by Victor Serge
Further Reading
For those who want to know more about the revolutionary period in Germany, Chris Harman’s The Lost Revolution (Haymarket Books, 2003) provides an indispensable narrative account and political analysis of events from 1918 to 1923. (Indeed, ideally Harman’s book should be read before Serge’s articles.) For those who want more detail, see Pierre Broué’s monumental The German Revolution, 1917__1923 (Haymarket Books, 2006), first published in English in 1998 by Porcupine Press. W. Guttmann & P. Meehan, The Great Inflation (Saxon House, 1975) gives a lucid and lively account of the economic processes and social consequences of the 1923 inflation. Ian Kershaw, Hitler, 1889__1936: Hubris (W.W. Norton & Company, 1998) provides much material on the activities of the extreme right. Revolutionary History, Vol. 5, No. 2, Spring 1994, contains some interesting documents and analyses on 1923.
There is now a considerable body of Serge’s work available in English, including several novels. His Memoirs of a Revolutionary (NYRB Classics, 2011) contains a chapter “Europe at the Dark Crossroads” describing his experiences in Germany; it is interesting to compare his later view with what he wrote at the time. Other writings from his period as a Comintern activist include Revolution in Danger: Writings from Russia, 1919__1921 (Haymarket Books, 2011) and his essay “Lenin in 1917” in Revolutionary History, Vol. 5, No. 3, and available online at http://www.marxists.org/archive/serge/1924/xx/lenin.html. There are some interesting essays on Serge in S. Weissman (ed.), The Ideas of Victor Serge (Critique Books, 1997). Bill Marshall, Victor Serge: The Uses of Dissent (Berg Publishers, 1992) contains an extensive bibliography of Serge’s writings.
Key Figures
BERNHARDT, Georg (1875-1944): Editor of Vossische Zeitung.
BÖTTCHER, Paul: Printer, SPD member, joined USPD 1917; joined KPD 1920. Minister of economics in Saxon government; expelled from KPD as rightist 1929; in Switzerland during Nazi period; on return to East Germany arrested and deported to Russia; later returned to East Germany.
BRANDLER, Heinrich (1881-1967): Building worker, veteran Spartacist; KPD leader 1923; scapegoated for 1923 failure, expelled from KPD 1929.
BUCHRUCKER, Bruno Ernst: Involved in Kapp putsch; commanded Black Reichswehr 1923; planned putsch at Küstrin barracks; imprisoned but soon pardoned; later in Strasser’s Black Front.
CUNO, Wilhelm (1876-1933): Shipping magnate; Chancellor November 1922-August 1923.
DEGOUTTE, J. M. J. (1868-1938): French General; head of French forces occupying Rhineland from 1919; led occupation of Ruhr 1923.
DITTMANN, Wilhelm (1874-1954): SPD from 1894; secretary of USPD; rejoined SPD 1922; went to Switzerland 1933.
EBERT, Friedrich (1871-1925): Saddlemaker, leading SPD activist; President of Reich from 1919.
EHRHARDT, Hermann (1881-1971): Leading organizer of Freikorps; supported Kapp putsch; ran Organization Consul; responsible for murders of Erzberger and Rathenau; fled Hitler 1934; lived in Austria.
FRÖLICH, August (1877-1966): Head of workers’ government in Thuringia.
GESSLER, Otto (1875-1955): Defense minister 1920-28. Lived as private citizen under Hitler, seven months in Ravensbrück.
HECKERT, Fritz (1884-1936): Building worker, veteran Spartacist; member of Saxon government 1923; Stalinist in 1930s; died in Moscow, reportedly executed by GPU, but ashes placed in Kremlin wall.
HELFFERICH, Karl (1872-1924): Economist; member of DNVP, militant opponent of Versailles Treaty.
HILFERDING, Rudolf (1877-1941): Member of USPD 1918-22; edited party daily Freiheit. Rejoined SPD; Finance Minister August-October 1923; left Germany 1933; executed by Gestapo in Paris.
