Israel Panner
Encyclopedia
Israel Panner also known by the pen name
s Ike Rennap and Harry Robertson, was an Austrian/British writer and journalist.
Active in Jewish and Communist circles, in 1934 Panner became secretary the Jewish Colonization Association
in the USSR, and in 1935 was elected Secretary of the Jewish Labour Council. After serving in the army in World War II
, in 1947 he became editor of the Jewish Clarion and in 1948, the London correspondent (as Robertson) of Kol HaAm
. He went on to work as a sub-editor for the Sheffield Telegraph
and the Birmingham Post
, before serving as chief parliamentary editor of the Daily Telegraph
and author (as Ike Rennap) of Middle Eastern literature
As one of the leading Communist Jewish writers of the period, Panner was an obvious subject of Security Service interest in the 1930s and 1940s. As documented in KV 2/2173 (1934-1947) he first came to the Service's attention through being mentioned in intercepted correspondence of other Communist targets, and was soon found speaking at meetings.
His Intelligence file (File refs KV 2/2173-2174) includes a Special Branch report of his arrest for obstruction in February 1941 while he was engaged in trying to propagate Communist ideals in the confined spaces of the communal air-raid shelters in London's East End. Initially working as a stretcher-bearer for a London council, he was eventually called up in July 1942, and the file contains a number of the Special Observation Report Forms compiled on him by his senior officers. Typical of these is the one at serial 68a which describes him as being a "barrack room lawyer and given to grousing. Argumentative towards his fellow soldiers."
Taken together these reports give a very full account of his (largely uneventful) military career. After demobilisation in June 1946, Panner returned to his journalistic work, and the Service continued to monitor his activities (as shown in KV 2/2174) until 1953.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
s Ike Rennap and Harry Robertson, was an Austrian/British writer and journalist.
Active in Jewish and Communist circles, in 1934 Panner became secretary the Jewish Colonization Association
Jewish Colonization Association
The Jewish Colonization Association was created on September 11, 1891 by the Baron Maurice de Hirsch. Its aim was to facilitate the mass emigration of Jews from Russia and other Eastern European countries, by settling them in agricultural colonies on lands purchased by the committee, particularly...
in the USSR, and in 1935 was elected Secretary of the Jewish Labour Council. After serving in the army in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1947 he became editor of the Jewish Clarion and in 1948, the London correspondent (as Robertson) of Kol HaAm
Kol HaAm
Kol HaAm was a Hebrew language newspaper in Mandate Palestine and Israel, owned by the Israeli Communist Party.-History:Established in 1937, the paper appointed Communist Party member Esther Vilenska editor in 1943, and chief editor in 1947...
. He went on to work as a sub-editor for the Sheffield Telegraph
Sheffield Telegraph
The Sheffield Telegraph is a weekly newspaper published in Sheffield, England.-History:Founded in 1855 as the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, it was the city's first daily newspaper, published at 08:00 each morning. The newspaper struggled until W. C...
and the Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
, before serving as chief parliamentary editor of the Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
and author (as Ike Rennap) of Middle Eastern literature
As one of the leading Communist Jewish writers of the period, Panner was an obvious subject of Security Service interest in the 1930s and 1940s. As documented in KV 2/2173 (1934-1947) he first came to the Service's attention through being mentioned in intercepted correspondence of other Communist targets, and was soon found speaking at meetings.
His Intelligence file (File refs KV 2/2173-2174) includes a Special Branch report of his arrest for obstruction in February 1941 while he was engaged in trying to propagate Communist ideals in the confined spaces of the communal air-raid shelters in London's East End. Initially working as a stretcher-bearer for a London council, he was eventually called up in July 1942, and the file contains a number of the Special Observation Report Forms compiled on him by his senior officers. Typical of these is the one at serial 68a which describes him as being a "barrack room lawyer and given to grousing. Argumentative towards his fellow soldiers."
Taken together these reports give a very full account of his (largely uneventful) military career. After demobilisation in June 1946, Panner returned to his journalistic work, and the Service continued to monitor his activities (as shown in KV 2/2174) until 1953.