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Iranian Left Video

Oral History Project Iran
Interviews with Iranian left activists

In 1995, an oral history project has been initiated at the IISH, comprising of interviews with leading figures of Iranian left-wing movements. This has resulted in a collection of 126 Hi8 tapes and 10 VHS tapes, a total of 262 hours of video-recorded interviews with 28 persons.

The tapes can be consulted at the IISH by appointment (contact the Reading Room. Access to the tapes is free and unlimited, permission is needed for use and/or duplication of material.

The following list is sorted on name of the interviewed person. Short biographical notes are given, with special mention of the organisations involved. Technical data include the number and type of tapes, duration of the interview and signature (number necessary to request for a tape).

ABDOLRAHIMPOUR, Ghorbanali (Majiid)
ALAMI, Shahnaz (Tobi)
ALAVI, Bozorg
ALAVI, Hosein
BARATI, Mehran
BASSIRI, Nasrin
DASTMALCHI, Parviz
EKTESHAFI, Parviz
FARJAD, Farhad
HAGHI, Behroz
JAHANSHAHLUI, Nosratalleh
JAMSHIDI RODBARI, Ferdos
MOHAMADI, Jafar
MORADI, Ali
RAEISI, Heshmat
ROGHANI, Mahmoud
ROUSTA, Kambiz
SARFARAZ, Jalal
SHABAVIZ, Sadegh
SHAFI, Marziehe
SHAFII, Ahmad (Hasan)
SHOKAT, Hamid
TAHERIPOUR, Jamshid
TAMASBI, Ahmad
WAZIRI, Tahmaseb
ZAMIRNEJAD, Mehdi
ZARBAKHT, Morteza
ZHANDI, Mahmoud

>> List of organisations

ABDOLRAHIMPOUR, Ghorbanali (Majiid)
5 Hi8 tapes, 7 hrs, 30 min. (Sign. BG GC8/1-5)
born: Sarab, 1949
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1968-
Engineering student at the University of Tabriz (1967-68). Active in the students' movement. Political prisoner (1970, 1972-73). Political activity in underground networks (Guerilla in armed political groups) in OIPFG against the Shah's regime (1973-79). One of four central members of OIPFG (1976-79). Member of central committee of OIPFG (1979-81). Member of politbureau of OIPF(M) (1981-1990). Political emigration to Germany (1990). Member of Central Council of OIPF(M) from 1991.
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ALAMI, Shahnaz (Tobi)
4 Hi8 tapes, no information (Sign. BG GC8/6-9)

ALAVI, Bozorg
4 Hi8 tapes + 6 VHS tapes, 22 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/298-301, BG V4/146-151)
born: Tehran, 1905
organisation: TPI, DAG
period: 1929-1976
Graduated from Munster University (1928). Activity with Dr. Arami (1929-37). Central member of DAG (1933-35). Editorial board of Donya (Worlf), monthly magazine of Arani Group (1933-35). Struggle against fascism. Political prisoner (1937-41). A leading founder of TPI (2 oct. 1941). Member of Central Committee of the TPI (1941-76). Political immigration to East Germany (1953-79). In autumn 1976, left the TPI. Professor at the Humboldt University (berlin) from 1965 to 1975. One of the most famous writers in the recent history of Iran. Executive member of the International Confederation for Peace (1950s).

ALAVI, Hosein
4 Hi8 tapes, 6 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/10-13)
born: Shahreza, 1951
organisation: TPI
period: 1979-1990
National police officer in Iran (1973-1983). Member of military underground organisation of the TPI (1979- 1983). Member of Central Committee of the TPI (1986-1990). Deputy director of Radio Zahmatkeshan (Toilers) in Afghanistan (a Persian program of TPI and OIPF(M) 1984-89). Left TPI in 1990. Chief editor of Payam Farda (tomorrow's message) from 1993. Political emigration to Germany (1990). Architectural engineer, National University of Tehran (1979).
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BARATI, Mehran
4 Hi8 tapes, 6 hours, complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/14-17)
born: Tehran, 1943
organisation: CIS
period: 1963-
Active in the students' movement in Iran and Germany (1963-75). Political active in CIS and other left organisations (1964- 1975). Leading founder of the NRI. Member of the central council of NRI from 1984. Political emigration to Germany (1983). Doctor in Political Science, Free University of Berlin (1977).

