Nick Heath

Heath, Nick

British anarchist-communist and thorough documenter of the international anarchist movement.

Schneider, Ernst Wilhelm 1883-1946??1970??) Aka Ikarus, Icarus

A short biography of the German revolutionary seaman Ernst Schneider

Born in Königsberg in Prussia (now the Russian enclave of Kaliniingrad) on 23rd July 1883 Ernst Schneider was a harbour worker and seaman (steersman).

Benner, Fritz (1906-1966)

A short biography of Fritz Benner, courageous German anarchist.

Fritz Benner was born on 6th April 1906 in Solingen, Germany. By profession he was a belt operator. In 1927/28 he and his brother Willi joined the anarchosyndicalist Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD) in Wuppertal. His brother Eugen (usually known as August) also became involved. At this time the FAUD was past its height and only counted a few dozen members in Wuppertal.

Lagant, Christian 1926- 1978 aka Christian Lag aka Christian Lague

A short biography of Christian Lagant, French anarchist militant and one of chief editors of Noir et Rouge

”An exemplary comrade….intransigent militant..demanding but warm, sensitive but a passionate political debater” André Bernard

Wolf, Enno (1903 -1939/1940?)

A short biography of Enno Wolf, German anarchist who perished in the Nazi concentration camps

Enno Wolf was on born on 30th August 1903. Little is known about his life. He was a member of the Kassel group of the anarchosyndicalist Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD).

Hannibal, Hermann 1898-1963

A short biography of Hermann Hannibal, blacksmith and member of the FAUD, imprisoned by the Nazis in Sachsenhausen concentration camp

Hermann Hannibal was born on 8 October 1898 in Kassel. Little is known about his private life. He worked as a blacksmith. Between 1919 and 1925 he had 10 criminal convictions, eight of them for theft. He had two children: Franz, born on 4th January 1930, and Ilse, also born in the 1930s.

Bartling, Heinrich 1880-1940

Short biography of Heinrich Bartling, German anarchist active in the FAUD and FKAD and martyred by the Nazis.

Heinrich Bartling was born on 22nd September 1880 in Bielefeld. Very little biographical information is available on him. He worked as a fitter and later lived in Kassel. His political career took him together with others like Willi Paul from the Kassel Spartakusbund to the anarchosyndicalist Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD). They founded a local group of the FAUD in Kassel in 1920 .

Paul, Willi, 1897-1979

A short biography of Willi Paul, lifelong anarchist militant, active in the Anarchist-Communist Federation of Germany (FKAD) and the Spanish Civil War.

Wilhelm Paul was born on the 1st July 1897 in Goettingen. After a carpentry apprenticeship, he worked during 1915/16 as a relief worker and then as a metal worker. He then served as a soldier in the First World War. After the war, he moved to Kassel and joined the USPD, and then the Spartakusbund.

Finster, Ramon, 194?-1996

Ramon Finster

A founding member of the French ORA, anarchist militant, artist, writer, animator of cultural and artistic events.

The Butte aux Cailles in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, lies south of the Seine. It is one of the least known old neighbourhoods of the French capital, like its working class cousins north of the river – Batignolles, Belleville and Menilmontant. The Butte rises gently beside the now subterranean course of Paris’s forgotten river the Bievre.

Fayolle, Maurice César, 19?-1970

A short biography of Maurice Fayolle, veteran social anarchist and founder of the French ORA.

”A discreet, modest, straightforward, scrupulous and honest man, little gifted for speeches but possessing an excellent pen” Maurice Laisant.

Granach, Alexander, 1890-1945

A short biography of Alexander Granach, anarchist and famous actor in German and Hollywood cinema.

Born April 18, 1890, Werbiwici, East Galicia (now Ukraine). Died March 14, 1945, New York, USA.

Kavanagh, Mat, 1876-1954

A short biography of Mat Kavanagh, Liverpool-Irish class struggle anarchist.

“For the young anarchists of the 30s, of whom I was one, and right until the 50s, Mat was our link with the traditional working class Anarchism of the past and our mentor as no other” - Albert Meltzer

A rose by any other name: a radical history of Manette Street, London

A look at the radical history of Manette Street in London, whose buildings housed various elements of the socialist, anarchist and immigrant workers' movements from the late-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth.

Manette Street has probably more long-term associations with anarchism –and radicalism in general-than any other street in Britain. Formerly known as Rose Street, it acquired its new name in 1895 after the fictional Doctor Manette who resides there in Charles’ Dickens The Tale of Two Cities.

Gorelik, Grigorii aka Anatolii, 1889-1956

A short biography of Grigorii Gorelik, Ukrainian anarchist participant in the Russian Revolution.

Grigorii Gorelik, usually known as Anatolii Gorelik was born into a Jewish family in 1889. He became an anarchist in 1904, at the age of fourteen. He was active in the Ukraine, and was arrested several times by the Tsarist police.

Wess, Woolf, 1861-1946

A short biography of Jewish anarchist Woolf, aka William, Wess, active in the Socialist League in East London.

“He was the most modest of men” - Rudolf Rocker
Woolf Wess was born to a Jewish family in Vilkomar (or Ukmerge) near Kovno in Lithuania in 1861.

He was the son of a Hasidic master baker and at age of 12 was apprenticed to a shoemaker.

Yarchuk, Efim, 1882 or 1886-1937

Kronstadt sailors in 1917

A short biography of Efim Yarchuk, who played an important role in the rebellious town of Kronstadt.

Yarchuk, Efim Zakharovich aka Khaim Zakharev - Also rendered as Yarchook, Yartchuk, Iarchuk etc.

“a man who enjoyed exceptional influence among the sailors and workers and whose idealism and devotion are matters of historic record” - My Disillusionment in Russia. Emma Goldman

Berner, Rudolf, 1907-1977

Rudolf Berner

A short biography of Swedish anarchist Rudolf Berner, active in Spain and in underground work in Nazi Germany.

Berner, Rudolf (Rube) AKA Frank Tireur

Born on 14 July 1907 in Skövde (West Sweden), Rudolf Berner grew up in a small farmer and working-class family of many children. He attended school and learned painting and crafts.

Timmermann, Claus, 1866-1941

Die Brandfackel

A short biography of German-American anarchist Claus Timmermann, indefatigable editor and loyal supporter of Goldman and Berkman

“An ardent German anarchist…He had considerable poetic talent and wrote forceful propaganda…He was a likeable fellow and entirely trustworthy, though a considerable drinker”. - Living My Life. Emma Goldman

Estorach, Soledad

A short biography of Soledad Estorach, one of the most dynamic founders and activists of Mujeres Libres.

Soledad Estorach Esteri was born on the 6th February 1915 at the small village of Albatarrech near Lerida.

Silva Cruz, Maria, 1915-1936

Maria Silva Cruz

A short biography of the iconic figure of Maria Silva Cruz, "La Libertaria," heroine of the Casas Viejas uprising, murdered by the Francoists.

Maria was born into a family of day labourers and charcoal burners in the impoverished village of Casas Viejas in Andalucia on 20 April 1915.

Her father Juan Silva Gonzalez and her uncle Jeronimo were in the CNT. Her grandmother read anarchist novels out loud to her as a young girl.

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