HORN, Rudolf von: Reichswehr general.
KAHR, Gustav von (1862-1934): Civil servant; joined Catholic Bavarian People’s Party 1918; prime minister of Bavaria 1921; Bavarian General State Commissioner 1923; executed 1934.
KAUTSKY, Karl (1854-1938): Chief theoretician of SPD and Second International before 1914, known as “Pope of Marxism”; failed to oppose war; joined USPD 1917; strongly anti-Bolshevik.
KLÖCKNER, Peter (1865-1940): Leading industrialist.
KNILLING, Eugen von (1865-1927): Member of Bavarian People’s Party; prime minister of Bavaria 1923.
KRUPP von Bohlen und Harbach, Gustav (1870-1950): Industrialist; key role in World War I; named as war criminal but never tried; involved in rearming Germany before 1933; key role in backing Hitler and preparing World War II; used slave labor during World War II; named as war criminal but never tried!
LEVI, Paul (1883-1930): Close to Luxemburg before war; joined USPD 1917, Spartacus League 1918; president of KPD; expelled from Party 1921 for public criticism of March Action; formed Kommunistische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (Communist Study Group); in 1922 joined the USPD, which later that year was reunified with the SPD.
LOSSOW, Otto von (1868-1938): General; Chief of staff of Reichwehr’s Bavarian Division 1921; District Commander of Bavaria 1922; Member of Bavarian ruling triumvirate 1923.
LUDENDORFF, Erich (1865-1937): Successful general World War I; imposed Brest-Litovsk Treaty on Russia; involved in Kapp putsch; collaborated with Hitler 1922-24.
MARX, Wilhelm (1863-1946): Chairman of Center Party; chancellor 1923-24 and again later in 1920s; denied pension by Hitler.
MÜLLER, Alfred (1866-1925): Reichswehr commander in Saxony and Thuringia.
MÜLLER, Hermann (1876-1931 ): SPD member from 1893; chancellor March-June 1920, 1928-30.
NOSKE, Gustav (1868-1946): Veteran SPD right winger; minister of war 1918-20; Chief civil official of Hanover till 1933; dismissed by Nazis, arrested 1944 but never tried.
POINCARÉ, Raymond (1860-1934): French president 1913-1920; prime minister 1922-24 and 1926-29; ordered occupation of Ruhr 1923.
RADBRUCH, Gustav (1878-1949): Academic, joined SPD 1918; justice minister 1923; returned to academic life; first academic removed from office by Nazis.
RADEK, Karl (Sobelsohn) (1875-1939): Revolutionary in Germany and Poland before Russian Revolution; Bolshevik leader; important role in Germany on behalf of Comintern 1919-23; Left Opposition till 1929, then capitulated to Stalin; imprisoned after 1937 Moscow Trial; died in concentration camp.
REINHARDT, Walter (1872-1930): General; held highest military appointment in defense ministry; conflict with von Seeckt; remained in Reichswehr till mid-1920s; considered “father of the republican army.”
REMMELE, Hermann (1880-1939): SPD from 1897, involved in anti-militarist activity; founder member of USPD 1917; joined KPD 1920, member of Zentrale; KPD leader till 1932, then opposed Thaelmann; emigrated to Moscow 1933; arrested 1937.
REVENTLOW, Graf Ernst zu (1868-1943): Naval officer, then Pan-German journalist; joined Nazis 1927.
ROSSBACH, Gerhardt (1893-1967): Freikorps leader; involved in Kapp putsch; joined Nazis, involved in “beer-hall putsch,” then fled to Austria ; served in Abwehr in World War II; after 1945 helped re-establish Bayreuth Wagner Festival.
RUPPRECHT, Crown Prince (1869-1945): General, son of last Bavarian King.
SCHEIDEMANN, Philipp (1865-1939): SPD from 1883; chancellor 1919; lord mayor of Kassel 1919-25; fled Germany 1933.