BASSIRI, Nasrin
4 Hi8 tapes, no information (Sign. BG GC8/18-21)
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DASTMALCHI, Parviz
4 Hi8 + 1 VHS tape, 9 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/22-25, BG V1/1)
born: 1949
organisation: CIS
period: 1970-
Active in students' movement in Germany and in CIS. Political active in CROTP (1973-79). Leading founder of NRI. Member of Central council of NRI from 1984. Political emigration to Germany (1983). MA in Political Science, Free University of Berlin.

EKTESHAFI, Parviz
4 Hi8 + 4 VHS tapes, 17 hrs., complete interview. (Sign. BG GC8/26-29, BG V1/2-5)
born: Rasht, 1920
organisation: TPI
period: 1942-1977M
Iranian Air Force officer (major), member of the military underground organisation of TPI (1941-1954). Underground activity in Iranian Air Force against the coup d'etat of 1953. Death penalty. Political emigration to USSR (1954-1977). Executive member of TPI organisation in Moscow (1970-72). Political emigration to Germany (1977). Graduated from Air Force Academy (1941) and from Faculty of Law, University of Tehran (1947).
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FARJAD, Farhad
11 Hi8 tapes, 12 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/30-40)
born: Tehran, 1943
organisation: CIS
period: 1960-
Active in students' movement in Iran (1960-61). Political active in MPI (1963-1984). Active in CIS (1983- 1979). Member of Central Committee of the MPI. Head of the provincial committee of the MPI in Isfahan (1980-83). Left MPI in 1985. Leading founder of the DPIV. Member of the Central council of the DPIV since 1987. Political emigration to Germany (1983). Engineer in electromechanics (1974).

HAGHI, Behroz
6 Hi8 tapes, 9 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/41-46)
born: Tabriz, 1941
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1967-1990
Member of the first underground network of Guerilla Armed Political Group in Tabriz (1967-1970). Political cooperation with Samas Behrang, Behroz and Ashraf Dehghani in Tabriz (1967-1970). Taken prisoner for connection to the Siahkal current (1971). Life sentence. Imprisoned in Tehran, Sanandaj, Bandar Abbas, Mashad and Tabriz. Released from prison during the 1979 revolution. Political activity in OIOGFF and OIPF(M): underground political activity in OIPF(M) (1983). Political emigration to USSR (1984-1990). Political emigration to Germany (1990). Teacher in Tabriz (1960s).
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JAHANSHAHLUI, Nosratalleh
4 Hi8 tapes + 3 VHS tapes, 15 hrs., (Sign. BG GC8/302-305, BG V4/152-154)
born: Zanjan, 1912
organisation: DAG, TPI, DPAI
period: 1933-1975
Activity in underground students' movement in Tehran (1933-34). Activity in DAG (1933-37). Political prisoner (1937-41). Member of TPI (1941-75). Chief executive of students' branch of TPI (1942-43). Chief of provincial committee of TPI in Zanjan (1943-45). Deputy of new governor of Azarbaijan (prime minister) in 1845-46. political immigration to USSR (1946-72). Politcal immigration to Germany from 1976.

JAMSHIDI RODBARI, Ferdos
5 Hi8 tapes, 7 hrs. 30 min., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/47-51)
born: 1939
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1960-1990
Active in students' movement in Iran (1960-61). Underground political active in armed political groups. Life sentence (1971). Released from prison in the 1979 revolution. Candidate for OIPFG for the Constituent Assembly and the National Parliament for Mazandaran (1979). Chief of advertising branch of OIPFG and OIPF(M). Member of Polit-bureau of OIPF(M) (1984-1990). Political emigration to Germany (1990). Doctor of Medicine, University of Tehran (1966).

