Update to the catalogue of the papers of European Nuclear Disarmament now available|
The catalogue of the papers of European Nuclear Disarmament (END) has now been completed and is available online through the Archives Catalogue|.
END was a leading peace group in the 1980s, which campaigned for a non-aligned and nuclear free Europe 'from Poland to Portugal'.
One of END's major aims was to develop links with peace groups and activists on both sides of the iron curtain. Its activists visited their counterparts in Eastern Europe; issued statements in support of their activities; publicised government attempts to suppress them; published pamphlets on what was happening in Eastern Europe; and, supported the struggle for political freedom in Eastern Europe.
In addition, END was a member of the Liaison Committee - an organisation of 50 pressure groups from across Europe which arranged END Conventions. Apart from the opportunity for networking, the Conventions included public meetings, round-table discussions, debates, films, cultural events and workshops.
Almost seventy boxes of END papers have been catalogued and are available now for consultation. Highlights of the collection, include:
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Memos and correspondence of END activists, including E P Thompson and Mary Kaldor.
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END organisational papers, such as committee minutes and related records.
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Documents regarding END's work with activists in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
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Papers regarding END's relations with other peace groups in Europe and elsewhere, such as CND and the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation.
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Campaign papers.
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Papers on END Conventions.
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Publicity material, such as mailings, press releases, newsletters and leaflets.
The collection will be of interest to those studying the Cold War in the 1980s. They cover topics such as: the arms race; Star Wars; the repression of peace and human rights activists in the USSR and Eastern Europe; the bloc system; Chernobyl; and, the changes to international relations following President Gorbachev's rise to power.
LSE Archives has other papers of peace groups, including an extensive Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) collection. For more information regarding our current project to catalogue the CND papers please see CND: The Story of a Peace Movement| or contact us: document@lse.ac.uk|