Albert Meltzer (born January 7, 1920 - died May 7, 1996) was an anarchist activist and writer.
Meltzer was born in London, and attracted to Anarchism at the age of 15 as a direct result of taking boxing lessons. The Labour MP for Edmonton, Edith Summerskill was virulently anti-boxing and his school governors considered it "common". At his first anarchist meeting in 1935, he contradicted Emma Goldman's comments on boxing. As the Spanish Revolution turned into the Spanish Civil War Meltzer became active organising solidarity appeals. He involved himself with smuggling arms from Hamburg to the CNT in Spain and acted as a contact for the Spanish anarchist intelligence services in Britain. At this time he had a part as an extra in Leslie Howard's film Pimpernel Smith, as Howard wanted more authentic actors playing the anarchists.
Meltzer worked as a second-hand bookseller before becoming a copytaker in Fleet Street. He was also employed for a number of years at the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Meltzer was a co-founder of the anarchist newspaper Black Flag and was a prolific writer on anarchist topics. Amongst his books were Anarchism, Arguments For and Against (originally published by Cienfuegos Press) [1], The Floodgates of Anarchy (co-written with Stuart Christie) and his autobiography, I Couldn't Paint Golden Angels, published by AK Press [2] shortly before his death.
Meltzer also was involved in the founding of the Anarchist Black Cross and Kate Sharpley Library .
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Last updated: 08-24-2005 12:58:22
