Paul Levi
Encyclopedia
Paul Levi was a German Jewish Communist political leader. He was the head of the Communist Party of Germany
following the assassination of Rosa Luxemburg
and Karl Liebknecht
in 1919.
in Hohenzollern Province into a Jewish middle-class family, joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD) in 1906. There he became part of the party’s left wing together with Rosa Luxemburg
and Karl Liebknecht
. Beginning in 1913, Levi was also Luxemburg's lawyer in political cases.
During World War I
Levi was conscripted
. Discharged in 1916, he settled in Switzerland, associating with Karl Radek
and Vladimir Lenin
, becoming a part of the Zimmerwald Left
. He was recalled to the army, again discharged and became one of the leaders of the Spartacist League
in 1918, which soon became the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD). He opposed the initiatives of Karl Liebknecht
in January 1919.
After the failure of the German Revolution
of 1918/1919, and the killing of the KPD’s main leaders Rosa Luxemburg
, Karl Liebknecht
and Leo Jogiches
, Levi took over as the central leader of the Communist Party, waging struggles against the party's Council Communist ultra-left. He led the party away from the policy of immediate revolution, in an effort to win over SPD and Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
(USPD) workers. These efforts were rewarded when a substantial section of the USPD joined the KPD, making it a mass party for the first time.
of the Communist International in Moscow
in 1920.
Following disputes within the KPD around splits within the Italian Socialist Party
(PSI), which were fuelled in part by the role of the Comintern
, Levi resigned from the chairmanship of the Communist Party in early 1921, alongisde his co-chairman Ernst Däumig
and Clara Zetkin
, Otto Brass and Adolf Hofman also resigned from the Central Committee. Shortly after, under the influence of Béla Kun
, the party launched the March uprisings of 1921.
Following the failure of the uprisings Levi was expelled from the Communist Party for publicly criticizing party policies. Lenin and Trotsky substantially agreed with his criticisms, but not the way in which he had made them. Lenin sent him a private letter through his friend Clara Zetkin
, in which he asked Levi to accept the expulsion for "break of discipline" and then adopt a friendly approach towards the KPD and cooperate with it in the class struggle in a loyal manner. If Levi would do so, Lenin would then push for his reinstatement in the party. Levi did not accept this proposal and continued to criticize the party sharply and condemn its leaders.
Levi edited a monthly Sowjet
("Soviet"), later named Unser Weg ("Our Way").
. Later, he rejoined the Social Democratic Party.
Levi died on 9 February 1930 in Berlin
. He succumbed to injuries suffered when he fell from his window. After his death the Reichstag held a minute of commemoration during which the representatives of the Communist Party and the Nazi Party ostentatiously left the assembly hall.
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...
following the assassination of Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
and 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...
in 1919.
Early years
Paul Levi was born 11 March 1883 in HechingenHechingen
Hechingen is a town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated about south of the state capital of Stuttgart and north of Lake Constance and the Swiss border.- City districts :...
in Hohenzollern Province into a Jewish middle-class family, 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) in 1906. There he became part of the party’s left wing together 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...
and 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...
. Beginning in 1913, Levi was also Luxemburg's lawyer in political cases.
During 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...
Levi was conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. Discharged in 1916, he settled in Switzerland, associating with Karl Radek
Karl Radek
Karl Bernhardovic Radek was a socialist active in the Polish and German movements before World War I and an international Communist leader after the Russian Revolution....
and 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...
, becoming a part of the Zimmerwald Left
Zimmerwald Left
The Zimmerwald Left was a revolutionary minority fraction at the Zimmerwald Peace Conference of 1915, headed by Lenin. The Left of the Zimmerwald Congress was made up of eight out of 38 people: Lenin, Zinoviev , Jānis K. Bērziņš , Karl Radek , Julian Borchardt , Fritz Platten , Zeth Höglund and...
. He was recalled to the army, again discharged and became one of the leaders of the Spartacist League
Spartacist League
The Spartacus League was a left-wing Marxist revolutionary movement organized in Germany during World War I. The League was named after Spartacus, leader of the largest slave rebellion of the Roman Republic...
in 1918, which soon 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...
(KPD). He opposed the initiatives of 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...
in January 1919.
After the failure of the German 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, and the killing of the KPD’s main leaders Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
, 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 Leo Jogiches
Leo Jogiches
Leo Jogiches , also known by his party name of Leon Tyszka was a Marxist revolutionary active in Lithuania, Poland, and Germany....