MOHAMADI, Jafar
7 Hi8 tapes, 10 hrs. 23 min., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/52-58)
born: Tehran, 1922
organisation:
period: 1943-1953, 1979-1986
Captain in the Iranian army (1943-1953). Member of the military underground organisation of TPI (1943- 1953). Death penalty (1953). Political prisoner (1953-59). Political activity in TPI (1979-1986). Political emigration to Germany in 1983.
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MORADI, Ali
4 Hi8 + 2 VHS tapes, 10 hrs. 32 min, compl. interv. (Sign. BG GC8/59-62, BG V1/6-7)
born: Isfahan, 1958
organisation: TPI
period: 1976-1983
Underground political activities in Islamic groups (1976-79). Politically active in TPI (1979-1983). Executive member of the provincial committee of TPI in Isfahan (1981-83). Political prisoner (1983-89). Political emigration to Germany (1990).

RAEISI, Heshmat
4 Hi8 tapes + 5 VHS tapes, 18 hrs., (Sign. BG GC8/306-309, BG V4/155-159)
born: Aghajari, 1949
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M), TPI
period: 1970-1990
Technical worker in Iran's oil industry. Underground political activity to publish and distribute the pamphlets and statements of OIPFG. Was taken prisoner in 1974. Sentenced to 15 years in prison. Political prisoner (1974-79). Member of central committee of OIPFG (1979-81). Candidate of OIPGF to Constituent Assembly and National Parlement in Tehran in 1979. Member of TPI (1982-90). Member of central committee of TPI. Left the TPI in 1990. Political immigration to USSR (1984-90). Graduated from Moscow's Party School. Political immigration to Germany from 1990.

ROGHANI, Mahmoud
5 Hi8 tapes, 7 hrs. 30 min. (Sign. BG GC8/63-67)
born: Rey, 1942
organisation:
period: 1960-83
Worker in the textile-industry Momtaz in Theran. Activity in political underground in the Arash-group (60s). Activity in political underground in the MPI (1974-79). Leader of the workers' branch of the MPI. Member of the Central Committee of the MPI. Candidate for the MPI in national parliament (1979). Political prisoner (1983-89). Political emigration to Germany (1992).
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ROUSTA, Kambiz
4 Hi8 + 1 VHS tape, 8 hrs. 20 min. (Sign. BG GC8/68-71, BG V1/8)
born: Rasht, 1939
organisation: TPI, CIS, National Front
period: 1952-
Politically active in youth organisation of TPI and in CIS. Chief of CIS congress. Executive member of CIS (1973). Founding member and executive member of National Front of Iran in Europe and in the Middle East. Political activity in LIC and political coordination with OIPFG (1971-74). Founding member and politically active in Freedom Front in Iran after the 1979 revolution (1979-1981). Political activity in Council of the Left Union. Doctor in Political Science, University of Graz, Vienna (1971).

SARFARAZ, Jalal
4 Hi8 tapes, no information (Sign. BG GC8/72-75)
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SHABAVIZ, Sadegh
4 Hi8 tapes, 6 hrs. (Sign. BG GC8/76-78)
born: Tehran, 1925
organisation: TPI
period: 1942-1990
Member of the first activist group of the youth organisation of TPI (1942). Active in art and culture segment of TPI. Member of Abdolhossein Nushin's theater group. Participated in Saadi and Ferdousi theaters. Artistically and politically active in connection with the TPI (1942-1953). Political emigration to Germany (1953). Active artistically in Deutsches Theater and on the Humboldt University since 1955.

SHAFI, Marziehe
3 Hi8 tapes, 3hrs. 30 min., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/79-82)
born: Tehran, 1953
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1972-
Political activity in OIPFG (1973-79). Underground networks of armed struggle in Tehran in Hamid Ashraf branch (1973-76). OIPFG in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashad and Ahvaz (1976-79). Political activity in OIPFG and OIPF(M) after the 1979 revolution. Political emigration to USSR (1983-89). Graduated from Tashkand Party School (1987). Political emigration to Germany in 1990.
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SHAFII, Ahmad (Hasan)
4 Hi8 + 1 VHS tape, 8 hrs. 36 min. (Sign. BG GC8/83-86, BG V1/9)
born: Najaf, 1924
organisation: TPI
period: 1943-1990
Central member of TPI youth organisation in Gilan (1944-48). Political emigration to USSR (1949-1972). Political imprisonment in USSR (1950-51). Graduated from Moscow's Party School (1952-54). Political emigration to Germany (1972) . Doctor in biology, University of Moscow (1970)

