Working Class History

Latest Episodes:

E64: Mildred Fish-Harnack, part 2 Apr 29, 2022

Show notes

Concluding part of our double podcast episode about Mildred Fish-Harnack, the US-born woman at the centre of the underground resistance to Nazism in Berlin during World War II. In conversation with Rebecca Donner, Mildred’s great great niece and author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content.
Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
In this part we cover a terrible blunder which transpired, repression, aftermath, the response of Allied powers, and the historical legacy.
Get Mildred's book here: https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9780316561693
Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this double episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e63-64-mildred-fish-harnack/
Acknowledgements
Thanks to our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Stone Lawson. Episode graphic courtesy of the Donner family. Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here. Or stream it here. This episode was edited by Jesse French.

E63: Mildred Fish-Harnack, part 1 Apr 17, 2022

Show notes

First in a double podcast episode about Mildred Fish-Harnack, the US-born woman at the centre of the underground resistance to Nazism in Berlin during World War II. In conversation with Rebecca Donner, Mildred’s great great niece and author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example, our supporters can listen to part 2 of this double episode now: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e64-mildred-fish-64573851
Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
In this part we cover the background, Mildred’s early life, the Nazis’ rise to power, the resistance, and the beginnings of her involvement in international espionage.
Get Mildred's book here: https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9780316561693
Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this double episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e63-64-mildred-fish-harnack/
Acknowledgements
Thanks to our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Conor Canatsey, Shae, James, Ariel Gioia, Stone Lawson, and Fernando López-Ojeda.
Episode graphic courtesy of the Donner family.
Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here. Or stream it here.
This episode was edited by Jesse French.

WCL E4: Michael Rosen's socialist fairy tales, part 2 Mar 30, 2022

Show notes

Part 2 of our double-episode in which we talk to acclaimed author, poet and Professor of Children’s Literature, Michael Rosen, about his anthology, Workers’ Tales: Socialist Fairy Tales, Fables, and Allegories from Great Britain, which gathers together short stories from the labour and socialist press between 1880 and 1920.
In this episode, Michael shows how popular children’s stories (like Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland) are shot through with the political content of their adult authors. He also reads a story from his anthology by William Morris and explains how all culture, including children’s writing, contains within it elements of social contest.
You can buy a copy of Michael's anthology here: https://bookshop.org/books/workers-tales-socialist-fairy-tales-fables-and-allegories-from-great-britain/9780691175348
More info on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/blog/wcl-e3-4-michael-rosens-socialist-fairy-tales/

WCL E3: Michael Rosen's socialist fairy tales, part 1 Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

A Working Class Literature podcast double-episode in which we talk to acclaimed author, poet and Professor of Children's Literature, Michael Rosen, about his anthology, Workers' Tales: Socialist Fairy Tales, Fables, and Allegories from Great Britain, which gathers together short stories from the labour and socialist press between 1880 and 1920.
You can buy a copy of Michael's anthology here: https://bookshop.org/books/workers-tales-socialist-fairy-tales-fables-and-allegories-from-great-britain/9780691175348
More info on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/blog/wcl-e3-4-michael-rosens-socialist-fairy-tales/

E62: League of Revolutionary Black Workers, part 2 Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

Second of a double podcast episode about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers in Detroit in the late 60s/early 70s, in conversation with Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit and former member of the group, and Dan Georgakas, author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying.
This podcast is only possible because of support from our listeners on patreon. Join us and get access to exclusive content at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory
This is an improved, extended and partially re-recorded version of our podcast episode 12. We have added more audio clips from other members of the League, including General Baker, Mitch and Darryl “Waistline” Mitchell. We have also added narrative for additional detail, context and to tell the story in a more cohesive manner. Whether you listened to the original episode or not, we hope you enjoy it!
Get hold of Dan and Herb's books on these links:
– Dan Georgakas and Marvin Surkin, Detroit: I Do Mind Dying: A Study in Urban Revolution – https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9781608462216
– Herb Boyd, Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination – https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9780062346636
More information, sources, acknowledgements and more on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e61-the-league-of-revolutionary-black-workers-in-detroit/

