Max Levitas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Max Levitas
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Max Levitas in 1945
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| Born | 1 June 1915 |
| Died | 2 November 2018 (aged 103) |
| Occupation | Councillor |
| Known for | Participant in the Battle of Cable Street |
| Political party | Communist Party of Great Britain |
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Max Samuel Levitas (born June 1, 1915 – died November 2, 2018) was an activist and local politician from Ireland. He lived in the East End of London for many years. Max was a member of the Young Communist League and later the Communist Party of Great Britain.
He was known for standing up against unfairness and fighting for people's rights. Max played an important part in the Battle of Cable Street, where people stopped a group of fascists from marching through their neighborhood. He also served as a councillor, helping to make decisions for his local community.
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Max's Early Life
Max Levitas was born in Dublin, Ireland. His parents, Harry and Leah, were Jewish and spoke Yiddish. They had moved to Ireland to escape difficult times in their home countries.
Max's father, Harry, was a leader in a workers' union for tailors. Because of his union work, Harry found it hard to get jobs. So, in 1927, when Max was 12, his family moved to Glasgow, Scotland. Max left school around this time.
Getting Involved in Activism
In Glasgow, Max became interested in communism, which is a political idea about sharing wealth and power. When he was 16, he joined the Young Communist League.
In 1931, Max and his family moved again, this time to the East End of London. He started working with his father in the clothing industry. Max became a leader in his local Young Communist League group, which his younger brother, Maurice, also joined.
Fighting Against Fascism
Max spent a lot of his time in the East End fighting against fascism. Fascism is a political idea where a country is ruled by a very strong leader, and people have few rights. In 1934, Max was arrested for writing "all out against fascism" on Nelson's Column, a famous monument.
In 1936, Max was involved in the Battle of Cable Street. This was a famous event where Jewish people and other activists worked together to stop a group of fascists from marching through the East End. Max was one of the last people alive who had been there.
Helping People with Rent
Another important campaign for Max and his group in the 1930s was fighting against unfair rents. In 1939, Max led a four-month rent strike where he lived. This meant people refused to pay their rent until their landlords agreed to fairer prices. During this time, he met his future wife, Sadie Freedman.
Max continued to work in the clothing industry. He also became a shop steward, which means he represented other workers in his union. During World War II, he helped protect people as a fire warden. He also helped organize a protest to get bomb shelters opened for people in the East End.
Becoming a Councillor
Max became well-known for his speeches. In 1943, he helped write a book about his local area, Stepney. In 1946, he was elected as a councillor for the Communist Party of Great Britain. This meant he helped make decisions for his local community.
He served as a councillor for many years, first on the Stepney Borough Council and then on the Tower Hamlets London Borough Council. He was a councillor for a total of 15 years.
Later Life and Legacy
After he stopped being a councillor, Max became a market trader. He continued to be active in politics and helped local groups for tenants (people who rent homes) and pensioners (older people). He also kept fighting against racism.
Max retired from work when he was 80, but he never stopped campaigning for what he believed in. In 2002, he helped unveil a special plaque in Dublin. In 2013, he spoke at a rally against a group called the English Defence League. Even when he was 99, he led a campaign to help people with high repair bills for their homes.
Max was a big fan of the football team Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. He often went to games with his son, Stephen, until Stephen passed away in 2014. For Max's 100th birthday, the team sent him a special card and a signed flag.
Max Levitas passed away in November 2018, at the age of 103. Many people, including Jeremy Corbyn, a leader of the British Labour Party, and Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, shared their respect for him.
