latest History articles

Long lost wildcat strikes in the UK, 1960s - 1990s

Rubbish piles up during the winter of discontent

Interesting article with snippets of analysis and often personal anecdotes about a number of unofficial strikes in the UK since the 1960s.

An introduction…

Up against the odds

An Account Of The JJ Fast Food Worker's Strike Tottenham 1995-6.

Preface

Picket - bulletin of the Wapping printers' strike, 1986-1987

PDFs of all 43 issues of Picket, the unofficial newsletter of the News International printers strike of 1986.

digitised by libcom.org

The Sun - spoof newspaper from the Wapping strike, 1986

Short spoof issue of The Sun newspaper produced by anarchists to support the News International printers strike at Wapping in 1986.

digitised by libcom.org

1970-71: Uprising in Poland

A short history of the 1970-71 uprising by workers in Poland which saw strikes and occupations at workplaces across the country. Although suffering savage repression, the uprising forced the government to back down over plans to increase prices of basic consumer goods.

On the morning of December 14 1970, thousands of workers from the Gdansk shipyards downed tools and began marching into the city. Their objective was the local regional office of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR), the party that had ruled the People's Republic of Poland since 1952. The protestors were met by police units and fighting between the two sides lasted into the evening.

Argentina: Poverty and the Militarization of Society (1990)

An anti-authoritarian analysis of the dire situation faced by ordinary people in Argentina in 1990. "While continuing to resist the authoritarian advance, and working together in solidarity, let's not forget that there are no quick revolutions; they grow from the ground up."

Argentina: Poverty and the Militarization of Society (1990)

by Grupo Impulso Autogestionario

Rosario, Argentina

Received, translated and distributed April, 1990 by Charlatan Stew, Seattle, WA USA

Remembering the Third Wave - Leslie Weinfield

Wave members fight anarchist punks in 2008 film, The Wave

Article about the 1967 experiment in Cubberley High School, California, in which a teacher created a proto-fascist movement which got out of hand. The experience was dramatised in 2008 film The Wave.

Peninsula, September 1991

Although the specter of fascist resurgence seems largely forgotten in the euphoria of German reunification, it may not be far beneath the peaceful veneer of that nation, or any other, for that matter. Even the most ostensibly free and open societies are not immune to fascism's lure - including places like Palo Alto.

The Third Wave, 1967, an account - Ron Jones

2008 German film The Wave

Schoolteacher Ron Jones's personal account of his experiment which created a proto-fascist movement amongst his high school pupils in Palo Alto, California, which in 2008 was subject of the award-winning film The Wave.

THE THIRD WAVE

Ron Jones (1972)

For years I kept a strange secret. I shared this silence with two hundred students. Yesterday I ran into one of those students. For a brief moment it all rushed back.

Gurgaon Workers News No.13 - October 2008

Wildcat strikes and repression in the Special Economic Zone of Gurgaon.

Gurgaon Workers News - Newsletter 13 (October 2008)

Sacha Piotr (Sascha Pjotr) aka Alexander Shapiro aka Sergei 1889/1890-1942(?)

Sacha Piotr.

A short biography of the obscure figure of Ukrainian anarchist Sacha Piotr-real name Alexander Schapiro, active in the Ukraine, Russia, Belgium, France and Germany. He fought with the anarchists in Spain and was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz. Father of the gifted mathematican Alexander Grothendieck.

Alexander Schapiro was born into a Jewish family with a Hasidic background in Novozybkov in the Ukraine on October 11th 1889 or 6th August 1890. This is the date given by his son Alexander, but it is not clear whether this was by the Julian or Gregorian calendar! In addition the Red Cross report of 1957 on him give two different birth dates, one of 10/11/1889 and one of 11/10/1889!

Wolberg, Aniela Franciszka 1907-1937

A short biography of Polish anarchist Aniela Wolberg

“When only twenty years old she sacrificed time and money for her ideal. At that time her sense of criticism and reality was highly developed; her heart was passioned for the masses, for the revolution. Her burning aim was to help the formation of an Anarchist movement in Poland; one that would not be locked up in groups, but powerful, popular, and able to materialize our aspirations”.

Wilkens, Jack (1897-1936) aka Vilkens aka Ivan aka Jaime Salan aka J Galan aka Manuel Fernandez Alvar

A short biography of the shadowy and mysterious figure of Wilkens, intrepid Spanish anarchist who was one of the first in Western Europe to offer serious criticisms of the Bolsheviks.

“He had been an Anarchist and an active fighter for long. His tragedy was that he had never been able to inspire the organisations with complete confidence in him. He lived a strange life.

1987: The Great Workers' Struggle

A short account of the South Korean strike wave of 1987 known as the Great Workers' Struggle. Affecting most major industries and involving over a million workers, the strikes and militant tactics used won significant gains in pay and conditions for many.

The workplace struggles that took place in 1987 occurred within the wider background of political reform. For thirty years South Korea had been ruled by a military dictatorship, and growing calls for democracy had echoed across the peninsula through the 1970s and early 80s.

Zadov, Lev Nikolaevich aka Zinkovsky aka Leva aka Levka the Bandit 1893-1938

Lev Zadov.

Short biography of Lev Zadov, anarchist communist, metalworker and (in)famous organiser of the Makhnovist intelligence corps.

Lev Zadov was born on April 11th 1893 in the small Jewish farming settlement of Veselaya in southern Ukraine. Around 1898-1900 his family fell on hard times and moved to Yuzovka, in the Donetsk region, where his father worked as a coachman.

Belash, Viktor Fedorovich aka Bilash 1893-1938

Viktor Belash.

A short biography of Viktor Belash. Ukrainian anarchist communist, railway worker, and brilliant strategist of the Makhnovist movement.

Viktor Belash was born in 1893 in the village of Novospasovka (Ukrainian form is Novospasivka) in southern Ukraine. Novospasovka was also the home of other anarchists who later participated in the Makhnovist movement like Vassili Kurilenko and Vdovichenko. He received an elementary education and worked as a railway engineer. He was already an anarchist communist in 1908 at the age of fifteen.

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