Vladimir Posse
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Posse (May 10, 1864 - Oct. 21, 1940) was a Russia
n socialist journalist and editor who typically signed his articles V. A. Posse.
Posse grew up in Saint Petersburg
the youngest of six children; his brother Konstantin (1847-1928) was a mathematician who wrote a calculus textbook widely used in Russia. Vladimir was intellectually precocious, attending Fyodor Dostoyevsky's public readings and his funeral in 1881. He attended Saint Petersburg University (the philological and juridical faculties), being expelled in 1887; the following year he took a degree in law. In the 1890s, he slowly moved from the narodniks' populism to Marxist social democracy
. In early 1899 he took over as editor of Zhizn
(Life), previously a moderate populist magazine, in an attempt to merge populism and Legal Marxism
. He thought he had an understanding with the leading Legal Marxists, but at the last moment they founded their own magazine, Nachalo
(The Beginning). Nachalo, however, was shut down by the government in June 1899, and the Legal Marxists moved to Zhizn, since Posse was willing to forgive and forget. Posse continued to edit the magazine until it was suppressed by the Tsar
ist government in April 1901. He put his friend Maxim Gorky
in charge of the magazine's literary section, giving the 30-year-old Gorky an opportunity to try his hand at editing.
In mid-1901, after the suppression of Zhizn, Posse moved to Ireland
and then London
, where he tried to resume the magazine's publication. Although Ariadna Tyrkova-Williams
(then Ariadna Borman)'s attempt to secure funding from Gorky, who was living in exile in Yalta
at the time, proved unsuccessful in November 1901, Posse eventually formed the Zhizn Social Democratic Group with V. D. Velichkina and Vladimir Bonch-Bruevich
, the latter providing financial and distribution support. The group published another 5 issues of Zhizn in London between April and August 1902. The last issue, dated September-December 1902, was published in Geneva in December 1902.
Between May 15 and December 12, 1902 (Gregorian calendar
), Posse also edited and published (as "F. Rosin") twelve issues of a companion magazine, Listki Zhizni (Leaflets of Life), which he called a "non-factional Social-Democratic organ", in London . He also edited several volumes in the irregular Zhizn Library series, also published in 1902.
The Zhizn Social Democratic Group ceased to exist and publication stopped when Bonch-Bruevich had a falling out with Posse and left the group, joining Iskra
, a rival Social Democratic publication, and taking his distribution network with him. Bonch-Bruevich also transferred 19 manuscripts from Zhizn' s portfolio to Iskra against the wishes of the Zhizn Group, which caused a controversy in early 1903.
In 1905 the Odessa
publisher Burevestnik issued his translation of August Bebel
's Die Frau und der Sozialismus (Woman and Socialism). Posse returned to Russia after the Revolution of 1905 and continued working as an editor, apparently rejecting young Isaac Babel
's early stories. He published an autobiography, Perezhitoe i produmannoe. Molodost' . 1864-1894 (Meditations about the Past: Youth, 1864-1894), in 1933, which was privately criticized by his one time friend and protege Gorky for its supposed multiple omissions and inaccuracies.
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...
n socialist journalist and editor who typically signed his articles V. A. Posse.
Posse grew up in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
the youngest of six children; his brother Konstantin (1847-1928) was a mathematician who wrote a calculus textbook widely used in Russia. Vladimir was intellectually precocious, attending Fyodor Dostoyevsky's public readings and his funeral in 1881. He attended Saint Petersburg University (the philological and juridical faculties), being expelled in 1887; the following year he took a degree in law. In the 1890s, he slowly moved from the narodniks' populism to Marxist social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
. In early 1899 he took over as editor of Zhizn
Zhizn
Zhizn was a Russian magazine published first in Saint Petersburg , then in London and Geneva .Zhizn began its existence as a general purpose magazine in January 1897. For the first two years it was edited, at various times, by S. V. Voejkov, D. M. Ostafyev, M. V. Kalitin, and M. S. Ermolaev and...
