A friend has sent me a copy of a letter he received from me in January 1984, exactly 40 years ago.
At the time I was running the British branch of a Frankfurt-based human rights’ group called the International Society for Human Rights.
The ISHR was founded to bring together families divided by the Berlin Wall but it gradually developed a broader interest in human rights, albeit with one eye always directed towards the Soviet Union.
Some described it as a centre-right version of Amnesty International, although it never achieved similar prominence.
I got involved through some anti-communist Russian emigres I was working with at the time, and I was given a very specific remit.
The people in Frankfurt were concerned that the UK branch had fallen into the hands of some left-leaning campaigners whose interests were not aligned with the ISHR.
I was therefore approached and invited to organise a coup, which I did by joining the group and inviting a dozen or so people to do the same and attend the UK group’s poorly attended AGM.
If I remember, the two people running the group were the only people there, and I can still recall the confusion on their faces when we walked in, voted them out, and I was elected in their place.
It was brutally quick, a textbook coup, but because they had no inkling of what was about to happen it was relatively painless. They left the meeting and we never heard from them again.
As intended, mine was a short-term, part-time appointment. As I wrote here:
The job was subsequently taken on with a great deal more energy and enthusiasm by Robert [Chambers] who eventually moved to Germany where he became secretary-general of the ISHR in Frankfurt.
Sadly, Robert died in 2010, hence this tribute which included a comment from Julian Lewis MP (now Sir Julian) who sent this response:
“This is such shocking news that it is hard to take it in. Robert was one of a small number of truly dedicated activists at a time when seriously evil Marxist doctrines held millions in captivity and easily infected the young and the gullible.
"He was an admirable, selfless and committed member of our small team of counter-campaigners. I shall be proud to be present to say goodbye to him and think that society is in his debt."
Any ISHR paperwork or files I had from that period (1983-84) have long gone so I’m delighted to be reminded of the letter below.
The David Atkinson referred to was the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East from 1977 to 2005. He died in January 2012.
The Norman Shaw North building, the location of our Executive Committee meeting, was formerly New Scotland Yard before it was occupied by MPs.
I note too that the meeting was preceded, ‘as usual’, by a drink in St Stephen’s Tavern opposite the Palace of Westminster.
Some things (except perhaps the choice of pub) never change.
See also: A very British protest