SCHMIDT, Robert (1864-1943): SPD member; minister of economics on several occasions in 1920s; Vice-Chancellor in Stresemann cabinet, August to October 1923.
SEECKT, Hans von (1866-1936): General in World War I; involved in Freikorps; advised creation of Black Reichswehr; granted dictatorial powers after “beer-hall putsch” till February 1924; supported Hitler after 1933 despite having Jewish wife.
SEVERING, Carl (1875-1952): SPD right winger from 1893; Prussian interior minister for most of period of Republic; hostile to Nazis, jailed briefly; active in SPD after 1945.
SOLLMANN, Wilhelm (1881-1951): SPD from 1907; interior minister in Stresemann government; fled to USA after 1933.
STINNES, Hugo (1870-1924): Industrialist with interests in coal, steel, electricity, etc. Member of DVP.
STRESEMANN, Gustav (1878-1929): founded DVP in De
cember 1918; Chancellor August-November 1923; foreign minister till 1929; Nobel Peace Prize 1926.
THYSSEN, Fritz (1873-1951) : Industrialist, son of August Thyssen; financed Nazis from 1923, main business leader to back Nazis before 1933; joined Nazis 1933, but broke 1938; fled to France 1939, spent 1940-45 in various camps; went to Argentina 1948.
VANDERVELDE, Emile (1866-1938): President of Belgian Workers’ Party and Second International; joined Belgian government of national defense 1914; several times minister in Socialist-Catholic coalitions.
WULLE, Reinhold (1882-1955): One of founders of Deutschvölkische Freiheitspartei—conservative nationalist German Racial Freedom Party.
ZEIGNER, Erich (1886-1949): SPD from 1919; prime minister of Saxony March 1923 till deposed October 1923; withdrew from politics after being jailed for corruption; repeatedly jailed by Nazis; after 1945 lord mayor of Leipzig (East Germany).
Appendix
Anyone comparing this book with Pierre Broué’s edition of Notes d’Allemagne will observe considerable differences in the dating and arrangement of texts. Correspondance internationale appeared in both a weekly and a twice weekly edition. In most cases I have presented the articles as they appeared in the weekly edition. (It should be remembered that Correspondance internationale was produced under difficult and dangerous conditions. Because of police seizures the editorial office did not even have a complete file to make up an index for 1923.) To assist anyone working on the material, the following table shows how the 29 items in this book correspond to the sections of Broué’s book and the dates he gives—generally referring to the twice weekly edition of Correspondance internationale. Many of Serge’s pieces were reproduced, in whole or part, in Bulletin communiste, a journal of the French Communist Party. I also give dates when all or part of an item appeared in BC. All dates 1923 except where stated.
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Revolution In Danger • Victor Serge
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Edited and translated by Richard B. Day and Daniel F. Gaido
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1 Oxford, 1967.
2 Revolution in Danger (London, 1997).
3 Memoirs, p155.
4 Memoirs, pp157-175.
5 In his 1968 Columbia University doctoral dissertation Victor Serge: The Making of a Novelist (1890-1928), University Microfiches, Ann Arbor, MI.
6 In 1971 Broué had suggested that “in all probability” Albert was in fact Serge. See P Broué, Révolution en Allemagne (Paris, 1971), p597.
7 Notes d’Allemagne (Montreuil, 1990).
8 See in particular the writings from the Russian civil war period collected in Revolution in Danger.
9 Memoirs, p177.
10 Birth of Our Power (Harmondsworth, 1970), pp65-66.
11 Red Flag: main daily paper of the KPD.
12 Calculation made three months ago. [Serge’s note.]
13 The term billion is used to mean a thousand million (109); likewise trillion is used to mean a million million (1012) and quadrillion a thousand million million (1015).
