Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public
Encyclopedia
On March 29, 1983, the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
has approved the resolution 101/62ГС to "Support the proposition of the Department of Propaganda of the Central Committee and the KGB
USSR about the creation of the Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public..."
(AZCSP, Russian language
: Антисионистский комитет советской общественности, АКСО).
ran full front page article titled From the Soviet leadership:
, as well as against increasingly active internal dissident
movement, to arrest or discredit the mass emigration of Soviet Jews and to alleviate the Arab
concerns about its effects to Israel's demographics
. By dramatic step-up of "anti-Zionist" activities, the AZSCP was designed to solve these problems.
David Abramovich Dragunsky, Colonel-General, twice the Hero of the Soviet Union
, the World War II
hero (he was the commander of the 55th Guards Tank Brigade), well known inside the country and abroad, was designated its chairman.
The writers who specialized in the Soviet-invented and sponsored doctrine of Zionology
("сионология") considered any expressions of Jewishness as Zionist
and therefore subject to being stamped out. In November 1975, the leading Soviet historian academic M. Korostovtsev wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Central Committee, Mikhail Suslov
, regarding the book The encroaching counterrevolution by prominent Zionologist Vladimir Begun
: "...it perceptibly stirs up anti-Semitism under the flag of anti-Zionism".
In addition to propaganda in the mass media and publishing, the AZSCP projects included "International symposium on contemporary problems of anti-Zionism" and preparation for "International anti-Zionist congress".
By the end of the 1980s, with the new policies of glasnost
and perestroika
, and with impending dissolution of the Soviet Union
, the old Soviet regime had lost its stability and many of those plans had to be cancelled. Finally it was dismantled in October 1994.
Some materials produced by the AZCSP were used by ultra-nationalist groups such as Pamyat
.
and others.
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
has approved the resolution 101/62ГС to "Support the proposition of the Department of Propaganda of the Central Committee and the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
USSR about the creation of the Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public..."
(AZCSP, Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Антисионистский комитет советской общественности, АКСО).
"From the Soviet Leadership"
On April 1, 1983, the CPSU official newspaper PravdaPravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
ran full front page article titled From the Soviet leadership:
- "...By its nature, Zionism concentrates ultra-nationalism, chauvinism and racial intolerance, excuse for territorial occupation and annexation, military opportunism, cult of political promiscuousness and irresponsibility, demagogy and ideological diversion, dirty tactics and perfidy... Absurd are attempts of Zionist ideologists to present criticizing them, or condemning the aggressive politics of the Israel's ruling circles, as antisemitic... We call on all Soviet citizens: workers, peasants, representatives of intelligentsia: take active part in exposing Zionism, strongly rebuke its endeavors; social scientists: activate scientific research to criticize reactionary core of that ideology and aggressive character of its political practice; writers, artists, journalists: fuller expose anti-populace and anti-humane diversionary character of propaganda and politics of Zionism..." (highlights preserved)
Background and history
By 1983, the Soviet regime needed a new propaganda weapon in the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, as well as against increasingly active internal dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
movement, to arrest or discredit the mass emigration of Soviet Jews and to alleviate the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
concerns about its effects to Israel's demographics
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
. By dramatic step-up of "anti-Zionist" activities, the AZSCP was designed to solve these problems.
David Abramovich Dragunsky, Colonel-General, twice the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
, the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero (he was the commander of the 55th Guards Tank Brigade), well known inside the country and abroad, was designated its chairman.
The writers who specialized in the Soviet-invented and sponsored doctrine of Zionology
Zionology
Soviet Anti-Zionism was a doctrine promulgated in the Soviet Union during the course of the Cold War, and intensified after the 1967 Six Day War. It was officially sponsored by the Department of propaganda of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and by the KGB. It alleged that Zionism was a form...
("сионология") considered any expressions of Jewishness as Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and therefore subject to being stamped out. In November 1975, the leading Soviet historian academic M. Korostovtsev wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Central Committee, Mikhail Suslov
Mikhail Suslov
Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov was a Soviet statesman during the Cold War. He served as Second Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1965, and as unofficial Chief Ideologue of the Party until his death in 1982. Suslov was responsible for party democracy and the separation of power...
, regarding the book The encroaching counterrevolution by prominent Zionologist Vladimir Begun
Vladimir Begun
Vladimir Begun was one of the leading Zionologists in the Soviet Union.One of his controversial books, The Encroaching Counter Revolution, caused protests worldwide. In November 1975, the leading Soviet historian, academic M...
: "...it perceptibly stirs up anti-Semitism under the flag of anti-Zionism".
In addition to propaganda in the mass media and publishing, the AZSCP projects included "International symposium on contemporary problems of anti-Zionism" and preparation for "International anti-Zionist congress".
By the end of the 1980s, with the new policies of glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
and perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
, and with impending dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, the old Soviet regime had lost its stability and many of those plans had to be cancelled. Finally it was dismantled in October 1994.
