Author: International Union of Students (IUS)
Title: an original guestbook from IUS 01 June 1979 festival protesting the Reagan-era US arms race.
Description: n.p.[DDR?], [1979]. orig. cloth. 27x21cm, Contains 24 pages with handwritten entries. The rest of the pages [ca. 100?] are blank.. Some wear. Good. ¶ This binder was apparently used as a guestbook for the Moscow-alligned International Union of Students 01 June 1979 festival protesting the development of the neutron bomb. Printed title-page reads: "Im Namen des Lebens - Weg mit den Massenvernichtungswaffen! Schluss mit dem Wettrüsten! Wir Sagen Nein zur USA-Neutronenwaffe! / Stop / Informations and Aktionszentrum", and is one third- filled with handwritten entries by IUS participants, 24 pages in all, including a first page [in Czech, signed by IUS president and IUS vice-president]; most of the rest in German; two entries in English, one in Japanese. Includes a full page in English signed by Victor Grossman reading "June 1, 1979 / I thank the young people who came despite the burning sun and asked questions, listened to the answers I tried to give them and helped make it an interesting hour during the festival. Best greetings in the struggle against the nuclear bomb and for detente! / Victor Grossman" [ Victor Grossman (born March 11, 1928) is an American publicist and author who defected to the Soviet Union in 1952. He studied journalism in East Germany and remained there working as a journalist and writer" [-wikipedia]. Also includes an entry by the Canadian folksinger Perry Friedman ["1 June 1979 / All Best Wishes / Perry Friedman" [Perry Friedman (1935-1995) was a Canadian folk singer who sang folk songs and political songs to the banjo after the example of Pete Seeger and who had come to East Berlin in 1959 through appearances in left-wing organizations in England and Denmark...."]

Keywords: Cold War, Soviet Union, Political History, Arms Race, Disarmament, , , ,