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Title: Obituary: Albert Meltzer Author: Aileen O’Carroll Date: 1996 Language: en Topics: Albert Meltzer, obituary, Workers Solidarity Source: Retrieved on 11th December 2021 from http://struggle.ws/ws/albert49.html Notes: Published in Workers Solidarity No. 49 — Autumn 1996.
Albert Meltzer, English Anarchist, died in May aged 76. His coffin was
carried by a horse driven glass hearse through the streets of London,
preceded by a brass band and followed by 300 flag carrying anarchists
decked out in black and red. At the wake friends and comrades giving
tributes were joined by a stand up comedian (as per Albert’s
instructions). The celebratory nature of the event was increased further
when a two minute video clip of Albert convulsed in laughter was also
shown, causing those present to join in the joking.
A lifelong trade unionist, he fought Mosley’s blackshirts; actively
supported the Spanish revolution’s anarchist communes and militias; and
the German anti-Nazi resistance. During the second world war he was one
of the key players in the Cairo Mutiny. Post-war he worked with Spain’s
anti-Franco resistance and the international anarchist movement.
His achievements include Cuddon’s Cosmopolitan Review, a satirical
magazine first published in 1965, and the founding of the Anarchist
Black Cross, a prisoners’ aid and pressure group. Perhaps his most
enduring legacy is Britain’s most comprehensive anarchist archive, the
Kate Sharpley Library.
I only met Albert once, when last summer I attended the British Northern
Anarchist Network conference as an observer. I remember him telling me
how Emma Goldman once referred to him as a “young hooligan”, and I
remarked how, for all the work she did, Emma Goldman was never much of a
team player. He agreed, adding that she could be quite a cantankerous
person.
I know Albert would turn in his grave, but I found this funny, because
to me the two of them were quite similar. Both were dedicated activists,
continually on the go, always working for the anarchist cause. However
both also had a reputation for being difficult and intolerant of other
anarchists.
My second memory of Albert is of him snoring loudly as we watched a
video of the EZLN in Mexico, which unfortunately was missing the
soundtrack. I was quite impressed by this and hope that I manage to be
as active as he was ..and look forward to the day when I too can fall
asleep at meetings.
The one thing about Albert that can not be disputed is his dedication to
anarchism and his belief that a better world could be built, better than
the one that we now live in. His autobiography is testament to the
energy and spirit he brought to the struggle, and indeed how anarchism
enriched and brought vitality to his own life.