E61: The League of Revolutionary Black Workers, part 1 Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Double podcast episode about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers in Detroit in the late 60s/early 70s, in conversation with Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit and former member of the group, and Dan Georgakas, author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying.
This podcast is only possible because of support from our listeners on patreon. Join us and get access to exclusive content at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory
This is an improved, extended and partially re-recorded version of our podcast episode 12. We have added more audio clips from other members of the League, including General Baker, Mitch and Darryl “Waistline” Mitchell. We have also added narrative for additional detail, context and to tell the story in a more cohesive manner. Whether you listened to the original episode or not, we hope you enjoy it!
Get hold of Dan and Herb's books on these links:
– Dan Georgakas and Marvin Surkin, Detroit: I Do Mind Dying: A Study in Urban Revolution – https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9781608462216
– Herb Boyd, Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination – https://bookshop.org/a/80203/9780062346636
More information, sources, acknowledgements and more on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e61-the-league-of-revolutionary-black-workers-in-detroit/

E60: The Bread Intifada, part 2 Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

Concluding part of our double podcast episode on the 1977 Bread Intifada in Egypt. We speak with journalist and revolutionary socialist, Hossam el-Hamalawy, about the uprising and its significance today.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example you can listen to part 2 of this double episode now. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
Music used in this episode under fair use was “Build Your Palaces” by Sheikh Imam. Available to stream here. We attempted to find copyright holders but were unsuccessful; if anyone has any information about this, please email info@workingclasshistory.com.
For more information on the Bread Intifada, reading Hossam’s 2001 Master’s thesis on the subject: https://arabawy.org/111742/1977/
See also Lafif Lakhdar’s ‘The development of class struggle in Egypt’ in Khamsin: Journal of revolutionary socialists of the Middle-East, issue #5: https://libcom.org/library/development-class-struggle-egypt
Full show notes, acknowledgements, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/blog/e59-60-the-bread-intifada/

E59: The Bread Intifada, part 1 Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Part 1 of our double episode on the 1977 Bread Intifada in Egypt, in which hundreds of thousands of working-class Egyptians rose up against the government’s termination of food subsidies. We speak to Egyptian journalist and revolutionary socialist, Hossam el-Hamalawy, about the uprising, the decade of worker-student militancy leading up to it, and its relevance today.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example you can listen to part 2 of this double episode now. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
Music used in this episode under fair use was “Build Your Palaces” by Sheikh Imam. Available to stream here. We attempted to find copyright holders but were unsuccessful; if anyone has any information about this, please email info@workingclasshistory.com.
For more information on the Bread Intifada, reading Hossam’s 2001 Master’s thesis on the subject: https://arabawy.org/111742/1977/
See also Lafif Lakhdar’s ‘The development of class struggle in Egypt’ in Khamsin: Journal of revolutionary socialists of the Middle-East, issue #5: https://libcom.org/library/development-class-struggle-egypt
Full acknowledgements, show notes, photos, sources and more information on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e59-60-the-bread-intifada/

E58: West Virginia Mine Wars, part 2 Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

Concluding part of a double podcast episode on the West Virginia mine wars 1902-1922. We speak with Catherine Moore and others from the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, as well as some West Virginia teachers who had just been on strike about the conflicts, and how they are remembered today.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example you can listen to part 2 of this double episode now. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
Music used in these episodes is Which Side Are You On, by Florence Rees, performed by Tom Morello: The Night Watchman. Buy/stream it here: https://tommorellothenightwatchman.bandcamp.com/track/which-side-are-you-on
And Solidarity Forever by Ralph Chaplin, performed by David Rovics.
Learn more about the mine wars in these great books: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/west-virginia-mine-wars
Full acknowledgements, show notes, photos, sources and more information on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e57-west-virginia-mine-wars-1902-1922/

E57: West Virginia Mine Wars, part 1 Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

Part 1 of a double podcast episode on the West Virginia mine wars 1902-1922. We speak with Catherine Moore and others from the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, as well as some West Virginia teachers who had just been on strike about the conflicts, and how they are remembered today.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example you can listen to part 2 of this double episode now. Join us or find out more at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory
Music used in these episodes is Which Side Are You On, by Florence Rees, performed by Tom Morello: The Night Watchman. Buy/stream it here: https://tommorellothenightwatchman.bandcamp.com/track/which-side-are-you-on
And Solidarity Forever by Ralph Chaplin, performed by David Rovics.Learn more about the mine wars in these great books: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/west-virginia-mine-wars
Full acknowledgements, show notes, photos, sources and more information on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e57-west-virginia-mine-wars-1902-1922/

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