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Ernest Mandel

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Ernest Mandel (1923-1995)

Within this section of TrotskyanaNet we present the following bio-bibliographical material about Ernest Mandel (1923-1995), who was undoubtedly the most eminent figure of international Trotskyism during the second half of the 20th century:


Note about the Ernest Mandel Archive at Amsterdam

After his death in 1995 the personal archives of Ernest Mandel were given by his widow, Anne Mandel-Sprimont, to the famous IISG (IISH) (Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis = International Institute of Social History) which is situated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (see also our feature about the IISH within the framework of TrotskyanaNet). The size of the Mandel collection at IISH is 20.87 m, of which some 3.50 m were added in 1999. The archive contains material from 1937-1995 plus some additions dating from 1995-2005, for example:

The Mandel Archive also holds the papers of Gisela Mandel (born Scholtz, divorced Meschkat, 1935-1982 [pseud.: Martine Knoeller]), Mandel's first wife, including documents relating to the IMG (International Marxist Group, British Section of the F.I.), the RAL (Revolutionaire Arbeiders Liga [Belgian Section of the F.I.]), the SDS (Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund [Socialist German Student League]), and documents relating to the youth work of the Fourth International from 1968-1970.
Since 2006, an online guide and inventory of the Ernest Esra Mandel Papers, processed by Bouwe Hijma, are available in the WWW. Access to the collection is restricted.
Please note that a great deal of Mandel's letters and other documents by/about him can be found in other collections of the IISH (e.g. within the A.G. Frank papers, the I. Deutscher papers, the R. Prager papers, the Archief van Uitgeverij Van Gennep) as well as in other renowned hosts of archival collections such as the Hoover Institution Archives (Stanford, Cal.), the Archief en Museum van de Socialistiesche Arbeidersbeweging (AMSAB, Gent/Brussels), the Bibliothèque de Documentation Internationale Contemporaine (BDIC, Nanterre).
For some more details see also Stutje, Jan Willem: Ernest Mandel : rebel tussen droom en daad, 1923-1995, Antwerpen/Gent, 2007, pp. 431-433 or Stutje, Jan Willem: Ernest Mandel : a rebel's dream deferred, London [etc.], 2009, pp. 355-357, or Stutje, Jan Willem: Rebell zwischen Traum und Tat : Ernest Mandel (1923-1995), Hamburg, 2009, pp. 425-427.

Sources used for this archive description:


List of Ernest Mandel's pseudonyms


Explanations:
*  = doubtful (i.e. not absolutely clear whether or not a pseudonym of Ernest Mandel)
** = literary name of Mandel used by authors of fiction works
Note:
Another pseudonym, "Louis Couturier", was been attributed to Ernest Mandel, but "Louis Couturier" in fact was a pseudonym used by Jean-Michel Krivine (1932-2013).


List of books dedicated to Ernest Mandel


List of commemorations held in honour of Ernest Mandel

After the decease of Ernest Mandel on July 20, 1995, dozens of obituary notices by friends, comrades, colleagues and political organizations were published in many daily newspapers and several hundred obituaries, recollections and appraisals appeared in newspapers, journals and other publications all over the world.
Furthermore, there were held several memorial meetings and similar events in various countries all over the world commemorating Ernest Mandel. They were chiefly sponsored by organizations affiliated to the Fourth International which Ernest Mandel epitomised for some 50 years as an eminent political leader and theoretician. The funeral took place on September 30 at Père Lachaise cemetary, Paris.
What follows is a short chronological survey about some gatherings, including scholarly conferences, held in honour of the late Ernest Mandel:

Aug. 18, 1995, Melbourne (Australia). A commemoration at Lord Newry Hotel (North Fitzroy), sponsored by Solidarity in the presence of some 40 people. Speakers included C. Gaffney, S. Jolly et al.

Aug. 20, 1995, Sydney, N.S.W. (Australia). A commemoration, sponsored by Democratic Socialist Party. Speakers included J. Percy, F. Stilwell, P. Symon, B. Gould et al.