SHOKAT, Hamid
4 Hi8 tapes, no information (Sign. BG GC8/87-90)
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TAHERIPOUR, Jamshid
7 Hi8 tapes, 10 hrs. 30 min. (Sign. BG GC8/91-97)
born: Lahijan, 1946
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1971-1990
Active in the underground students' movement in Gilan (1964-67). Underground political activity in Lorestan. Political activity in underground networks (Guerilla of armed political groups) in OIPFG. Taken prison in connection with Hamid Ashraf (1974). Sentenced to 15 years in prison. Political imprisonment (1974-79). Chief editor of newspaper Kar (Work) organ of OIGPFF and OIPF(M) (1980-81). Head of OIPF(M) in underground organisation (1983). Political emigration to Afghanistan (1984-86).Director of Radio Zahmatkeshan (Toilers) in Afghanistan (Persian program of OIPFMM and TPI, 1984-86). Member of politbureau of OIPF(M) (1984-1990). Political emigration to Germany (1990).

TAMASBI, Ahmad
4 Hi8 + 1 VHS tape, 11 hrs. 52 min. (Sign. BG GC8/98-101, BG V1/10)
born: Ghom, 1941
organisation: CIS
period: 1960-1992
Active in Iranian and German students' movement (1960-1974). Central member of National Front of Iran (outside of Iran). Political activity in WG (1975-79). Leading founder of the NRI. Member of the Central Council of the NRI (1984-1992). Political emigration to Germany (1983). Doctor in Political Science, Free University of Berlin (1974).
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WAZIRI, Tahmaseb
8 Hi8 tapes, 12 hrs., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/102-109)
born: Esfarjan, 1949
organisation: OIPFG, OIPF(M)
period: 1970-
Student of Sociology at the University of Tehran (1970-71). Political activity in students' movement. Political activity as guerilla in armed group OIPFG (1973-79). Lived for 6 years in underground networks of armed struggle in Tehran, Isfahan and Ahvaz in different guerilla team house (Khaneha-ye timi cheriki). Head executive of provincial committee of OIPFG and OIPF(M) in Isfahan (1979-1983). One of the heads of the underground OIPF(M) (1983-88). Head executive of 8 provincial underground organisations of OIPF(M) (1984- 88). Member of central committee of OIPF(M). Political emigration to Germany (1990).

ZAMIRNEJAD, Mehdi
4 Hi8 tapes, no information (Sign. BG GC8/110-113)
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ZARBAKHT, Morteza
7 Hi8 tapes, 10 hrs. 30 min., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/114-120)
born: Tehran, 1921
organisation: TPI
period: 1944-1958
Lieutenant in the Iranian airforce (1942-46). Member of the military underground TPI (1942-46). Commander of the airforce in Azarbaijan, ADP (1946). Military political activity with Mola Mostafa Barzani (in Kurdish region of Iraq). Political emigration to Iraq (1947-1950). Death sentence in Iran. Political imprisonment in Iran (1951- 58).

ZHANDI, Mahmoud
6 Hi8 tapes, 9 hrs., complete interview (Sign. BG GC8/121-126)
born: Malayer, 1923
organisation: TPI
period: 1944-1963
Political activity in TPI (1944-1953). Editorial board of Mardom (People) and Rahbar (Leader), organ newspapers of TPI (1941-45, 1946-48). Chief editor of 'Besoy-e ayand-e' (Facing the Future), organ of the TPI (1950-53). Political imprisonment (1953-1963).
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List of organisations CIS (Confederation of Iranian Students)
National Front
OIPFG (Organisation of Iranian People's Fedaii Guerilla)
OIPF(M) (Organisation of Iranian People's Fedaiis (Majority))
TPI (Tudeh Party of Iran)