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kilgram
01-20-2014, 01:48 PM
I want to show a letter that by most is unknown and how the Bolsheviks behave. How they attacked anything that would differ in their ideas, not opposition, just a different view. It is a letter written by Emma Goldman and her husband Alexander Berkman after seeing the situation. They wrote this letter from Stockholm, Sweeden.

And also to show how Anarchists and "Marxists" never have been friendly between them and the chapters of violence from the Marxist Communists against the Anarchists is the common. They attacked the Anarchists in the Spanish Civil War, they attacked them in Russia, they are prosecuted in Cuba.

Bolsheviks shooting Anarchists (http://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/emma-goldman-alexander-berkman-bolsheviks-shooting-anarchists?print)


Emma Goldman, Alexander BerkmanBolsheviks Shooting Anarchists
We have just received the following letter from our comrades Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman, who are now stranded in Stockholm. This letter gives us the truth about the terrible persecution of Anarchists in Russia. We ask all Anarchist and Syndicalist papers to republish this letter, and we hope comrades in this country will help us in pushing the sale of this issue, of which we have printed a much larger number than usual.
Dear Comrades, — The persecution of the revolutionary elements in Russia has not abated with the changed political and economic policies of the Bolsheviki. On the contrary, it has become more intense, more determined. The prisons of Russia, of Ukraina, of Siberia, are filled with men and women — aye, in some cases with mere children — who dare hold views that differ from those of the ruling Communist Party. We say “hold views” advisedly. For in the Russia of to-day it is not at all necessary to express your dissension in word or act to become subject to arrest; the mere holding of opposing views makes you the legitimate prey of the de facto supreme power of the land, the Tcheka, that almighty Bolshevik Okhrana, whose will knows neither law nor responsibility.
But of all the revolutionary elements in Russia it is the Anarchists who now suffer the most ruthless and systematic persecution. Their suppression by the Bolsheviki began already in 1918, when — in the month of April of that year — the Communist Government attacked, without provocation or warning, the Anarchist Club of Moscow and by the use of machine guns and artillery “liquidated” the whole organisation. It was the beginning of Anarchist hounding, but it was sporadic in character, breaking out now and then, quite planless, and frequently self-contradictory. Thus, Anarchist publications would now be permitted, now suppressed; Anarchists arrested here only to be liberated there; sometimes shot and then again importuned to accept most responsible positions. But this chaotic situation was terminated by the Tenth Congress of the Russian Communist Party, in April, 1921, at which Lenin declared open and merciless war not only against Anarchists but against “all petty bourgeois Anarchist and Anarcho-Syndicalist tendencies wherever found. It was then and there that began the systematic, organised, and most ruthless extirmination of Anarchists in Bolshevik-ruled Russia. On the very day of the Lenin speech scores of Anarchists, Anarcho-Syndicalists, and their sympathisers were arrested in Moscow and Petrograd, and on the following day wholesale arrests of our comrades took place all over the country. Since then the persecution has continued with increasing violence, and it has become quite apparent that the greater the compromises the Communist regime makes with the capitalist world, the more intense its persecution of Anarchism.
It has become the settled policy of the Bolshevik Government to mask its barbaric procedure against our comrades by the uniform charge ofbanditism. This accusation is now made practically against all arrested Anarchists, and frequently even against mere sympathisers with our movement. A mighty convenient method, for by it any one may be secretly executed by the Tcheka, without hearing, trial, or investigation.
Lenin’s warfare against Anarchist tendencies has assumed the most revolting Asiatic form of extermination. Last September numerous comrades were arrested in Moscow, and on the 30th of that month the Izvestia published the official statement that ten of the arrested Anarchists had been shot “as bandits.” None of them had received a trial or even a hearing, nor were they permitted to be represented by counsel or be visited by friends or relatives. Among the executed were two of the best-known Russian Anarchists, whose idealism and lifelong devotion to the cause of humanity had stood the test of Tsarist dungeons and exile, and persecution and suffering in various other countries. They were Fanny Baron, who had escaped from prison in Ryazan several months previously, and Lev Tchorny, the popular lecturer and writer, who had spent many years of his life in the Siberian katorga for his revolutionary activities under the Tsars. The Bolsheviki did not have the courage to say that they had shot Lev Tchorny; in the list of the executed he appeared as “Turchaninoff,” which — though his real name — was unknown even to some of his closest friends.
The policy of extermination is continuing. Several weeks ago more arrests of Anarchists took place in Moscow. This time it was the Universalist Anarchists who were the victims — the group which even the Bolsheviki had always considered most friendly to themselves. Amongst the arrested were also Askaroff, Shapiro,[1] (http://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/emma-goldman-alexander-berkman-bolsheviks-shooting-anarchists?print#fn1) and Stitzenko, members of the Secretariat of the Moscow section of the Universalists, and well known throughout Russia. These arrests, outrageous as they were, were at first considered by the comrades as due to the unauthorised action of some over-zealous Tchekist agent. But information has since been received that our Universalist comrades are officially accused of being bandits, counterfeiters, Makhnovtsy, and members of the “ Lev Tchorny underground group.” What such an accusation means is known only too well to those familiar with Bolshevik methods. It means razstrel, execution by shooting, without hearing or warning.
The fiendishness of the purpose of these arrests and accusations is almost beyond belief. By charging Askaroff, Shapiro, Stitzenko, and others with “membership in the Lev Tchorny underground group,” the Bolsheviki seek to justify their foul murder of Lev Tchorny, Fanny Baron, and the other comrades executed in September; and, on the other hand, to create a convenient pretext for shooting more Anarchists. We can assure the readers unreservedly and absolutely that there was no Lev Tchorny underground group. The claim to the contrary is an atrocious lie, one of the many similar ones spread by the Bolsheviki against the Anarchists with impunity.
It is high time that the revolutionary Labour movement of the world took cognizance of the blood and murder regime practised by the Bolshevik Government upon all politically differently minded. And it is for the Anarchists and AnarchoSyndicalists, in particular, imperative to take immediate action toward putting a stop to such Asiatic barbarism, and to save, if still possible, our imprisoned Moscow comrades threatened with death. Some of the arrested Anarchists are about to declare a hunger strike to the death, as their only means of protest against the Bolshevik attempt to outrage the memory of the martyred Lev Tchorny after they had foully done him to death. They demand the moral support of their comrades at large. They have the right to demand this, and more. Their sublime self-sacrifice, their lifelong devotion to the great cause, their unswerving steadfastness, all entitle them to it. Comrades, friends, everywhere! It is for you to help vindicate the memory of Lev Tchorny and at the same time save the precious lives of Askaroff, Shapiro, Stitzenko, and others. Do not delay or it may be too late. Demand from the Bolshevik Government the alleged Lev Tchorny documents they pretend to have, which “involve Askaroff, etc., in the Lev Tchorny group of bandits and counterfeiters.” Such documents do not exist, unless they be forgeries. Challenge the Bolsheviki to produce them, and let the voice of every honest revolutionist and decent human being be raised in world-wide protest against the continuance of the Bolshevik system of foul assassination of its political opponents. Make haste, for the blood of our comrades is flowing in Russia.
(Signed) Alexander Berkman.
Emma Goldman.
Stockholm, January 7, 1922.

