Arkadi Maslow
Encyclopedia
Arkadi Maslow born Isaak Jefimowitsch Tschemerinski (March 9, 1891 in Jelisawetgrad, Ukraine
; died November 20, 1941 in Havana
, Cuba
) was a communist politician.
, where he attended school (Gymnasium
) and thereupon completed studies in piano at a conservatory. In 1912 in Berlin, Tschemerinski began studies in science under, among others, Albert Einstein
and Max Planck
. At the outbreak of World War I
in 1914, he was first interned as a Russian citizen but voluntarily enlisted in the German army as interpreter, in which capacity he served in prisoner of war camps.
and Ruth Fischer
, who convinced him to join the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD). He changed his name to Arkadi Maslow, and in November 1920 was elected to the KPD Central Committee. From 1921 Maslow, together with Ruth Fischer, led the left wing of the Berlin KPD. In 1921, Maslow became the foreign affairs editor of the Rote Fahne. Taken into custody by the Berlin police in 1922, he identified himself as a Soviet agent and a confidant of Leon Trotsky
and Karl Radek
. Because his passport had expired, he was sentenced to eight months in prison. To avoid serving prison term, he went into hiding. At the same time, a rumor circulated in the KPD that Maslow was a spy for the police. During a visit to Moscow in 1923, he was interrogated about these charges by an investigative committee of the Komintern
, who exonerated and released him. However he remained under detention in Moscow until early 1924.
In April 1924, Maslow and Fischer, criticized as “right-wing” by August Thalheimer
and Heinrich Brandler
, assumed leadership of the Party and were responsible for intensifying the “left-turn” of the KPD. Taken once again into custody in May 1924, Maslow, together with Paul Schlecht and Anton Grylewicz, was brought to court and sentenced to four years in prison. Because of his failing health, Maslow was released in July 1926. Since Maslow and Fischer no longer enjoyed the protection of Grigory Zinoviev
, under a directive of Stalin to favor Ernst Thaelmann, they were relieved of the Party leadership, and on August 20, 1926, were excluded from the KPD.
and Hugo Urbahns, Maslow brought together former members of the left wing of the KPD, which led to formation of the Leninbund in early 1928. The KPD thereupon accused Maslow of being an “Agent for the Bourgeoisie
” and demanded that he not be allowed to leave Germany, under the supposition that his political work would then undermine the work of the KPD. In May 1928, Maslow and Fischer resigned from the Leninbund, because they disagreed with the Leninbund’s support of an independent candidate opposed to the KPD, and after the capitulation of Sinowjew and Lev Kamenew who were opposed to Joseph Stalin
, anticipated the hope (in vain) of being accepted again into the KPD. Until 1933, Maslow remained active as a translator and withdrew from extensive participation in political activity.
. After the break with Trotsky, Maslow and Ruth Fischer founded a circle with the name Marxist-Leninist International Group, which lasted until 1939. During the Moscow Trials
of 1936 to 1938, Maslow was again accused by the Stalinist
press as an espionage agent. After the fall of France
in 1940, Maslow fled to Cuba. Unlike Ruth Fischer, he was unable to obtain an entry visa to the USA. On 20 November 1941, Maslow was found dead on a street in Havana
. According to an official investigation, he had suffered a heart attack. However, Ruth Fischer and Franz Pfemfert
were of the opinion that Maslow was murdered by the NKVD.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
; died November 20, 1941 in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) was a communist politician.
Early life and education
Isaak Jefimowitsch Tschemerinski was born into a Jewish merchant family. In 1899, he relocated with his mother and siblings to BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he attended school (Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
) and thereupon completed studies in piano at a conservatory. In 1912 in Berlin, Tschemerinski began studies in science under, among others, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
and Max Planck
Max Planck
Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck, ForMemRS, was a German physicist who actualized the quantum physics, initiating a revolution in natural science and philosophy. He is regarded as the founder of the quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918.-Life and career:Planck came...
. At the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914, he was first interned as a Russian citizen but voluntarily enlisted in the German army as interpreter, in which capacity he served in prisoner of war camps.
In the Communist Party of Germany
Tschemerinski’s wartime experiences radicalized his political sympathies towards the Spartakusbund. Upon resuming his studies, he befriended Paul LeviPaul Levi
Paul Levi was a German Jewish Communist political leader. He was the head of the Communist Party of Germany following the assassination of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht in 1919.-Early years:...
and Ruth Fischer
Ruth Fischer
Ruth Fischer was a German Communist, a co-founder of the Austrian Communist Party in 1918. According to secret information declassified in 2010, she was a key agent of the American intelligence service known as "The Pond."-Life and work:Born in Leipzig, Ruth Fischer was the daughter of the...