(Life), previously a moderate populist magazine, in an attempt to merge populism and Legal Marxism
Legal Marxism
Legal Marxism was a Russian Marxist movement based on a particular interpretation of Marxist theory whose proponents were active in socialist circles between 1894 and 1901. The movement's primary theoreticians were Pyotr Struve, Nikolai Berdyaev, Sergei Bulgakov, Mikhail Tugan-Baranovsky and Semyon...
. He thought he had an understanding with the leading Legal Marxists, but at the last moment they founded their own magazine, Nachalo
Nachalo
Nachalo was a Russian Marxist monthly magazine published in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1899.-Origins:When Novoye Slovo, the flagship magazine of the Saint Petersburg-based Legal Marxists, was suppressed by the Czarist government in December 1897, their leaders began planning a new magazine...
(The Beginning). Nachalo, however, was shut down by the government in June 1899, and the Legal Marxists moved to Zhizn, since Posse was willing to forgive and forget. Posse continued to edit the magazine until it was suppressed by the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
ist government in April 1901. He put his friend Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
in charge of the magazine's literary section, giving the 30-year-old Gorky an opportunity to try his hand at editing.
In mid-1901, after the suppression of Zhizn, Posse moved to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and then London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he tried to resume the magazine's publication. Although Ariadna Tyrkova-Williams
Ariadna Tyrkova-Williams
Ariadna Vladimirovna Tyrkova-Williams was a liberal politician, journalist, writer and feminist in Russia during the revolutionary period until 1920...
(then Ariadna Borman)'s attempt to secure funding from Gorky, who was living in exile in Yalta
Yalta
Yalta is a city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea.The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black...
at the time, proved unsuccessful in November 1901, Posse eventually formed the Zhizn Social Democratic Group with V. D. Velichkina and Vladimir Bonch-Bruevich
Vladimir Bonch-Bruevich
Vladimir Dmitriyevich Bonch-Bruyevich was a Soviet politician, historian and writer, Old Bolshevik . He was a brother of Mikhail Dmitriyevich Bonch-Bruyevich....
, the latter providing financial and distribution support. The group published another 5 issues of Zhizn in London between April and August 1902. The last issue, dated September-December 1902, was published in Geneva in December 1902.
Between May 15 and December 12, 1902 (Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
), Posse also edited and published (as "F. Rosin") twelve issues of a companion magazine, Listki Zhizni (Leaflets of Life), which he called a "non-factional Social-Democratic organ", in London . He also edited several volumes in the irregular Zhizn Library series, also published in 1902.
The Zhizn Social Democratic Group ceased to exist and publication stopped when Bonch-Bruevich had a falling out with Posse and left the group, joining Iskra
Iskra
Iskra was a political newspaper of Russian socialist emigrants established as the official organ of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Initially, it was managed by Vladimir Lenin, moving as he moved. The first edition was published in Stuttgart on December 1, 1900. Other editions were...
, a rival Social Democratic publication, and taking his distribution network with him. Bonch-Bruevich also transferred 19 manuscripts from Zhizn
In 1905 the Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
publisher Burevestnik issued his translation of August Bebel
August Bebel
Ferdinand August Bebel was a German Marxist politician, writer, and orator. He is best remembered as one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.-Early years:...
's Die Frau und der Sozialismus (Woman and Socialism). Posse returned to Russia after the Revolution of 1905 and continued working as an editor, apparently rejecting young Isaac Babel
Isaac Babel
Isaak Emmanuilovich Babel was a Russian language journalist, playwright, literary translator, and short story writer. He is best known as the author of Red Cavalry, Story of My Dovecote, and Tales of Odessa, all of which are considered masterpieces of Russian literature...
's early stories. He published an autobiography, Perezhitoe i produmannoe. Molodost
Autobiography
- V. A. Posse. Perezhitoe i produmannoe. Molodost
' . 1864-1894. (Meditations about the Past: Youth, 1864-1894), Leningrad, 1933.
Works
- Rabochee Zakonodateljstvo (Labor Legislation). Offprint from Teoriya i praktika proletarskago Sotsializma (Theory and Practice of Proletarian Socialism), Geneva, 1905, pp. 905-946.