2019/11/13 by Yasuhiro Matsui · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Art history #Communism #Foundation (evidence) #German History and Society #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #History #Intelligence, Security, War Strategy #Karel #Law #Political science #Politics #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1017/s096077731900016x
published in Contemporary European History 29(1), 77-89 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2019/11/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/09
Abstract The Soviet dissident and human rights movement, emerging publicly in the mid-1960s, became known globally through various supportive actions of Moscow foreign correspondents and Western intellectuals. For instance, Pavel Litvinov, a well-known dissident, had close relationships with foreigners, especially Karel van het Reve, a Dutch correspondent in Moscow, and Stephen Spender, a British poet, both formerly communists. This article attempts to elucidate aspects of the personal and ethical interactions among these three figures, focusing on van het Reve's and Spender's support activities and projects, particularly the Alexander Herzen Foundation and Writers and Scholars International, founded in 1969 and 1971, respectively, to understand how a transnational moral community was formed.