propaganda by deed

Bonomini, Ernesto, 1903-1986

Steven. — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:44:17 +0000

Ernesto Bonomini was born on 18 March 1903 at Pozzolengo in Italy. From a very young age he became interested in socialist ideas and became an active antimilitarist. He trained as a tailor, in which trade he was expert.

With the fascist repression against the workers’, socialist and anarchist movements, Ernesto was forced to emigrate to France in 1922.

1900: The assassination of King Umberto I of Italy

Steven. — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:08:06 +0000

See also our biography of Gaetano Bresci

Bresci, Gaetano, 1869-1901

Steven. — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:00:48 +0000

Dutch Council Communism and Van der Lubbe Burning the Reichstag - The question of "exemplary acts"

Steven. — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 09:39:50 +0000

Feb 2003

It was the significance of the young Dutch council communist Van der Lubbe's torching of the Reichstag (27 Feb. 1933), more than Hitler's coming to power, which focused the debates within Dutch council communism. The latter was profoundly divided on the question of 'exemplary acts' and of individual violence against symbols of bourgeois order.

Lubbe, Marinus van der 1911-1934

Steven. — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:32:04 +0000

Marinus van der Lubbe Born 13 January 1911 - Leyden, Netherlands, died 10 January 1934 – Leipzig prison, Germany

1931: Michael Schirru and the attempted assassination of Mussolini

Steven. — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 10:49:56 +0000

Despite the fact that his "crimes" were not legally punishable by death, Schirru was executed by firing squad.

1926: The attempted assassination of Mussolini in Rome

Steven. — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 22:10:24 +0000

The plot was hatched in anti-fascist Italian exile circles in the south of France. And not just by anarchists but also members of the Giustizia e Libertá groups of the Action Party and others of differing persuasions - all convinced of the need to eliminate the fascist leader physically.

1901: The assassination of President William McKinley

Steven. — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 22:02:51 +0000

At the beginning of the 20th Century, anarchists were in the middle of what was known as the ‘Propaganda by the Deed’ period. The idea was that by killing members of the ruling order, not only would the ‘fear of God’ be put into them but that it would eventually inspire the masses into rising up against their masters.

Shusui, Kotoko, 1871-1911

Steven. — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:02:05 +0000

Kotoku Shusui
Born 4 November or 23 September 1871 - Japan, died 24 January 1911 - Japan

1964: Stuart Christie's account of his actions in a Franco assassination attempt

libcom — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 13:03:24 +0000

An extract of Stuart Christie's book Granny Made Me An Anarchist which describes his involvement in an attempt to assassinate Spanish dictator General Franco. He describes his experiences from picking up the plastic explosive in France to his arrest by Franco's police in Spain. This extract first appeared in The Guardian newspaper on Monday August 23, 2004

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