BRACERS Advanced Search

In French. BR is asked to sign an appeal on behalf of Ben Bella and other Algerian victims.

BR rebuts Rabinowitch's letter of February 3 (record 132156) at length in defence of the IWCT and against US aggression in Vietnam.

Rabinowitch refuses BR's invitation to serve on the War Crimes Tribunal, and gives his reasons at length.

BR writes: "I do not favour the release of United States' pilots taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese." "All those who embark upon war crimes should consider their consequences before doing." (Another copy is at record 106399.)

The original of this letter is not to be found, although it was photocopied for editing. The letter is edited by Barry Feinberg, possibly while he was working on Dear BR … or Bertrand Russell's America. Bagnall cherishes BR's comment on Prime Minister Harold Wilson in The Observer's colour supplement of 12 March.

Another copy is at record 99301.

Birthday greetings from one who sees BR as a "philosopher-king".

Dunham donates to the BRPF from time to time. He mentions that he is acquainted with Russell Stetler, whom he much admires.

BR is Honorary President of the Committee. A letter from Rosa Alarco is quoted: BR's telegram was published.

The photograph of Ali referred to in the letter is not included. Other copies of the letter are at record 94775 and record 99305.

Attached to letter from Spender to BR, 14 January 1968; see record 132177.

This article, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/we-need-to-launch-a-new-defence-of-freedom-of-speech-and-debate-8g90rtdwp, claims that BR signed a letter with many others “49 years ago”, which is impossible. What

The Times article is by Ruth Smeeth, former Labour MP and now head of Index on Censorship. Her article linked below describes the founding of the organization. Wikipedia has more:

“The original inspiration for Index on Censorship came from two Soviet dissidents, Pavel Litvinov, grandson of the former Soviet Foreign Minister, Maxim Litvinov, and Larisa Bogoraz, the former wife of the writer, Yuli Daniel, who had written to The Times in 1968 calling for international condemnation of the rigged trial of two young writers and their typists on charges of 'anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda'. (One of the writers, Yuri Galanskov, died in a camp in 1972).

“Spender organised a telegram of support and sympathy from 16 British and US public intellectuals, including W.H. Auden, A.J. Ayer, Yehudi Menuhin, J. B. Priestley, Paul Scofield, Henry Moore, Bertrand Russell and Igor Stravinsky, among others. In reply Litvinov suggested, in a letter later published in Index's first issue, for some form of publication "to provide information to world public opinion about the real state of affairs in the USSR". [BR was personally acquainted with nearly all of them.]

In this, Wikipedia is echoing Spender’s statement in the first issue of Index on Censorship. He quotes the text of the telegram that BR signed: “'We, a group of friends representing no organization, support your statement, admire your courage, think of you and will help in any way possible.” (https://journals-sagepub-com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/doi/pdf/10.1080/03064227208532143)

The telegram is at BRACERS, http://bracers.mcmaster.ca/132178, with the full list of signatories. The date is January 1968. BR also made a BBC statement. A movement was soon formed to take the side of writers who had been oppressed by their governments.

Although it might appear that BR’s name was used after he had died, “49 years ago” is a simple mistake arising out of the early history of the growth of the Index on Censorship movement. BR did sign what Smeet says he signed.

Musgrave talks about having worked at Telegraph House when it was home to Beacon Hill School: "How kind you were! What a privilege to listen, during those few months, to your wit and wisdom over the evening meal!" Etc., etc. See record 56958.

Boswell was the "disturbed child" who set fire to "your estate" at Telegraph House when it was home to Beacon Hill School.

Neill's comments on Telegraph House when it was home to Beacon Hill School and laments difficulties facing Summerhill School. He writes very humorously. "Why weren't you in N. Wales when I was in Bryn Llewelyn, Festinog?"

Kang asks BR for information on Graham Wallas, the subject of Kang's doctoral dissertation.

She asks for BR's autograph and favourite quotation. The letter shows editing by Barry Feinberg, possibly while he was working on Dear BR ….

The original is not to be found, although it was photocopied for editing.