Ethereal
01-20-2014, 01:54 PM
Anarchists and Marxists are natural enemies. The Marxist believes in using the state to achieve a stateless society, but that is completely backwards thinking, especially to an anarchist.

Alyosha
01-20-2014, 01:56 PM
Anarchists and Marxists are natural enemies. The Marxist believes in using the state to achieve a stateless society, but that is completely backwards thinking, especially to an anarchist.

Violence is the tool of the state and its capitalist overlords. Good ideas don't require force to achieve.

kilgram
01-20-2014, 01:57 PM
Anarchists and Marxists are natural enemies. The Marxist believes in using the state to achieve a stateless society, but that is completely backwards thinking, especially to an anarchist.
Yes.

I had a flatmate that is Marxist Communist of the PSUC (if you know something of the Spanish Civil War you will know this party). Well, the complete name of his ideology is Marxist Lennist Communist :) Yeah a lot of adjectives :) And I had a lot of discussions with him. And one of the points is that I never was able to understand how they were able to defend that through the state, authoritarism they would get the stateless system. That is pure Orwellian.

kilgram
01-20-2014, 02:03 PM
Violence is the tool of the state and its capitalist overlords. Good ideas don't require force to achieve.
Well, a year ago I would agree with you. Today I disagree in part.

To fight the capitalist overlords you need to use violence to defend yourself against them. For example, the most recent event in Spain is the case of Burgos, El Gamonal, maybe you've listened about it. Well, the Mayor ignored all the protests of the people against the construction of the park lot, a park lot that had to be constructed by a corrupt businessman, and moreover we speak about an endebted mayor council, and they don't have money for important things but they had to spend 2 million(I think) to construct this that was unnecessary. Well, neighbours protested during months but they were ignored. One day, some neighbours started to use some violence, burning containers, breaking windows of banks and similar behaviour. Then they started to be listened and finally the mayor had to cancel the project.

Ethereal
01-20-2014, 02:13 PM
Yes.

I had a flatmate that is Marxist Communist of the PSUC (if you know something of the Spanish Civil War you will know this party). Well, the complete name of his ideology is Marxist Lennist Communist :) Yeah a lot of adjectives :) And I had a lot of discussions with him. And one of the points is that I never was able to understand how they were able to defend that through the state, authoritarism they would get the stateless system. That is pure Orwellian.

I think the difference between the Marxist and the anarchist is that the Marxist believes in structural-based reforms whereas the anarchist believes in psychological reforms. The Marxist thinks that a stateless result can be engineered by manipulating the structure of social organization, whereas the anarchist thinks that a stateless society comes about because of psychological progression in the people. That is why anarchists place so much emphasis on things like consent and persuasion, because they realize that anarchism is a really just a mindset, not a configuration.

kilgram
01-20-2014, 02:17 PM
I think the difference between the Marxist and the anarchist is that the Marxist believes in structural-based reforms whereas the anarchist believes in psychological reforms. The Marxist thinks that a stateless result can be engineered by manipulating the structure of social organization, whereas the anarchist thinks that a stateless society comes about because of psychological progression in the people. That is why anarchists place so much emphasis on things like consent and persuasion, because they realize that anarchism is a really just a mindset, not a configuration.
Yes, however they also believe in social revolution. However, it is true that the social revolution has to come from the people under the circunstances that you mention.

Mister D
01-20-2014, 02:21 PM
Yes, however they also believe in social revolution. However, it is true that the social revolution has to come from the people under the circunstances that you mention.

Marxists and anarchists have a people?

kilgram
01-20-2014, 02:23 PM
Marxists and anarchists have a people?
I don't understand your question.

Mister D
01-20-2014, 02:25 PM
I don't understand your question.

You say that "social revolution has to come from the people". Since I know you do not identify with your people I find your statement curious to say the least.