Franz Mehring
Encyclopedia
Franz Erdmann Mehring was a German
publicist, politician
and historian
.
, Pomerania, the son of a bourgeois family.
From 1871–1874, Mehring worked for the Correspondence Office in Oldenburg
, writing reports on sessions of the Reichstag
and the local parliament. He became a well-known parliamentary reporter, working for the Frankfurter Zeitung
newspaper and Die Waage, a newspaper published by Leopold Sonnemann (1831–1909).
Mehring left Die Waage after an argument with Sonnemann and in 1884 became chief editor of the liberal Berlin Volks-Zeitung newspaper. He spoke out against Bismarck
’s law banning Socialism
although he was himself a member of the bourgeoisie
.
In 1891 Mehring joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD).
Between 1902 and 1907 Mehring was the chief editor of the Social Democratic Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper. From 1906 to 1911 he taught at the SPD’s Party school. He was a member of the Prussia
n parliament from 1917 to 1918.
During the First World War Mehring began to distance himself from the SPD. In 1916 the left-wing Marxist
revolutionary Spartacus League was founded and Mehring was one of its main leaders alongside Karl Liebknecht
and Rosa Luxemburg
. Mehring was sympathetic to the Bolshevik
organization in Russia
and to the cause of the October Revolution
.
Mehring wrote a Marxist analysis of the actions of Swedish
warrior king Gustavus Adolphus which rejected the official explanation of the Thirty Years' War
as having been rooted in religion, arguing instead that the economic and social interests of various classes were the actual spurs to action.
In 1918, "after long and irritating delays owing to the military censorship" (according to the English translator Edward Fitzgerald, 1935 U.S. edition), Mehring's great biography of Karl Marx
was published, dedicated to fellow Spartacist Clara Zetkin
. The book was later translated into many languages, including Russian (1920), Danish (1922), Hungarian (1925), Japanese (1930), Spanish (1932), and English (1935).
.
Mehring's papers reside as fond 201 at the Russian Center for Preservation and Research of Modern Historical Documents (RCChIDNI), in Moscow
. This material is also available for use by scholars on three reels of microfilm, with permission required by the RCChIDNI before extensive extracts may be published.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
publicist, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Early years
Franz Mehring was born 27 February 1846 in SchlaweSlawno
Sławno , is a town on the Wieprza river in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland, with 13,322 inhabitants . It is the administrative seat of Gmina Sławno, though not part of it...
, Pomerania, the son of a bourgeois family.
Political career
He worked for various daily and weekly newspapers and over many years wrote lead articles for the weekly magazine Neue Zeit. In 1868 he moved to Berlin to study, and worked in the editorial office of the Die Zukunft newspaper.From 1871–1874, Mehring worked for the Correspondence Office in Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, writing reports on sessions of the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
and the local parliament. He became a well-known parliamentary reporter, working for the Frankfurter Zeitung
Frankfurter Zeitung
The Frankfurter Zeitung was a German language newspaper that appeared from 1856 to 1943. It emerged from a market letter that was published in Frankfurt...
newspaper and Die Waage, a newspaper published by Leopold Sonnemann (1831–1909).
Mehring left Die Waage after an argument with Sonnemann and in 1884 became chief editor of the liberal Berlin Volks-Zeitung newspaper. He spoke out against Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
’s law banning Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
although he was himself a member of 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...
.
In 1891 Mehring joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD).
Between 1902 and 1907 Mehring was the chief editor of the Social Democratic Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper. From 1906 to 1911 he taught at the SPD’s Party school. He was a member of the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n parliament from 1917 to 1918.
During the First World War Mehring began to distance himself from the SPD. In 1916 the left-wing Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
revolutionary Spartacus League was founded and Mehring was one of its main leaders alongside Karl Liebknecht
Karl Liebknecht
was a German socialist and a co-founder with Rosa Luxemburg of the Spartacist League and the Communist Party of Germany. He is best known for his opposition to World War I in the Reichstag and his role in the Spartacist uprising of 1919...
and Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
. Mehring was sympathetic to the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
organization in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and to the cause 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...
.
Mehring wrote a Marxist analysis of the actions of Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
warrior king Gustavus Adolphus which rejected the official explanation of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
as having been rooted in religion, arguing instead that the economic and social interests of various classes were the actual spurs to action.
In 1918, "after long and irritating delays owing to the military censorship" (according to the English translator Edward Fitzgerald, 1935 U.S. edition), Mehring's great biography of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
was published, dedicated to fellow Spartacist Clara Zetkin
Clara Zetkin
Clara Zetkin was a German Marxist theorist, activist, and fighter for women's rights. In 1910, she organized the first International Women's Day....
. The book was later translated into many languages, including Russian (1920), Danish (1922), Hungarian (1925), Japanese (1930), Spanish (1932), and English (1935).
Death and legacy
Already in ill health, Mehring was deeply affected by the murder of his comrades Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht in January 1919. He died just under two weeks later, on 28 January 1919 in 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...
.
Mehring's papers reside as fond 201 at the Russian Center for Preservation and Research of Modern Historical Documents (RCChIDNI), 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...
. This material is also available for use by scholars on three reels of microfilm, with permission required by the RCChIDNI before extensive extracts may be published.
External links
- Franz Mehring Internet Archive, Marxists Internet Archive.