translation of original Arabic material about Antoine Saadeh, founder of the SSNP (Syrian Social National Party, Hizb Al Qaumi Al Suri Al Ijtima'i). Saadeh Advocated the Creation of a Greater Syria as a supra nationality ideology, thus trying to circumvent the issue of religion (Islam) in a Greater Syria.
Antoine (Antun in modern Lebanese colloquial) Saadeh was the founder of the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP) in the 1930's in Lebanon, which advocated the creation of a Greater Syria. For him, the newly established Republic of Lebanon was an anathema, the creation of the French mandatory power, through the direct complicity of the Maronite Patriarchate. Saadeh, himself a Christian (although not a Maronite) never looked into the issue from a pure religious perspective. He was more interested in the ideological and geopolitical framework of the Greater Syria he advocated as a complete entity. Saadeh was condemned by a military court and shot to death in 1949.
Even with a cursory Look at the events that are unfolding in Lebanon today, one can see how right Saadeh was in his analysis of the situation in the 1930's and 1940's. The endemic problems that he feared at the time still exist today and a permanent solution for the Lebanese problem is yet to be found. Tuff luck!
This translations represents some reminisces about him through the eyes of some of his friends and relatives. This translation is one of several that I have been doing over the last months with the intention of later joining them together under a single volume. I hope that its on-line publishing and the comments I might get from the several installments will help me in my editing of the final product.
MARCH 1, 1949, OR THE LAST FAREWELL SPEECH
At the end of February 1949 my wife and children were the guests of Saadeh's wife, the First Lady of the party. I was still working one night at my office at the Maarad Street. The phone rang at 9 o'clock. It was Saadeh speaking.
He told me that the celebration for March 1 is next Sunday at the Normandy Hotel and that some governmental figures and journalists had been invited. He also told me that it was decided that the head of the radio station-whose name I don't recall now-- was to introduce him. “Is this possible when you are around,” he told me. I told him that the decision was that of the party's central committee. “That might be their decision, but mine is that you will introduce me. I am waiting for you. Your wife and kids are here. We are waiting…”
I was happy that Saadeh's faith in me had not dwindled even though I was not completing my assignments in the party because I was preoccupied by my work. I got a taxi and rushed to his house. Saadeh's middle daughter, Elisar, was very upset that evening. She didn't give her father time to talk to me. I don't want that, I don't want that she was repeating. He carried her with gentleness and started playing with her in her bedroom until she was calmed down. He then told me a bout his decision that I should introduce him and told me that he was going to inform the president of the central committee about that.
It is really strange how the Lebanese government persecuted the leader and the party. It is true that the Lebanese always gather the heavy price of their mistakes. When it ordered the closure of our “al Nahda” newspaper we replaced it with the al Jewel al Jadid.”…And now it ordered to prevent the March 1 celebration at the Normandy Hotel. When the National Security inspectors informed me of this decision they told me: “You can celebrate at the house but not at the hotel. You are forbidden to go out demonstrating on the street.”
It seems that after this order it was decided to have the march 1 celebration for SSNP members at the home of comrade Hani Baltaji in Ras Beirut, near the Hbeysh police precinct. A big crowd gathered in the halls and the garden of the house. While the leader was delivering his speech standing on a chair with comrades Jubran Jrayj and some of the knights of the party voices were heard from outside. Somebody told the leader that the police of the precinct wanted to come in and that they will use force if their request is not met. Saadeh ordered them to come in and asked the party members to be hospitable to them. The sergeant and three policemen came in while the others waited outside. Saadeh continued his speech in a very calm manner. The speech was considered as mental preparation for the revolution.
What I remember of the event is that I was with the First Lady in the Eastern Hall. As soon as the police tried to enter and I tried to stop them she turned to me and said: “I want to fight with my husband.”
