East Germans 'gave cash to help striking miners'

EAST German communists helped fund the British miners' strike in the 1980s, a new book by two UK historians claims.

The book cites recently-found papers which appear to show substantial sums of currency were secretly transferred to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) during the action.

The book claims the former German Democratic Republic offered free holidays to the country for striking miners and their families in 1984 and 1985.

Food parcels and clothing were also shipped to those taking part in the strike, which ended in a historic defeat for the miners.

Professor Stefan Berger, from the University of Manchester, and Dr Norman LaPorte, from the University of Glamorgan, detail the documents in their new book, Friendly Enemies: Britain And The GDR 1949 to 1990.

Prof Berger said: "My research finds that the NUM and the East European communists wanted to keep the affair secret.

"The communists perceived the NUM as an ally in the international class struggle against capitalism - hence the close interest in the strike."