Campus group

Aryan Affairs Commission

• AAC

1967-[1972?]

The Aryan Affairs Commission (AAC) was a student organization established by Harold D. Goldbrick at the University of Waterloo in Fall 1967. Harold D. Goldbrick was likely a pseudonym as there is no evidence of a student under this name graduating from the university. Goldbrick, who wrote for The Chevron, reportedly created the AAC to generate material for his weekly column, “As the words wag on.”[1] Goldbrick penned this column from June 9, 1967, until at least March 1, 1968. In a document provided alongside the first meeting minutes of the AAC, the club's purpose was stated as promoting Aryanic languages and fostering positive relationships between individuals of Aryan and non-Aryan descent.[2] During an interview with The Chevron on November 10, 1967, Goldbrick stated, “Well, I was thinking that maybe too much attention is being paid to minority groups – Germans, Canadians, French Canadians, Newfies, Ontarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Communists, Fascists, Homosexuals, Heterosexuals.”[3] On November 24, 1967, Goldbrick stated in his column that the AAC, “was first formed as a backlash to Afghanistan power and various other preversions of the bored of intimate relations. However, since then we have gone so far afield and attracted such wide membership interest that the name of the group is losing its meaning. It will, of course, be retained to be consistent with the other meaningless aspects of the group.”[4]

The AAC was considered a satirical club by its members and others across campus. In the handbook What’s what at uniwat 1968-69, published by the Federation of Students, the AAC is cited as the biggest in-joke on campus, an anti-organization and apathy club as well as fascist, communist, racist, anarchist, neo-Nazi, and liberal. The AAC staged various pranks, jokes, and activities on campus such as the opening and closing buildings, integrating crosswalks, capturing radio stations, burning books, and holding at least one Beer Hall Putsch, an event where members pushed beer bottles across a hallway with their head.[5] It seems that the AAC played a more active role on campus by 1968.[6] The AAC was involved in the organization of the Miles for Millions march in 1968, an annual fundraising event for charity held nationwide in Canada.[7]

The AAC received formal club recognition by the Federation of Students (now the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, WUSA) in Spring 1968. Initially, AAC's application for club recognition was denied due to a new policy requiring all clubs to submit written constitutions rather than form-based constitutions.[8] There is some evidence to suggest that the ACC was also not granted club recognition due to concerns of potential discriminatory practices. However, these concerns were apparently dispelled and after resubmitting their constitution, the AAC was granted club recognition by the Federation of Students.[9]

The operations of the AAC were overseen by an executive board until the group started convening in a washroom, at which point the board was restructured and rebranded as the 'privy council'. This council consisted of a select group of individuals who wore top hats with a red ribbon.[10]

The organizational structure of the privy council parodied that of the university and Federation of Students. The council included the president, vice president in charge of vice, the comptroller, the registrar, the chairman of the board of propaganda, the chairman of the board of student activities, and the chief jock of the board of athletics, among other roles. Further information outlining the responsibilities of some of these positions can be found in What’s what at uniwat 1968-69, published by the Federation of Students.[11]

Membership was open to all. The official marching-song of the AAC was “Lapland.”[12]

The AAC was listed in the Federation of Students handbook until at least 1972.[13] It is uncertain if the club remained active after that time.

While the AAC may have been intended as a satirical club, the organization’s name and use of the term ‘Aryan’ carries racist connotations. The group’s name has been maintained in keeping with Special Collections & Archives’ approach to language in archival descriptions, which prioritizes speaking openly about and clearly identifying problematic, harmful, and otherwise offensive records in the department’s holdings. This approach, while potentially upsetting, allows for the critical assessment and questioning of historical material by contemporary researchers.

[1] Verdun, Bob. What’s what at uniwat 1968-69. Federation of Students, 1968, p.30.

[2] University of Waterloo Archives. UWA2020-04 Vertical files collection: topical files. Aryan Affairs Commission.

[3] Elder, Diane. “Goldbrick in politics.” The Chevron, November 10, 1967 (v.8, n.20), p.7.

[4] Goldbrick, Harold D. “As the words wag on.” The Chevron, November 24, 1967 (v.8, n.22), p.5.

[5] Verdun, Bob. What’s what at uniwat 1968-69. Federation of Students, 1968, p.30.

[6] Burcher, Betty. “Powerlessness leads to apathy at Waterloo – first year student.” The Chevron, June 21, 1968(v.9, n.7), p. 7.

[7] Verdun, Bob. What’s what at uniwat 1968-69. Federation of Students, 1968, p.31.

[8] “Fair play – Aryan Affairs Commission official.” The Chevron, May 10, 1968 (v.9, n.1), p.12.

[9] University of Waterloo Archives. UWA2020-04 Vertical files collection: topical files. Aryan Affairs Commission.

[10] Verdun, Bob. What’s what at uniwat 1968-69. Federation of Students, 1968, p.30.

[11] Verdun, Bob. What’s what at uniwat 1968-69. Federation of Students, 1968, p.30.

[12] University of Waterloo Archives. UWA2020-04 Vertical files collection: topical files. Aryan Affairs Commission.

[13] Handbook 72. Federation of Students, 1972, p. 19.