Siegmund Glücksmann
Encyclopedia
Siegmund Glücksmann was a German
-Jewish socialist politician. In the 1920s and 1930s, he was one of the most prominent figures of the German minority
socialist movement in Poland
, functioned as its 'party ideologue' and represented the more Marxist oriented wing of the movement.
(Wadowitz), where he joined a socialist students organization. In 1905 he shifted to Kraków
to study Law at the Jagiellonian University
. He worked with socialist publications, and in 1910 he became a member of the Jewish Social Democratic Party
(ŻPSD).
In 1911 the Jewish Social Democracy in Galicia, the Jewish affiliate section of the Polish Social Democratic Party of Galicia
, merged into the ŻPSD. Glücksmann became a member of the Executive of the unified ŻPSD.
(Bielitz). In Bielsko, he opened an attorney's office of his own.
In Bielsko he became associated with the German intellectuals of the town. He was elected to the town council. In 1920 he was active in the Social Democratic electoral bloc 'Forward'. He was a leading figure of the Austrian Social Democratic Party
in Bielsko, and worked with its press organ Volksstimme. In 1922, he managed to merge the Bielitz branch of the Austrian Social Democratic Party with the German Social Democratic party organizations in Upper Silesia
, forming the German Social Democratic Party
(DSDP). The DSDP sought to organize German socialists throughout the Polish republic. The DSDP later evolved, after a series of mergers, into the German Socialist Labour Party in Poland (DSAP).
of Poland) coming to power (during the May Coup in 1926), Glücksmann argued for opposition against the new regime and claimed that Piłsudski had abandoned socialism. The first joint protests by DSAP and the Polish Socialist Party
(PPS), were organized on Glücksmann's initiative. In the 1930s, he argued in favour of cooperation with the Communist Party of Poland
and in 1934 he urged the DSAP to struggle jointly with the communists against fascism
.
line adopted by the 7th congress of the Communist International in 1935. In Bielsko, local National Socialists began a campaign of harassment against Glücksmann. As a result, Glücksmann resigned from his position as the chairman of the DSAP organization in the Bielsko subdistrict. The attacks against the party did however not decline.
and from there to Lwów (Lemberg or Lviv). In Lwów he began working as an Arithmetics teacher. In the fall of 1940, once the area was taken over by the Soviets following the Soviet invasion of Poland
, he was deported to Yoshkar-Ola
, where he worked as a woodcutter. After the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
between the Polish government in exile
and the Soviets, Glücksmann was free to leave Yoshkar-Ola and in the fall of 1941 he moved Bukhara
. He died in typhoid at a Bukhara hospital on October 6, 1942. His wife and children later returned to Poland, and would eventually migrate to Sweden
.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
-Jewish socialist politician. In the 1920s and 1930s, he was one of the most prominent figures of the German minority
German minority in Poland
The registered German minority in Poland consists of 152,900 people, according to a 2002 census.The German language is used in certain areas in Opole Voivodeship , where most of the minority resides...
socialist movement in 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...
, functioned as its 'party ideologue' and represented the more Marxist oriented wing of the movement.
Student life and entry into political activism
Glücksmann studied secondary school in WadowiceWadowice
Wadowice is a town in southern Poland, 50 km from Kraków with 19,200 inhabitants , situated on the Skawa river, confluence of Vistula, in the eastern part of Silesian Plateau...
(Wadowitz), where he joined a socialist students organization. In 1905 he shifted to Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
to study Law at the Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
. He worked with socialist publications, and in 1910 he became a member of the Jewish Social Democratic Party
Jewish Social Democratic Party
The Jewish Social Democratic Party was a political party in Galicia and later also Bukovina, established in a split from the Polish Social Democratic Party of Galicia in 1905...
(ŻPSD).
In 1911 the Jewish Social Democracy in Galicia, the Jewish affiliate section of the Polish Social Democratic Party of Galicia
Polish Social Democratic Party of Galicia
Polish Social Democratic Party of Galicia was a political party in Galicia. The party was formed in 1890 as the Galician territorial organization of the Social Democratic Workers Party of Austria. In 1892 it took the name Social Democratic Party of Galicia...
