Vilna Group
Encyclopedia
The Vilna Group was a circle of Jewish Social-Democrats which met secretly in the city of Vilna, then part of the Russian empire (now Vilnius
in Lithuania). The group was founded in the mid-1890s. Its members devoted themselves to disseminating Marxist and socialist literature to Jewish textile workers and to some extent to Jewish and non-Jewish workers generally, providing literacy and education classes for workers and supporting the formation of trade unions. They were among the first to produce socialist literature in Yiddish. All this was illegal and had to be done clandestinely, and all members of the Vilna Group were arrested at various points. The Vilna group included, among others, Arkadi Kremer
and his wife Pati Kremer
(a.k.a. Matla Srednicki or Srednitskaya), John Mill and Mikhail Liber
. It was one of the precursors of the General Jewish Workers' Association in Lithuania, Poland and Russia (known as the 'Bund'), founded in 1897. The Vilna Group also played a role in founding the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (RSDRP) in 1898. Most veterans of the Vilna Group later supported the Mensheviks.
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
in Lithuania). The group was founded in the mid-1890s. Its members devoted themselves to disseminating Marxist and socialist literature to Jewish textile workers and to some extent to Jewish and non-Jewish workers generally, providing literacy and education classes for workers and supporting the formation of trade unions. They were among the first to produce socialist literature in Yiddish. All this was illegal and had to be done clandestinely, and all members of the Vilna Group were arrested at various points. The Vilna group included, among others, Arkadi Kremer
Arkadi Kremer
Arkadi Kremer Also known as Aleksandr Kremer or Solomon Kremer.A.S. Kremer was a Russian socialist leader known as the 'Father of the Bund' Arkadi Kremer (1865-1935)Also known as Aleksandr Kremer or Solomon Kremer.A.S. Kremer was a Russian socialist leader known as the 'Father of the Bund' Arkadi...
and his wife Pati Kremer
Pati Kremer
Pati Kremer was a Russian socialist and pioneer of the General Jewish Workers' Union in Lithuania, Poland and Russia . She was the wife of Arkadi Kremer.-Biography:...
(a.k.a. Matla Srednicki or Srednitskaya), John Mill and Mikhail Liber
Mikhail Liber
Mikhail Isaakovich Liber .M.I. Liber, sometimes known as 'Mark Liber', was a leader of the General Jewish Workers' Union . He also played a role in the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party and among the Mensheviks...
. It was one of the precursors of the General Jewish Workers' Association in Lithuania, Poland and Russia (known as the 'Bund'), founded in 1897. The Vilna Group also played a role in founding the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (RSDRP) in 1898. Most veterans of the Vilna Group later supported the Mensheviks.