'43 group' by morris beckman

I am part way though...

In case you're interested, a new AF pamphlet - Resistance to Nazism - tells the stories of libertarian groups that were opposing Fascism in Europe into and also well before the 1930s, including Edelweiss Pirates, FAUD underground, Zazous, 43 group, Arditi del Popolo and lists dozens of other Italian groups.

Yep, read it. It's very good.

Yes, read it about 15 years ago. Excellent read. I met Beckman around the same time. He tells some excellent stories.
There is also a video documentary about the Group which interviews ex-members. It was shown at a film festival in Newcastle a few years ago. It's great watching obviously respectable pensioners talking about inflicting serious violence on the fash.

It is the shit, true.

Wa that at Projectile...? Cos if n ot, then they should def show it.

I don't know if it was at Projectile. I don't even know what Projectile is/was. I saw it advertised for an event in Newcastle and I e-mailed the organisers asking about how to get a copy. They gave me a number for someone in London (involved in something called the London History Group). I'm not sure that this is their correct name and they sent me a copy that was then shown at an event caled A-Spire in Leeds.
Hmmm, I might try and track down that video...

Any way I could get a .pdf of the "Resistance to Nazism" pamphlet? PM me if it's possible.

The forward to that book is written by Vidal Sassoon, who as a yound man in London was a member of the group.

Potential resource there: he should be hit up for cash by anarchos.

I would bet he's a zionist though...

so's beckman.

I'm not sure militant antifascism is too purist to take their blessings or their money. I mean, i heard Vidal Sassoon was also a really rich capitalist too!

I've been trying to track down a copy of this for fucking ages...

London History Group, you say

Googled it and that names is unclear - there's the Radical London History Group

If you get any futher details then can you pm me please - like to possibly show this for a Hackney Independent film show in the new year

I think Searchlight might have beaten you to it!

there was an article on RA from the original premier - which i think mught have been an ANL do.

...I was gonna suggest looking for that to get the title, but thinking about it thats ridiculously time consuming.

It was shown at the anarchist bookfair about five years ago

It was a French TV production that was shown across Europe

The producer died about a year ago - it came to me attention again because I read his obit in the Guardian

Radical London History Group.

There's one in north London, ask anyone from HSG.

The South London one try Jason cortez or the button from off here.

Quite a few of the 43 group ended up becoming part of Lehi (aka Stern Gang) in Palestine following the end of their antifa activities. 'Tis a pity.

They showed it at the 2004 Anarchist Bookfair in London. It was weird but very good. These hard OAP's are something else - age hides their strength but not their enthusiasm. They liked a bit of action.

I liked street fighting parts of this book but I do not think there is anything to get so much excited about since author himself was bragging a lot how they co-operated with "symphatetic" cops etc. Not metnioning fact that lots of them were fantaical Zionists which is to say not best allies of us. Still worthy to read..

I'm still trying to track down a copy of the 43 Group documentary at possibly show at the forthcoming HI film day

Any ideas? It's been shown at the anarchist bootfair at least twice...

really?!

they left their homes in london to go and live in Palestine as refugees?

nah....

really?

Yeah, really. Like Eastern Barbarian said, lots of 'em were Zionists.

yes lots of them were zionists, morris beckman himself is a zionist.

Its not very surprising all considered.

That doesn't mean they left london, went to palestine (or by that time what would have been the nascent israeli state) and joined the stern gang.

The documentary being discussed here didn't mention that at all, all of the interviewees were still in the UK.

I'd be interested in a source. Cos there's the not too complex zionism that a lot of people held, including loads of leftists and liberals - a state for the jewish people - and then theres going to palestine and joining a zionist terrorist group.

Will try to find the reference and get back to you folks.

Incidentally, Lehi was split into a left and right faction - lots of otherwise left wing (including Socialist-Zionist) but ultra-nationalist Jews were involved.