Leo Jogiches
Encyclopedia
Leo Jogiches (17 July 1867 – 10 March 1919), also known by his party name of Leon Tyszka (Tyska, Tyshko, Tyshka) was a Marxist
revolutionary active in Lithuania
, Poland
, and Germany.
A contemporary in Vilnius
, his birthplace, of Felix Dzerzhinsky and Arkadi Kemer, little is known of Jogiches' early years due to his secretive work habits ingrained through years of conspiratorial work. He joined a social democratic workers circle before being forced into exile. In 1893 he helped form the Social Democratic Party
of the Kingdom of Poland
(SDKP, later SDKPiL) along with Rosa Luxemburg
. Jogiches and Luxemburg fell in love with each other, a love that lasted their whole lives, through difficulties, and even if they never became a real couple. The work of the two cannot be separated in the least, although a clear division of labour is observable, with Jogiches the organiser and Luxemburg the theorist.
Jogiches was a founding member of the Spartacus League, a revolutionary left-wing
organization of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
, formed at the beginning of World War I
by Karl Liebknecht
, Luxemburg, Franz Mehring
and others. On 1 January 1919 the League became the Communist Party of Germany
.
The Spartacus League led the German communist revolution
of 1918/1919, which failed, after which Luxemburg and Liebknecht were murdered by government troops
. Jogiches was murdered in Berlin while trying to investigate the assassination of Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.
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 active in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Germany.
A contemporary in Vilnius
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...
, his birthplace, of Felix Dzerzhinsky and Arkadi Kemer, little is known of Jogiches' early years due to his secretive work habits ingrained through years of conspiratorial work. He joined a social democratic workers circle before being forced into exile. In 1893 he helped form the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party
The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by a large number of political parties in various countries around the world...
of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
(SDKP, later SDKPiL) along with Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
. Jogiches and Luxemburg fell in love with each other, a love that lasted their whole lives, through difficulties, and even if they never became a real couple. The work of the two cannot be separated in the least, although a clear division of labour is observable, with Jogiches the organiser and Luxemburg the theorist.
Jogiches was a founding member of the Spartacus League, a revolutionary left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
organization of 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...
, formed at the beginning 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...
by 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...
, Luxemburg, Franz Mehring
Franz Mehring
Franz Erdmann Mehring , was a German publicist, politician and historian.-Early years:Franz Mehring was born 27 February 1846 in Schlawe, Pomerania, the son of a bourgeois family.-Political career:...
and others. On 1 January 1919 the League became 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...
.
The Spartacus League led the German communist revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
of 1918/1919, which failed, after which Luxemburg and Liebknecht were murdered by government troops
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
. Jogiches was murdered in Berlin while trying to investigate the assassination of Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.
External links
- New Crime of the German "Social-Democratic Government" a speech by ZinovievGrigory ZinovievGrigory Yevseevich Zinoviev , born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky Apfelbaum , was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet Communist politician...
after the death of Jogiches.