Scarce Printing of the Atlantic Charter by Busy Bee

Atlantic Charter in original card wrappers, housed in a custom-made clam shell book-like box.

This copy is number 58 of 100 copies.

Background to this historic event:
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (fdr) met in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. The resulting agreement (codenamed Riviera) between the United Stated and Great Britain named The Atlantic Charter, was signed on August 14, 1941. This document did much to shape the course of the war and the post war period.

Printed at the press of Geertjan Lubbehuizen and Charles Eugene Blommestein, two Dutch resistance sympathizers. Busy Bee was the name of the press – Lubberhuizen’s nickname – given to him for his efforts in placing Jewish children with Christian families safely throughout the country. The principle aim of the press was to raise money for the resistance.

Simoni describes the press as “among the most outstanding during the war, both for the contents and for the physical appearance of its output”. This booklet is the second part of a three part series which was called ‘Documents Humains’, which brought together the expression of past, present and future political ideas. Ref. Simoni (Anna B.C.) Publish and be Free. A catalogue of clandestine books printed in the Netherlands 1940 – 1943.  A copy is in the British Library, London.

Item #424