Some materials produced by the AZCSP were used by ultra-nationalist groups such as Pamyat
Pamyat
Pamyat is a Russian nationalist organization identifying itself as the "People's National-patriotic Orthodox Christian movement." The group's stated focus is preserving Russian culture.- History :...
.
List of members
- David DragunskyDavid DragunskyDavid Abramovich Dragunsky was born to a Jewish family and became a Colonel General in the Soviet Army. Twice he was decorated as a Hero of the Soviet Union. In 1938, he commanded a tank company during combat operations near Khasan Lake and was awarded an Order of the Red Banner...
, chairman — Colonel-General, Hero of the Soviet Union (twice) - S.L. Zivs, v.c. — a doctor of jurisprudence
- M. B. Krupkin, v.c. — vice-chairman of Agenstvo Pechati Novosti (APN) publishing house, director of department of Literaturnaya Gazeta
- Maya PlisetskayaMaya PlisetskayaMaya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya , born is a Russian ballet dancer, frequently cited as one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century. Maya danced during the Soviet era at the same time as the great Galina Ulanova, and took over from her as prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi in 1960...
— a ballerinaBallerinaA ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino... - I. P. Belyayev — a doctor of economics
- Yury A. Kolesnikov — a writer
- M. I. Kabachnik, an academician, Hero of Socialist Labor
- Teodor OizermanTeodor Oizerman-References:...
— a philosopher and academician - V. N. Kudryavtsev — a member of the Academy of sciences of the USSR
- Matvey BlanterMatvey BlanterMatvei Isaakovich Blanter was one of the most prominent composers of popular songs and film music in the Soviet Union. Among many other works, he wrote the internationally famous "Katyusha" , performed to this day in countries around the world...
— a composer, Hero of Socialist Labor - Angelina Stepanova — an artist, Hero of Socialist Labor
- Tatyana LioznovaTatyana LioznovaTatyana Mikhailovna Lioznova was a Soviet film director best known for her TV series Seventeen Moments of Spring .-Film career:All of Lioznova's features - from Three Poplars at Plyushchikha Street , a cult film of the 1960s, to her last movie, The Carnival , - are distinguished by open...
— a film director, the State Award nominee - B. S. Sheinin — a cinematographer
- A. K. Marinich — a director of a kolkhozKolkhozA kolkhoz , plural kolkhozy, was a form of collective farming in the Soviet Union that existed along with state farms . The word is a contraction of коллекти́вное хозя́йство, or "collective farm", while sovkhoz is a contraction of советское хозяйство...
, Hero of Socialist Labor - G. B. Gofman — a writer, Hero of the Soviet Union
- Caesar Solodar — a writer
- A. Vergelis — a poet
- G. O. Zimanas — a professor
- Yakov Fishman, the chief rabbi of Moscow (died a few months after the creation of the committee).
- Adolf ShayevichAdolf ShayevichAdolf Solomonovich Shayevich has been since 1983 the rabbi of Moscow Choral Synagogue, which has been traditionally considered as Moscow's main Jewish temple.During the waning days of the Soviet Union, Shayevich was sometimes unofficially referred to in the...
, the chief rabbi of Moscow (declared on 1989-01-01 that he was no longer a member)
and others.
See also
- Anti-SemitismAnti-SemitismAntisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
- Anti-ZionismAnti-ZionismAnti-Zionism is opposition to Zionistic views or opposition to the state of Israel. The term is used to describe various religious, moral and political points of view in opposition to these, but their diversity of motivation and expression is sufficiently different that "anti-Zionism" cannot be...
- History of the Jews in Russia and Soviet Union
- Soviet Anti-Zionism
- RefusenikRefusenikRefusenik originally referred to citizens of the former Soviet Union who were refused permission to emigrate.Refusenik or refusnik may also refer to:*An Israeli conscientious objector, see Refusal to serve in the Israeli military...
- Jackson-Vanik amendmentJackson-Vanik amendmentThe Jackson–Vanik amendment is a 1974 provision in United States federal law, intended to affect U.S. trade relations with countries with non-market economies that restrict freedom of emigration and other human rights...
- Jewish Anti-Fascist CommitteeJewish Anti-Fascist CommitteeThe Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee was formed on Joseph Stalin's order in Kuibyshev in April 1942 with the official support of the Soviet authorities...
- Doctors' plotDoctors' plotThe Doctors' plot was the most dramatic anti-Jewish episode in the Soviet Union during Joseph Stalin's regime, involving the "unmasking" of a group of prominent Moscow doctors, predominantly Jews, as conspiratorial assassins of Soviet leaders...
- Rootless cosmopolitanRootless cosmopolitanRootless cosmopolitan was a Soviet euphemism widely used during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1948–1953, which culminated in the "exposure" of the alleged Doctors' plot...
- YevsektsiyaYevsektsiyaYevsektsiya , , the abbreviation of the phrase "Еврейская секция" was the Jewish section of the Soviet Communist party. Yevsektsiya was established to popularize Marxism and encourage loyalty to the Soviet regime among Russian Jews. The founding conference of Yevsektsiya took place on October 20,...