Fossil fuel company Shell receives special treatment from the publicly-funded National Gallery despite the oil major’s history of climate obstructionism, documents seen by DeSmog UK show.
The news comes as shareholders gather for Shell’s annual general meeting in The Hague today, with the board under pressure to agree to company-wide emissions reduction targets.
Campaigners have long complained about Shell’s relationship with some of the UK’s most high-profile cultural organisations, arguing that the company should not be allowed to launder its reputation through its association with respected national institutions until it makes a firm commitment to tackle climate change.
But email correspondence seen by DeSmog UK shows just how cosy Shell’s relationship with the National Gallery has been. The documents reveal:
- Shell received special invites to National Gallery events, including one attended by Prince Charles
- Shell and the National Gallery coordinated press releases and responses to Freedom of Information requests
- Shell asked the National Gallery to bend the rules to get additional tickets to exhibitions
- The National Gallery offered private tours as it approached Shell to sponsor a new display
- The National Gallery made special efforts to accommodate Shell’s requests for after-hours tours and events
Cosy Relationship
Shell is a corporate member of the National Gallery. It pays around £20,000 to £30,000 a year for this, the documents suggest.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
