AUGUST 23rd. 1977, the state secur rces of the German Democratic Repul arrested Rudolf Bahro "espionage", and since that date no further information has heen forthcoming on Rudolf Bahro's fale. We, the undersigned, wish to express our grave concern ahout this case and appeal to your to take immediute steps to secure Rudolf Bahro's speedy What are the faets as known to us West European socialists? Rodolf Bahro's urrest followed the announcement of the publication af his book 'Die alternative. Zur Kritik des real existierenden Earopaische boase owned by tie West German trade anion federation DGB, several interviews with Babro by various West German news medis.
Could it be that this man is an ugent of th Federal Republic's intelligence service? Wr have never heard of 'imperialist spies' openh announcing their dissident views and writing and publishing books which thes expect to micre pubiication FLAT SHARE share micrape Nort inclusive Margaret Hickmar WOWENS CHARTER Bring Bank, -FULL-TIME Worker To the tanet in seeming and with lime May from 6.30pm Ad ury Grove, Londen N FOUR SOCIALISTS lunk.
29323001-34.814 Sozialismus' by the Verlagsunstall, the publishing conscience publicaticn of Haymarke it is may e TONI Lenden WC2. 01-240 NOISS Fally: 1908 board Woman's Voicei WER LSE discuss result in their arrest. And the sad fact la that Rodolf Rahro could and did expect his arrest for publicising his polirical views, since all previous expressions of uny criticism of your party's and your goverument's policies have heen met by immediate police action resulting in long prison sentences or the expulsion from the German Democratic Republic.
Article 20 of the Constitution of the GDR stutes that 'Every citizen of the Germun Democralic Republic has, irrespective of his nationality, race, his philosophical or religious convictions, his social orpins and position, the righis und duties. and Why are Rudoll Bahro and others lik Cobert Havemann and Wolf Biermann thes prevented from submitting their views to an open and democratic debate with the same righis as are exercised by propagundists of your party? Rudelf Bahro, at the home of his arrest, was a member of the SED [und has been a member since 1952).
The Statutes of the SED declare that the DAY Sprool - 1978, Tee Year:
THE OTHER BOOKSHOP is coking that "all critical views?
The freedom of are guaranteed.?
freedom even the democrucy can lenders and GRUPOS COMBATES. around DAYS OF HOPE HILE SOLIDARITY CU Mar the Old COTTISH SOCIALIST PUBLIC MEETING; Fri 12 Mar. organisational structure of the party is hased party organs are demncraticully elecied from the bottom to the top' (Clause 23]. But how can genuine internal party deucrucy function if party members have to Tear urrest before they huve an opportunity to submit their criticisms to other party members, if they are jailed, expelled from the party. deprived of their livelihoods or expelled from the GOk for the only crime of holding We bellere that, far from "defending socialise", such repressive measures only serve In discredit and therefore weaken it, in both nationalisation of the means of production and a centrally planned economy, it isabso a hieher form of political freedom than the political liberul hourgeois offer it working musses.
Unless socialism can be seen to mean the broadest working class democracy, with the freedom of political expression, debale and HOCUASICI SE Lalin America Socialy hims. To Battle of Chile Lane SENAC •c'Etal by Princio Gurman Contre Paria WSL miliant every a public debate.
of his book in the GDR, discussion of media of your country.
Robin Blackbum Ken Coates Tamara Deutscher Trevor Grittiths Agnes Heller Tom Lillerick, MP Denis Macshane [President NUJ] Raiph Millband Stan Nowens, MP Tom Naim Bruce Page, Editor New Statesman E.P. Thompson WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP Communist Purty German embassy this autumn. owe with the abore signatunes.
LETTER NAME..
Address...
Position......
SPANISH LCR comrade wishing Pane an Englise wants comrades to sta WORKERS 9 * Woran:
As is clar from the printed evidence Rudolf Bahro wrote his book us a communist SOCHIKI елитасу. We may not all agree with ever aspect of Hahro's Views, bur we agree that citizen of the German Democratic Republic should have the right to form his or her own opinion and discuss it freely and opealy with the author's participation in sach We therefore demand the immediate release of Rudelf Babro from prison, the publication and a public Bis Flews in the organisations, the political parties and the WE WANT as many signarures on this appeal us possible from trade anionists, Labour and memhers and socialist activists in generul. We hope to present the Open Letter and the signatures to the East coincide with the We want all Socialist Challenge supporters lo help get at least several thousand signatures, starting with your local Labour MP Bahro Defence, c/o Socialist Challenge, PO #ox 50, London AJ, but you can print your Reuders willing to sign our appeal should sige the form below and return it to us. Tagree that my name shoeld be appended to the TO HONECKER .. . .
IRELAND - HOODED MAN. SPEAKS NATIONAL SPEAKING TOUR organi SPONSORED BY THE MUS EXECU WICKY MONTol the Icurson Landor May 17m THesis Frica May Hih Lelpester Polyschn acay May 23rc Manchester Are 25th Brightor Poylas nic/Suesex Unisors? See your focat callege lar furthe SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 11 May 1978 page 13
analysis is just as shallow. against racist activity. A circular was
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