, who convinced him to join the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD). He changed his name to Arkadi Maslow, and in November 1920 was elected to the KPD Central Committee. From 1921 Maslow, together with Ruth Fischer, led the left wing of the Berlin KPD. In 1921, Maslow became the foreign affairs editor of the Rote Fahne. Taken into custody by the Berlin police in 1922, he identified himself as a Soviet agent and a confidant of Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
and Karl Radek
Karl Radek
Karl Bernhardovic Radek was a socialist active in the Polish and German movements before World War I and an international Communist leader after the Russian Revolution....
. Because his passport had expired, he was sentenced to eight months in prison. To avoid serving prison term, he went into hiding. At the same time, a rumor circulated in the KPD that Maslow was a spy for the police. During a visit to Moscow in 1923, he was interrogated about these charges by an investigative committee of the Komintern
Komintern
Komintern may refer to:*Comintern, the Communist International*Komintern artillery tractor*Soviet_cruiser_Komintern - Soviet cruiser of the Black Sea Fleet*Malyshev Factory...
, who exonerated and released him. However he remained under detention in Moscow until early 1924.
In April 1924, Maslow and Fischer, criticized as “right-wing” by August Thalheimer
August Thalheimer
August Thalheimer was a German Marxist activist and theoretician.-Early years:August Thalheimer was born 18 March 1884 in Affaltrach, now called Obersulm, Württemberg, Germany.-Political career:...
and Heinrich Brandler
Heinrich Brandler
Heinrich Brandler was a German communist trade unionist, politician, revolutionary activist, and writer. Brandler is best remember as the head of the Communist Party of Germany during the party's ill-fated "March Action" of 1921 and aborted uprising of 1923, for which he was held responsible by...
, assumed leadership of the Party and were responsible for intensifying the “left-turn” of the KPD. Taken once again into custody in May 1924, Maslow, together with Paul Schlecht and Anton Grylewicz, was brought to court and sentenced to four years in prison. Because of his failing health, Maslow was released in July 1926. Since Maslow and Fischer no longer enjoyed the protection of Grigory Zinoviev
Grigory Zinoviev
Grigory Yevseevich Zinoviev , born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky Apfelbaum , was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet Communist politician...
, under a directive of Stalin to favor Ernst Thaelmann, they were relieved of the Party leadership, and on August 20, 1926, were excluded from the KPD.
Political isolation
Together with Ruth FischerRuth Fischer
Ruth Fischer was a German Communist, a co-founder of the Austrian Communist Party in 1918. According to secret information declassified in 2010, she was a key agent of the American intelligence service known as "The Pond."-Life and work:Born in Leipzig, Ruth Fischer was the daughter of the...
and Hugo Urbahns, Maslow brought together former members of the left wing of the KPD, which led to formation of the Leninbund in early 1928. The KPD thereupon accused Maslow of being an “Agent for the Bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
” and demanded that he not be allowed to leave Germany, under the supposition that his political work would then undermine the work of the KPD. In May 1928, Maslow and Fischer resigned from the Leninbund, because they disagreed with the Leninbund’s support of an independent candidate opposed to the KPD, and after the capitulation of Sinowjew and Lev Kamenew who were opposed to Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, anticipated the hope (in vain) of being accepted again into the KPD. Until 1933, Maslow remained active as a translator and withdrew from extensive participation in political activity.
In exile
Following the rise to power of the Nazis in 1933, Maslow and Fischer first fled to Paris, where they resided until 1940. From 1934 to 1936, Maslow worked closely with Trotsky and served as a part of the movement towards a Fourth InternationalFourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
. After the break with Trotsky, Maslow and Ruth Fischer founded a circle with the name Marxist-Leninist International Group, which lasted until 1939. During the Moscow Trials
Moscow Trials
The Moscow Trials were a series of show trials conducted in the Soviet Union and orchestrated by Joseph Stalin during the Great Purge of the 1930s. The victims included most of the surviving Old Bolsheviks, as well as the leadership of the Soviet secret police...
of 1936 to 1938, Maslow was again accused by the Stalinist
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
press as an espionage agent. After the fall of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940, Maslow fled to Cuba. Unlike Ruth Fischer, he was unable to obtain an entry visa to the USA. On 20 November 1941, Maslow was found dead on a street in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. According to an official investigation, he had suffered a heart attack. However, Ruth Fischer and Franz Pfemfert
Franz Pfemfert
Franz Pfemfert was a German journalist, editor of Die Aktion, literary critic, politician and portrait photographer. Pfemfert occasionally wrote under the pseudonym U. Gaday...
were of the opinion that Maslow was murdered by the NKVD.
Published works
- Die zwei Revolutionen des Jahres 1917. Berlin 1924.
- Abtrünnig wider Willen. Aus Briefen und Manuskripten des Exils. München 1990 ISBN 3486553313 (Text by Maslow and Ruth Fischer, edited by Peter Luebbe, with an introduction by Hermann Weber)