Sept. 24, 1995, New York, NY (USA). A commemoration at New School for Social Research, Manhattan, sponsored by Solidarity, Socialist Action, BIDOM, FSP, Brecht Forum and Committees of Correspondence (Memorial Meeting for Ernest Mandel) in the presence of some 200 people. Speakers included M. Vogt-Downey, S. Bloom, P.N. Siegel, J. Moneta, A. Shaikh (incl. reading of messages from R. Ibarra de Piedra and P.M. Sweezy)

Sept. 29, 1995, San Francisco, Cal. (USA). A commemoration at Socialist Action Bookstore, sponsored by Socialist Action and co-sponsored by Bay Area Solidarity. Speakers included G. Foley, J. Mackler, N. Weinstein, B. Sheppard, C. Seligman et al.

Sept. 29, 1995, Brussels (Belgium). A commemoration at Centre Culturel Jacques Frank, sponsored by Fondation Léon Lesoil in the presence of some 300 people. Speakers included F. Vercammen, J. Moneta, A. Serfaty, J. Kruithof et al.

Sept. 30, 1995, Paris (France). Burying and funeral ceremony (Hommage à Ernest Mandel) at Père Lachaise cemetary, near Mur des Fédérés in the presence of some 1.500 people from various countries. Speakers included A. Krivine, L. Maitan

Sept. 30, 1995, Montreuil-sous-Bois (France). A commemoration at Centre des Expositions, Esplanade Benoit-Frachon (Soirée publique d'hommages et de rencontre avec les délégations étrangères et les invités + projection du film d'une interview d'Ernest Mandel) in the presence of some 1.000 people. Speakers included M. Pablo (Raptis), J. Moneta, J. Machado, P. Uhl, W. Wolf, C.-A. Udry et al.

Oct. 7, 1995, Madrid (Spain). Commemoration in the presence of some 400 people. No further details known.

Oct. 13, 1995, London (Britain). A commemoration at Conference Centre, Great Russell St., organised by Socialist Outlook in the presence of some 350 people. Speakers included T. Ali, R. Blackburn, C. Van Gelderen, M. Gordon, A. Thornett, P. Duggan, A. Conway et al.

Oct. 14, 1995, London (Britain). "The Marxism of Ernest Mandel - an international symposium" was held at University of London Union. Speakers included A. Kilmaster, J. Habel, A. Krivine et al. Exclusive first showing of T. Ali's biographical film on the early life of E. Mandel.

Oct. 27, 1995, Lisboa (Portugal). No details known

July 4-6, 1996, Amsterdam (The Netherlands). An Ernest Mandel Seminar ("The contribution of Ernest Mandel to Marxist theory") was held at the International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE), organised by the Ernest Mandel Study Center. Speakers included G. Achcar, R. Blackburn, M. Löwy, J. Albarracín, P. Montes, M. Husson, F. Louçã, C. Post, C. Samary, N. Geras et al.

March 15, 1997, Brussels (Belgium). A colloqium ("De actualiteit van het marxisme van Ernest Mandel") was held at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, organised by the Ernest MandelStichting. Some 100 people participated in the colloquium. Speakers included E. Witte, G. Maissin, F. Vercammen, M. Alaluf, E. Toussaint, M. van der Linden, A. Tondeur, R. Lew, P. Verbraeken.

Nov. 10-11, 2003, Amsterdam (The Netherlands). A conference ("Theory as History: Ernest Mandel's historical analysis of world capitalism") was held at (and sponsored by) the International Institute of Social History (IISH/IISG). Speakers included P. O'Brien, F. Louca, J.W. Stutje, Ngo Manh Lan, M. Krätke, M. Massarrat, J. Banaji, M. van der Linden, E. Vanhaute.

Nov. 19, 2005, Buxelles (Belgium). A colloquium ("Ernest Mandel - la pensée créatrice" = "Ernest Mandel - een creatif denker") was held at Salle de l'Epée (Bruxelles), organized by the Fondation Ernest Mandel together with the Fondation Léon Lesoil and the Fondation Marcel Liebman. The event was attended by some 250 people. Within 4 panels, the life and ideas of Ernest Mandel were discussed by Tariq Ali, Daniel Bensaïd, Guy Desolre, Eric Corijn, Michel Husson, Francisco Louçã, Michael Löwy, Daniel Tanuro, Eric Toussaint, François Vercammen et al. Furthermore, two films, now available on DVD, featuring the life of Ernest Mandel were presented.


Some selected links to websites dealing with Ernest Mandel

Wolfgang and Petra Lubitz
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