, merged into the ŻPSD. Glücksmann became a member of the Executive of the unified ŻPSD.
War and Post-war
In 1913 Glücksmann began post-graduate studies in Law. Glücksmann's university studies were however interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. Glücksmann became an officer, commanding over a company of carabiners. Glücksmann was wounded in the war, and settled down in BielskoBielsko
Bielsko was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that town....
(Bielitz). In Bielsko, he opened an attorney's office of his own.
In Bielsko he became associated with the German intellectuals of the town. He was elected to the town council. In 1920 he was active in the Social Democratic electoral bloc 'Forward'. He was a leading figure of the Austrian Social Democratic Party
SPO
- Technology :SPO: Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Cloud Computing, Office 365. See Microsoft Online Services-Economics:* Secondary Public Offering, an equity capital market instrument...
in Bielsko, and worked with its press organ Volksstimme. In 1922, he managed to merge the Bielitz branch of the Austrian Social Democratic Party with the German Social Democratic party organizations in Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
, forming the German Social Democratic Party
German Social Democratic Party of Poland
German Social Democratic Party was a political party in Poland, founded on March 26, 1922.-Foundation:The party emerged out of a fusion of the Oberschlesien organizations of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany and the Teschener-Schlesien...
(DSDP). The DSDP sought to organize German socialists throughout the Polish republic. The DSDP later evolved, after a series of mergers, into the German Socialist Labour Party in Poland (DSAP).
Role as party ideologue
After Józef Piłsudski's (former socialist that would become a dictatorDictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Poland) coming to power (during the May Coup in 1926), Glücksmann argued for opposition against the new regime and claimed that Piłsudski had abandoned socialism. The first joint protests by DSAP and the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
(PPS), were organized on Glücksmann's initiative. In the 1930s, he argued in favour of cooperation with the Communist Party of Poland
Communist Party of Poland
The Communist Party of Poland is a historical communist party in Poland. It was a result of the fusion of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania and the Polish Socialist Party-Left in the Communist Workers Party of Poland .-1918-1921:The KPRP was founded on 16 December 1918 as...
and in 1934 he urged the DSAP to struggle jointly with the communists against fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
.
Rise of fascism
Glücksmann welcomed the Popular FrontPopular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
line adopted by the 7th congress of the Communist International in 1935. In Bielsko, local National Socialists began a campaign of harassment against Glücksmann. As a result, Glücksmann resigned from his position as the chairman of the DSAP organization in the Bielsko subdistrict. The attacks against the party did however not decline.
Exile and death
In September 1939, Glücksmann and his family fled to VolhyniaVolhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
and from there to Lwów (Lemberg or Lviv). In Lwów he began working as an Arithmetics teacher. In the fall of 1940, once the area was taken over by the Soviets following the Soviet invasion of Poland
Soviet invasion of Poland
Soviet invasion of Poland can refer to:* the second phase of the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 when Soviet armies marched on Warsaw, Poland* Soviet invasion of Poland of 1939 when Soviet Union allied with Nazi Germany attacked Second Polish Republic...
, he was deported to Yoshkar-Ola
Yoshkar-Ola
Yoshkar-Ola is the capital city of the Mari El Republic, Russia. Population: Yoshkar-Ola means red city in Mari. The current name is the third to have been given to the city. The city was known as Tsaryovokokshaysk before 1919 and as Krasnokokshaysk between 1919 and 1927...
, where he worked as a woodcutter. After the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
The Sikorski–Mayski Agreement was a treaty between the Soviet Union and Poland signed in London on 30 July 1941. Its name was coined after the two most notable signatories: Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ivan Mayski.- Details :After signing...
between the Polish government in exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
and the Soviets, Glücksmann was free to leave Yoshkar-Ola and in the fall of 1941 he moved Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. He died in typhoid at a Bukhara hospital on October 6, 1942. His wife and children later returned to Poland, and would eventually migrate to Sweden
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....
.