14 Figure for all German workers—this was before the massive inflation.
15 Eugene Varga (1879-1964), leading Comintern economist.
16 Working-class districts of Berlin.
17 German war medal.
18 Wealthy French banker involved in negotiations on reparations with Stinnes.
19 General Gaston de Galliffet (1830-1909), one of the commanders responsible for crushing the Paris Commune of 1871.
20 The Kapp putsch, an attempted right wing military coup defeated by a general strike called by all the workers’ organizations.
21 When the SPD-led government supported the army’s crushing of workers’ insurrectionary movements after the Kapp putsch.
22 The March Action of 1921 was a response to police action in central Germany ordered by the social democrat Horsing; but Serge is disingenuous not to mention that the KPD was guilty of irresponsibility in launching this adventurist action.
23 (1878-1935): anarchist, songwriter and playwright; imprisoned for his role in the Bavarian Soviet Republic; released 1924; imprisoned and killed by Nazis.
24 (1893-1939), leader of Bavarian Red Army in 1919, and well-known expressionist playwright.
25 (1889-1933), organizer of a guerrilla army during March Action.
26 Organization Escherich, an armed body created by the far right Bavarian Interior Minister Escherich.
27 The French used colonial troops from Senegal and North Africa in the occupation of the Rhineland and, later, the Ruhr. Morgan Philips Price, who visited the Rhineland in November 1921, reports that while there was racist feeling against the black troops among the middle classes, working people were often dehumanized with the African troops.
28 Originally the alliance of Britain, France and Russia before and during World War I; after 1917 the alliance of Britain and France.
29 Luis Nicolau Fort was one of the Spanish anarchists responsible for the assassination of the Spanish prime minister, Eduardo Dato, in March 1921. He and his wife, Joaquina Concepcion, were extradited from Germany to Spain in early 1922, despite the fact that the extradition treaty between Spain and Germany excluded political prisoners.
30 MacDonald was to become the first Labour prime minister after the December 1923 election.
31 V. M. Chernov (1876-1952), formerly Russian Social Revolutionary leader, lived abroad after 1920.
32 Evno Azev was a police spy who penetrated the Social Revolutionary organization.
33 V. Volodarsky, a leading Bolshevik, was assassinated by the Social Revolutionaries in June 1918.
34 Friedrich Adler (1879-1960), Austrian socialist leader who assassinated the prime minister in 1916; later secretary of the Second International.
35 Zetkin was in fact 22 years older than Adler!
36 Jean Longuet (1876-1938), son of Marx’s daughter Jenny; member of the French Socialist Party; opposed affiliation to the Comintern.
37 L. Martov (1873-1923), Russian Menshevik leader; opposed Bolshevik revolution; emigrated 1920.
38 G. M. Serrati (1872-1926), leader of left of Italian Socialist Party; refused to join Italian CP in 1921, but joined in 1924.
39 In August 1918 the Social Revolutionary Fanny Kaplan shot and seriously wounded Lenin.
40 Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, oil producing center; Tbilisi (Tiflis), capital of Georgia.
41 The trial of the Social Revolutionaries began in Moscow in June 1922. Vandervelde and other Western social democrats acted as defense lawyers for the accused. The trial ended with 14 death sentences which were suspended.
42 Karl
Radek (1875-1939), Bolshevik leader who played an important role in Germany on behalf of the Comintern in the 1919-23 period.
43 Serge seems to be blaming Adler as a representative of international social democracy. Adler was a leading figure in the Austrian Social Democracy, which took power at the birth of the republic in 1918, but he did not hold any major governmental responsibility.
44 Gold coins had circulated freely before the war, but were collected in during the war. They retained value when paper marks became worthless.
45 Admiral Miklós Horthy headed an authoritarian regime in Hungary from 1920 after the overthrow of the short lived Communist regime.
46 Erskine Childers (1870-1922), executed as a member of the IRA.
47 Over 200 were killed in the South African miners’ strike.
48 April 16, 1922.
49 The treaty of Sèvres was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire in 1920, but revised in 1923 following Turkish victories.