, Levi took over as the central leader of the Communist Party, waging struggles against the party's Council Communist ultra-left. He led the party away from the policy of immediate revolution, in an effort to win over SPD and Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
(USPD) workers. These efforts were rewarded when a substantial section of the USPD joined the KPD, making it a mass party for the first time.
Communist leader
Levi headed the German delegation to the 2nd World Congress2nd World Congress of the Comintern
The 2nd World Congress of the Comintern was a gathering of approximately 220 voting and non-voting representatives of Communist and revolutionary socialist political parties from around the world, held in Petrograd and Moscow from July 19 to August 7, 1920...
of the Communist International 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...
in 1920.
Following disputes within the KPD around splits within the Italian Socialist Party
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
(PSI), which were fuelled in part by the role 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...
, Levi resigned from the chairmanship of the Communist Party in early 1921, alongisde his co-chairman Ernst Däumig
Ernst Däumig
Ernst Däumig was a German politician and was the co-chairman of both the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany and Communist Party of Germany .-Early Years:...
and 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....
, Otto Brass and Adolf Hofman also resigned from the Central Committee. Shortly after, under the influence of Béla Kun
Béla Kun
Béla Kun , born Béla Kohn, was a Hungarian Communist politician and a Bolshevik Revolutionary who led the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919.- Early life :...
, the party launched the March uprisings of 1921.
Following the failure of the uprisings Levi was expelled from the Communist Party for publicly criticizing party policies. Lenin and Trotsky substantially agreed with his criticisms, but not the way in which he had made them. Lenin sent him a private letter through his friend 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....
, in which he asked Levi to accept the expulsion for "break of discipline" and then adopt a friendly approach towards the KPD and cooperate with it in the class struggle in a loyal manner. If Levi would do so, Lenin would then push for his reinstatement in the party. Levi did not accept this proposal and continued to criticize the party sharply and condemn its leaders.
Levi edited a monthly Sowjet
Sowjet
Sowjet was a German monthly communist publication, edited by Paul Levi, printed in Berlin. The first issue was published July 1, 1919. Following Levi's expulsion from the Communist Party of Germany, the journal, from July 1, 1921, changed its orientation and was henceforth published under the name...
("Soviet"), later named Unser Weg ("Our Way").
Later life, death, and legacy
After being expelled from the Communist Party, Levi formed the Communist Working Collective (KAG). In 1922 he joined the Independent Social Democratic Party of GermanyIndependent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
. Later, he rejoined the Social Democratic Party.
Levi died on 9 February 1930 in Berlin
Berlin
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...
. He succumbed to injuries suffered when he fell from his window. After his death the Reichstag held a minute of commemoration during which the representatives of the Communist Party and the Nazi Party ostentatiously left the assembly hall.
Additional reading
- Balabanoff, AngelicaAngelica BalabanoffAngelica Balabanoff was a Jewish-Italian communist and social democratic activist.-Revolutionary activities:...
(1968). Impressions of Lenin. - Broué, PierrePierre BrouéPierre Broué was a French historian and Trotskyist. His work covers various topics including the history of the Bolshevik Party, the Spanish Revolution and biographical works on Leon Trotsky...
(1971). The German Revolution 1917-1923. - http://www.marxists.org/archive/hallas/works/1985/comintern/ch3.htm#s2Hallas, DuncanDuncan HallasDuncan Hallas , was a prominent member of the Trotskyist movement and a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party in Great Britain.-Biography:...
(1985). "The Comintern". Marxist Internet Archive] - accessed August 9, 2009 - Jones, Mike (1985). "The Decline, Disorientation and Decomposition of a Leadership". Revolutionary History, Vol 2 No 3, Autumn 1989. On-line at Revolutionary History - accessed August 9, 2009
- http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1921/aug/14.htmLenin, VladimirVladimir LeninVladimir 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...
(1921). "A Letter to the German Communists". Marxist Internet Archive] - accessed August 9, 2009 - http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1924/ffyci-2/07.htmTroksky, LeonLeon TrotskyLeon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
(1922). "Paul Levi and Some 'Lefts'". The First Five Years of the Communist International. Marxist Internet Archive] - accessed August 9, 2009
External links
- Paul Levi Archive at marxists.org
- Paul Levi on Lenin in retrospect in 1927 translated by Mike Jones
- Why the German Revolution Failed by Walter Held
- The German Revolution In the Leninist Period by Jean Van Heijenoort
- The Downfall of Levi by Karl Radek
- Pierre Broué's German Revolution 1917-1923 by Todd Chretien