GB 0101 ICS 106 - Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0101 ICS 106

Title

Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944

Date(s)

  • 1936-1944 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 file

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The first organised Trotskyist organisation on the Witwatersrand was an ephemeral Communist League of Africa, founded in 1932 by Thibedi, followed by a succession of small Trotskyist groups in Johannesburg. In the Western Cape, which was to become the historical stronghold of South African Trotskyism, the first organisation was the Lenin Club, which was formed in 1933. It split soon after, with its majority faction joining with Johannesburg-based groups to form the Workers' Party of South Africa in 1935, and the remainder forming the Communist League of South Africa. The South African Trotskyists were, from the start, characterised by centrifugal tendencies, and were also disunited in their response to the two-stage theory of the Communist Party of South Africa.

Archival history

GB 0101 ICS 106 1936-1944 Collection (fonds) 1 file Szur , Leon , fl 1944 , communist activist in South Africa

The first organised Trotskyist organisation on the Witwatersrand was an ephemeral Communist League of Africa, founded in 1932 by Thibedi, followed by a succession of small Trotskyist groups in Johannesburg. In the Western Cape, which was to become the historical stronghold of South African Trotskyism, the first organisation was the Lenin Club, which was formed in 1933. It split soon after, with its majority faction joining with Johannesburg-based groups to form the Workers' Party of South Africa in 1935, and the remainder forming the Communist League of South Africa. The South African Trotskyists were, from the start, characterised by centrifugal tendencies, and were also disunited in their response to the two-stage theory of the Communist Party of South Africa.

The source of acquisition by ICS is not known.

Photocopy of papers of Leon Szur relating to the Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944: comprising handwritten statement of aims and appeal for support [c1944]; photocopy of Afrikaans translation of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marks and Friedrick Engels, with introduction by Leon Trotsky, [?1936]; statement by the Workers' Party of South Africa on the 19th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, [1936].

Single file, 3 items.

Open although advance notice should be given. Access to individual items may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act.

A photocopying service is available, at the discretion of the Library staff. Copies are supplied solely for research or private study. Requests to publish, or to quote from original material should be submitted to the Information Resources Manager.
English and Afrikaans

None

The ICS holds a large number of collections relating to South African politics, including African National Congress (ICS 1), Mary Benson (ICS 6), Ruth First (ICS 117), Marion Friedmann (ICS 20), Ruth Hayman (ICS 30), Baruch Hirson (ICS 32), Mandela Trials papers (ICS 52), Josie Palmer (ICS 57), Edward Roux (ICS 67), South African Institute of Race Relations (ICS 95), University of Cape Town (ICS 81-82), University of Transkei (ICS 19).

Compiled by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition, 2000. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Oct 2001 Collectivism Communism Political doctrines South Africa Southern Africa Szur , Leon , fl 1944 , communist activist in South Africa Workers' Party of South Africa

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The source of acquisition by ICS is not known.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Photocopy of papers of Leon Szur relating to the Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944: comprising handwritten statement of aims and appeal for support [c1944]; photocopy of Afrikaans translation of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marks and Friedrick Engels, with introduction by Leon Trotsky, [?1936]; statement by the Workers' Party of South Africa on the 19th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, [1936].

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Single file, 3 items.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open although advance notice should be given. Access to individual items may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act.

Conditions governing reproduction

A photocopying service is available, at the discretion of the Library staff. Copies are supplied solely for research or private study. Requests to publish, or to quote from original material should be submitted to the Information Resources Manager.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English and Afrikaans

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The ICS holds a large number of collections relating to South African politics, including African National Congress (ICS 1), Mary Benson (ICS 6), Ruth First (ICS 117), Marion Friedmann (ICS 20), Ruth Hayman (ICS 30), Baruch Hirson (ICS 32), Mandela Trials papers (ICS 52), Josie Palmer (ICS 57), Edward Roux (ICS 67), South African Institute of Race Relations (ICS 95), University of Cape Town (ICS 81-82), University of Transkei (ICS 19).

Finding aids

None

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Rules and/or conventions used

General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition, 2000. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area