Solomon Goldstein
Encyclopedia
Solomon Lazarov Goldstein or Solomon Lazarevič Gol'dštejn (25 May 1884–14 May 1968) was a Jewish Bulgaria
n politician, one of the founders of the Bulgarian Metal Workers’ Union and of the Swiss Communist Party.
, a city in the eastern part of the Principality of Bulgaria
, to a Jewish family. He was a member of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) from 1906 to 1913. In 1913 he left Bulgaria for France
, where he joined the French Section of the Workers' International. While working in the Renault
factories, Goldstein became acquainted with Bolshevism. Thus, in 1915 he left France for Zurich
, Switzerland
, where he met and befriended Vladimir Lenin
, the future leader of the October Revolution
of 1917. During his stay in Switzerland, he was among the chief participants in the establishment of the Swiss Communist Party.
After spending some time in Moscow
from 1918 on, from May 1919 to February 1920 he served as the representative of the Bolshevik Party
in Bulgaria. In this capacity he criticized the perceived "passivity" of the Bulgarian communists under Dimitar Blagoev
, and supported the efforts of some extreme-left factions to force the Bulgarian party to action through acts of terrorism such as the assassination of the former Interior Minister Mihail Takev in January 1920. While in Bulgaria, Goldstein was also active as a journalist in left-wing print media. In a brochure which he signed as "Slavi Zidarov", Goldstein was critical of the Bulgarian Communist Party's inability to turn the 1918 soldier rebellion at Radomir
into a nation-wide communist revolution.
He returned to now-Soviet Russia in 1920 and was active in the politics of the Comintern
until 1921. In 1922–1924 he served as cadre-in-chief of the Soviet
legation
in the Austria
n capital Vienna
. According to Aurel Plasari, historian and director of the National Library of Albania
, Goldstein was the mastermind behind Albania's June Revolution of 1924. In 1924 the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization entered negotiations with the Comintern
about collaboration between the communists and the creation of a united Macedonian movement. Goldstein was active by the singing of a paper in Vienna (the so-called May Manifesto
), in which the objectives of the unified Macedonian liberation movement were presented. He also was present in 1925 by the IMRO (United) foundation in Vienna
.
After the death of Lenin in 1924, Goldstein sided with the left opposition of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
, possibly due to Adolph Joffe
's influence. Consequently, he was targeted by Joseph Stalin
's purges and suffered political persecution from 1936 until his rehabilitation in 1956. He died in the Soviet capital of Moscow
on 14 May 1968.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n politician, one of the founders of the Bulgarian Metal Workers’ Union and of the Swiss Communist Party.
Life
Goldstein was born in ShumenShumen
Shumen is the tenth-largest city in Bulgaria and capital of Shumen Province. In the period 1950–1965 it was called Kolarovgrad, after the name of the communist leader Vasil Kolarov...
, a city in the eastern part of the Principality of Bulgaria
Principality of Bulgaria
The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
, to a Jewish family. He was a member of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) from 1906 to 1913. In 1913 he left Bulgaria for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he joined the French Section of the Workers' International. While working in the Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
factories, Goldstein became acquainted with Bolshevism. Thus, in 1915 he left France for Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where he met and befriended Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, the future leader of the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of 1917. During his stay in Switzerland, he was among the chief participants in the establishment of the Swiss Communist Party.
After spending some time in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
from 1918 on, from May 1919 to February 1920 he served as the representative of the Bolshevik Party
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...
in Bulgaria. In this capacity he criticized the perceived "passivity" of the Bulgarian communists under Dimitar Blagoev
Dimitar Blagoev
Dimitar Blagoev Nikolov ; was a Bulgarian political leader, the founder of Bulgarian socialism and of the first social democratic party in the Balkans.-Biography:...
, and supported the efforts of some extreme-left factions to force the Bulgarian party to action through acts of terrorism such as the assassination of the former Interior Minister Mihail Takev in January 1920. While in Bulgaria, Goldstein was also active as a journalist in left-wing print media. In a brochure which he signed as "Slavi Zidarov", Goldstein was critical of the Bulgarian Communist Party's inability to turn the 1918 soldier rebellion at Radomir
Radomir
Radomir is a town in the Pernik Province of Bulgaria with a population of about 16,503. It is located at .- History :The town was first mentioned in a 15th-century source as Uradmur. The current form appears for the first time in a source from 1488...
into a nation-wide communist revolution.
He returned to now-Soviet Russia in 1920 and was active in the politics of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
until 1921. In 1922–1924 he served as cadre-in-chief of the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n capital Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. According to Aurel Plasari, historian and director of the National Library of Albania
National Library of Albania
The National Library of Albania is an Albanian national library headquartered in the capital, Tirana. It was founded in 1920 and inaugurated on December 10, 1922.- References :...
, Goldstein was the mastermind behind Albania's June Revolution of 1924. In 1924 the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization entered negotiations with the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
about collaboration between the communists and the creation of a united Macedonian movement. Goldstein was active by the singing of a paper in Vienna (the so-called May Manifesto
May Manifesto
The so-called May Manifesto of May 6, 1924 was a paper in which the objectives of the unified Macedonian liberation movement were presented: independence and unification of partitioned Macedonia, fighting all the neighbouring Balkan monarchies, supporting the Balkan Communist Federation and...
), in which the objectives of the unified Macedonian liberation movement were presented. He also was present in 1925 by the IMRO (United) foundation in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
After the death of Lenin in 1924, Goldstein sided with the left opposition of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
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...
, possibly due to Adolph Joffe
Adolph Joffe
Adolph Abramovich Joffe was a Communist revolutionary, a Bolshevik politician and a Soviet diplomat of Karaim descent.-Revolutionary career:...
's influence. Consequently, he was targeted by 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...
's purges and suffered political persecution from 1936 until his rehabilitation in 1956. He died in the Soviet capital of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on 14 May 1968.
Further reading
- Oren, Nissan: Bulgarian Communism. The Road to Power, 1934 – 1944. New York, London, 1971, p. 37.
- Gol'štejn, Solomon Lazarevič: Lenin menja učil bol'ševizmu, in: "O Vladimire Il'iče Lenine. Vospominanija 1900 – 1922 godu". Moskva 1963, 192 – 199, p. 626.
- Serge, Victor: Mémoirs d’une révolutionnaire de 1901 à 1941, Paris 1951.
- Ascher, Abraham: Pavel Axelrod and the development of Menshevism. Harvard University Press, 1972.