anarchists
Articles about the lives of the men and women who helped to build the international anarchist movement.
Anarchists who turned to the Bolsheviks - Nick Heath
In these biographies, Nick Heath charts the trajectory of several leading anarchists in the Russian revolution into the service of the Bolshevik counterrevolution.
Kogan, David aka Lev Rubin,Lev, Christ, Little Christ, David Samara (1893-1923?)
A short biography of David Kogan, devoted Russian anarchist and escaper extraordinaire.
“Comrade David Kogan (Lev Rubin), an attractive personality, a man of high
integrity and renown as a revolutionary Anarchist,” The Guillotine at Work, Grigori Maximov
Gutman, [Gotman] Iosif I. aka Iosif the Emigrant, 1890-1920
A short biography of Russian Jewish anarchist Iosif the Emigrant who was a strong advocate of close cooperation between the anarchist movement and the Makhnovists
“A short, slender man of thirty, with lustrous dark eyes set wide apart, and a face of peculiar sadness. The expression of his eyes still haunts me: now mournful, now irate, they reflect all the tragedy of his Jewish descent. His smile speaks the kindliness of a heart that has suffered and learned to understand”. The Bolshevik Myth, Alexander Berkman.
Kalandarishvili, Nestor Alexandrevitch, 1876-1922
Nick Heath's short biography of Nestor Kalandarishvili, a high profile anarchist who defected to the Bolsheviks.
[b] 3. The other Nestor
Geytsman, Ilya, 1874/1879-1938
A short biography of former anarchist Ilya Geytsman who defected to the Bolsheviks, and then was later executed in Stalin's purges.
2. Chaim The Londoner – from anarchist to Lenin sycophant
GEYTSMAN Ilya M. (Itsko-Isaac Moyshev Fayvishev) aka P. Geytsman, Haim London or Chaim the Londoner 1874/1879-1938
Constructive policy versus destructive war - Marie Louise Berneri
These two excerpts appeared originally in the anarchist paper War Commentary, and have been republished in the posthumous collection of Berneri's articles, Neither East Nor West (Freedom Press, 1952) and more recently in Robert Graham's Anarchism: A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas Vol. 2 (Black Rose Books, 2009). Berneri puts forth a scathing criticism of the hypocrisy of "left wing" parliamentary politics and of the capitalist war machine.
A CONSTRUCTIVE POLICY
We are often accused of lacking a constructive policy. People grant that we have made a valuable analysis of the present situation, and that “our paper has a real value in pricking complacency and stimulating thought.” But we are asked to put forward “practical” solutions for the struggle against fascism and capitalism.
Marut, Ret: The Early B. Traven - James Goldwasser
A 1990s article surveying the then recently-acquired Ret Marut archive, now residing with the University of California. The documents confirm certain known facts of Marut's life and times, prior to his (now generally accepted) transformation into the reclusive anarchist novelist B. Traven. The collection also provides some further fuel for speculation on the life and identity of the enigma that remains B. Traven.
Marut and his partner Irene Mermet published the anti-war anarchist magazine "Der Zeigelbrenner" (The Brickmaker or Brickburner) throughout the 1st World war - and continued post-war, after Marut became a fugitive wanted for his participation in the Bavarian Council Republic.
Akashev, Konstantin Vasielievitch, 1888-1931
A short biography of the anarchist who defected to the Bolsheviks and became the first commander of the Soviet air force and was later executed.
1. From anarchist to first commander of the Soviet Air Force
Abrams, Jacob aka Jack Abrams, 1883-1953
A short biography of Jack Abrams, active in the USA, Russia and Mexico and famous for the Abrams case which led an assault on US anarchism
He was an excellent organiser, learning languages readily, and spoke beautiful Russian, English and Spanish. He was a fine man, knowledgeable and kind. When he formed an opinion you couldn’t budge him, but when something had to be done, he did it!”. Ida Radosh in Avrich, P. Anarchist Voices.
Kobets, Grigori (or Ryhor) 1898-1990
A short biography of celebrated Bielorussian playwright Grigor Kobets, who fought with the Makhnovists.
The Makhnovist playwright
Grigori Kobets was born on the 12th (24th Gregorian calendar) July 1898 in Elizavetgrad (now Kirovohrad) in the Ukraine within the Russian Empire.
