Maurice Ludmer
Encyclopedia
Maurice Ludmer was a British anti-fascist activist and journalist. His father was a Salford hairdresser and mother a teacher of Hebrew. His family moved to Birmingham
in 1939. As a young man he was interested in sport and joined the Young Communist League
. During the Second World War he served in the British Army
. It was the shock of a visit to Belsen concentration camp which influenced his life.
He became a sports journalist by trade. In the 1950s he became active in local politics in the Midlands, particularly tenants' associations and the peace movement. But following the Notting Hill riots 1958, the controversial Smethwick
election and the anti-immigration Immigration Control Associations, he became an active anti-racist.
In 1961 (when the first Commonwealth Immigration Bill was being discussed in parliament), Ludmer, with Birmingham activists of the Indian Workers Association such as Jagmohan Joshi, set up the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination (CCARD) which opposed both state racism
and far right activism. CCARD also organised demonstrations over international issues such as the Vietnam war
and against British colonial rule in Africa. It helped launch the more broad-based national organisation Campaign Against Racial Discrimination
(CARD). In the late 1960s he resigned from the Communist Party which he felt was not fighting hard enough against racism.
Ludmer continued to oppose organised fascism and was attacked by fascists on several occasions.
In February 1975, he launched Searchlight
, with the aim of 'turning the searchlight on the extremists'. It reprinted on its cover the famous 1930s anti-fascist slogan 'They shall not pass
'.
The magazine managed to infiltrate anti-fascists into right-wing groups, gathering secret information about fascist activities. For example it exposed the existence of Column 88
, the controlling group of the hard-line British Nazi underground, the annual Nazi reunions in Europe, and the British National Front
's attempts to infiltrate trade unions.
Ludmer spoke up for black peoples' right to self-defence against racist attacks. In 1976 he wrote: 'The days have long gone when Asians, Blacks and Jews will meekly accept a role as the convenient scapegoats for the ills of society. Nor will those who cherish democratic ideals sit back while fascism tries to grow on the dunghill of racialism. Notice has been served that unless full protection is provided within the law against racist violence, intimidation and harassment, then those who are the intended victims reserve the right to organise their own protection in co-operation with all those growing sections of society, who abhor the politically motivated racism of the extreme right and fascist organisations.'
Ludmer was a member of the steering group of the first Anti-Nazi League
in 1977-8. A Manchester Anti-Nazi League activist recalled that 'Maurice was a firm part of the Labour movement. He was a Communist, and the President of Birmingham Trades Council
. The people who initiated the Anti-Nazi League had to have Maurice's support.'
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in 1939. As a young man he was interested in sport and joined the Young Communist League
Young Communist League
The Young Communist League was or is the name used by the youth wing of various Communist parties around the world. The name YCL of XXX was generally taken by all sections of the Communist Youth International.Examples of YCLs:...
. During the Second World War he served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It was the shock of a visit to Belsen concentration camp which influenced his life.
He became a sports journalist by trade. In the 1950s he became active in local politics in the Midlands, particularly tenants' associations and the peace movement. But following the Notting Hill riots 1958, the controversial Smethwick
Smethwick (UK Parliament constituency)
Smethwick was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Smethwick in Staffordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
election and the anti-immigration Immigration Control Associations, he became an active anti-racist.
In 1961 (when the first Commonwealth Immigration Bill was being discussed in parliament), Ludmer, with Birmingham activists of the Indian Workers Association such as Jagmohan Joshi, set up the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination (CCARD) which opposed both state racism
State racism
State racism is a concept used by French philosopher Michel Foucault to designate the reappropriation of the historical and political discourse of "race struggle", in the late seventeenth century....
and far right activism. CCARD also organised demonstrations over international issues such as the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and against British colonial rule in Africa. It helped launch the more broad-based national organisation Campaign Against Racial Discrimination
Campaign Against Racial Discrimination
The Campaign Against Racial Discrimination was a British organization, founded in 1964 and which lasteduntil 1967, which lobbied for race relations legislation...
(CARD). In the late 1960s he resigned from the Communist Party which he felt was not fighting hard enough against racism.
Ludmer continued to oppose organised fascism and was attacked by fascists on several occasions.
In February 1975, he launched Searchlight
Searchlight (magazine)
Searchlight is a British anti-fascist magazine, founded in 1975 by Gerry Gable, which publishes exposés about racism, antisemitism, and fascism in the UK....
, with the aim of 'turning the searchlight on the extremists'. It reprinted on its cover the famous 1930s anti-fascist slogan 'They shall not pass
They shall not pass
"They shall not pass" is a slogan used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy.It was most famously used during the Battle of Verdun in World War I by French General Robert Nivelle...
'.
The magazine managed to infiltrate anti-fascists into right-wing groups, gathering secret information about fascist activities. For example it exposed the existence of Column 88
Column 88
Column 88 was a neo-nazi paramilitary organization based in the United Kingdom. It was formed in the early 1970s, and disbanded in the early 1980s. The members of Column 88 undertook military training under the supervision of a former Royal Marine Commando, and also held regular gatherings attended...
, the controlling group of the hard-line British Nazi underground, the annual Nazi reunions in Europe, and the British National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
's attempts to infiltrate trade unions.
Ludmer spoke up for black peoples' right to self-defence against racist attacks. In 1976 he wrote: 'The days have long gone when Asians, Blacks and Jews will meekly accept a role as the convenient scapegoats for the ills of society. Nor will those who cherish democratic ideals sit back while fascism tries to grow on the dunghill of racialism. Notice has been served that unless full protection is provided within the law against racist violence, intimidation and harassment, then those who are the intended victims reserve the right to organise their own protection in co-operation with all those growing sections of society, who abhor the politically motivated racism of the extreme right and fascist organisations.'
Ludmer was a member of the steering group of the first Anti-Nazi League
Anti-Nazi League
The Anti-Nazi League was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions and the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups in the United Kingdom. It was wound down in 1981...
in 1977-8. A Manchester Anti-Nazi League activist recalled that 'Maurice was a firm part of the Labour movement. He was a Communist, and the President of Birmingham Trades Council
Birmingham Trades Council
Birmingham Trades Council is the trades council body which brings together trade unionists from across Birmingham, England. Its headquarters were formerly in Digbeth, with a huge mural above the canteen area depicting the 1972 Battle of Saltley Gate....
. The people who initiated the Anti-Nazi League had to have Maurice's support.'
Further reading
- Maurice Ludmer "A Critical Reply to Ian Macdonald's 'Some Thoughts on Fascism Today'" Race and Class 1975; 16: 418-421
- Jad Adams, ‘Ludmer, Maurice Julian (1926–1981)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004