The Papers of George Urban

Fonds

Reference Code: GBR/0014/URBN

Scope and Contents

Papers relating to Urban's informal advice on foreign policy for Margaret Thatcher

Dates

Creation: 1978 - 1996

Creator

Urban, George, 1921 - 1997 (academic, broadcaster) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holders and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Biographical / Historical

George Urban was born in Hungary in 1921. he studied at Budapest University before leaving for England in 1948. He later obtaining a PhD at London University in 1956. He served with the European Service of the BBC and with Radio Free Europe, where he was Director ffrom 1983-86. His publications include: "End of Empire: The Demise of the Soviet Union" (1992); "Diplomacy and Disillusion at the Court of Margaret Thatcher: An Insider's View" (1996); and "Radio Free Europe and the Pursuit of Democracy: My War Within the Cold War" (1997). He died in October 1997.