Hugo Dewar died on June 14 at the age of seventy. For more than half a century, he was part of the vanguard of the British revolutionary movement.
First, he was a member of the Independent Labour Party. Then, following the 1926 general strike, he joined the British Communist Party.
As the Nazis rose to power in Germany, he opposed the CP's "third period" Stalinist policies. With members of the Balham Group-named after a neighborhood in London-he founded the first Trotskyist organization in Britain-the Communist League, British section of the International Left Opposition.
During the fairly chaotic history of the Trotskyist movement (as well as of other revolutionary organizations) in Britain, Hugo Dewar didn't stop his political activities-especially during the Second World War. Although at times he expressed political or tactical differences with the Fourth International, he never gave in to Social Democracy or Stalinism.
He wrote books and pamphlets on such topics as the policies of the British Communist Party, the Moscow Trials, and the events in Hungary. During these years he also wrote poetry.
During the tragic years of fascism's victory on the European continent and of Stalinism's triumph in the Communist parties, his London apartment was always open to numerous revolutionary exiles who took refuge there. I am sure that none of them have forgotten the hospitality and fraternal camaraderie with which they were received by Hugo (who spoke several languages) and his companion, Margaretherself a political refugee from Eastern Europe.
Hugo was from a generation that went through many defeats and setbacks. But he never abandoned the working-class fight and never lost his convictions in the victory of the socialist revolution.
We express our sorrowful condolences to his companion, Margaret Dewar, and our solidarity in these trying times.