Kaufmann

[lynn cates]

sed contra

Hello Maria. This is a good plan, but bear in mind:

1. It might be a differently named Schwartz.

2. It might be Israel Schwartz, but not THE Israel Schwartz.

3. It might be THE Israel Schwartz, but he might have turned Anarchist because of a kindness shown by Wess at the interview.

4. It might be THE Israel Schwartz; he may have become a club member BEFORE the interview; and yet have told the truth about BS man.

As the old adage goes,

"There's many a slip
'twixt the cup and the lip."

Just to temper your optimism a bit.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Debs and Lynn,
thank you SO very much for the Michel Lesure manuscript. I had a very quick look through it, and it's becoming clear to me that there are 3 directions in which we should research:
1) Obviously if Debs could keep going on with looking up for the elusive no-first-name-Schwartz anarchist in pamphlets, that could possibly bring out a hit. I'll do the same with The Jewish Standard.
2) As noticed by Debs, Schwartz is mentioned 3 times in Lesure's index, as in having participated in 3 anarchist meetings, in the summer of 1902 and 1903 and in the winter of 1905. Therefore it's clear that we need to get access to Der Arbeter Fraint from the summer of 1902 and 1903 and from the winter of 1905, and cross reference the articles for a possible reference to Schwartz (preferably with his first name). What impresses me is that in one of the meetings (if I'm not mistaken, in 1903) Schwartz is mentioned together with Der Arbeter Fraint and Rudolph Rocker. I'm already strongly suspecting that this might be our Israel Schwartz. But we'll see.
3) I was very surprised to see a box mentioned as containing reports on the London anarchists which was NOT known to me from the Archives Nationales inventaries. I'll most certainly order this box when in Paris in March. Otherwise (on a very quick look) the shelf marks look identical to what I have.

I might even arrange to meet Michel Lesure himself, as I strongly suspect that HE was the OTHER researcher keeping the boxes away from me (as mentioned in my previous post). After googling him I see that he has worked extensively on the matter of Russian pre-revolutionary socialists.
At any rate, thank you SO much again, Debs.

[lynn cates]

Red Virgin

Hello Maria. I'd be delighted. Thanks!

Have you come across Louise Michel, the notorious "Red Virgin"?

I shall shortly email you a file/search passed along to me by Debs Arif. Enjoy!

LC

[mariab]

Hello Lynn.
I know about Andrieux, but no idea if this is the same event. Maybe if you cross referenced the names of the 7 anarchists arrested?
There's a last spy report I have here, as a xerox copy, which discusses (and in great length, in 2 chatty full pages) Russian nihilists and their working habits in Paris, not London. I might post a translation of it at some point tomorrow. Interested? There are lots of names in there too, including women nihilists.

[lynn cates]

Thanks

Hello Maria. Thanks. You do good work.

Was that last incident the one where Andrieux blew up some bombs and then blamed the anarchists?

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

And a French secret police report from Rob Clack's post #99:

Nihilists, Seine

Arrest in Paris of Russian terrorists found guilty of having constructed and detonated explosives.
Mai 29, 1890.
The following seven of them were convicted:
Renstein or Reinstein
Nachachidze or Macachadge
Lavrenius
Stepanoff
Kaschinzeff
Lewoff
Hoeckelmann de Landesen (wasn't executed)

[mariab]

anarchists' movements

last spy report (the top one) from Rob Clack's post #98:

Paris, April 20, 1906 (from London):
Mobility of the principal London anarchist revolutionaries.

The current events in Russia and the events to happen due to the Duma reunion have caused the mobility of numerous Russian revolutionaries, refugees in London, who felt compelled to return to their country.
Tchaikowsky spent some time in Moscow, before embarking on a ship for New York, where he'll be working on obtaining funding for the continuation of the revolutionary struggle. From there {New York} he plans to return to London with his family.
Tcherkesoff has been in Moscow.
Soskice left a few days ago for St. Petersburg, in his function as a correspondent for the newly founded English liberal newspaper “Tribune“ from London.
Speck, a member of the anarchist group “The worker's friend“, who left a few days ago for Riga, has been executed in that city for the assassination of a chief of police.
Kropotkin is still in London, ill, his illness being the sole cause for his not having gone to Russia.

[mariab]

“Der Arbeter Fraint“ on international politics

4th spy report (starting from the bottom):
NOTE for Lynn Cates: Here's a “hot“ anarchist lady for you, Lynn!

Paris, November 3, 1904 (from London I/II).
The revolutionary Jewish press in England.

Summary of issue #33 of “The worker's friend“, an instrument of the Jewish anarchists of London.
The Jewish anarchist group of “The worker's friend“ organized a conference last Sunday in London, attended by numerous comrades. Decisions for the order of the next day were met:
“This group has decided on organizing a strong union among the Jewish anarchists of London, to formulate a propaganda plan by speech and by the press, to spread the anarchist ideas among the Jewish masses.“
A correspondent from Manchester is reporting that the Jewish anarchist movement is gaining on importance every day in that city, and that the number of participants in the party's reunions is augmenting. At a gathering which took place last Sunday, numerous English Jews were present. Miss Dillington, from the English anarchist group, gave a speech leading to a hot discussion.
Gatherings will continue taking place in that city {of Manchester}, every Saturday in Yiddish and every Sunday in English.
The editorial {of Der Arbeter Fraint} comments on the Russian-Japanese war and states that the Japanese victories will have consequences on the Chinese coolies.
The time is coming when the Chinese workers will reject the yoke imposed on them by the European capitalists, which opens up a new and vaste field for anarchist propaganda.

[mariab]

a gathering with Beck (NOT Begg!) the anarchist

Third spy report (starting from the bottom):
(The Beck anarchist person is mentioned very frequently in the French spy reports. NOTE the mention of a British anarchist named “Williams“ (Wess?).

Paris, May 2, 1905 (from London).
The Russian revolutionaries of London.

On April 30 a gathering organized by the anarchist Russian London group “Solidarity“ took place at the “Black Lion“ in Whitechapel.
Anarchist Beck talked about the horrors of the ongoing war and its consequences, the widows and orphans left with no means, the unemployment leading to hunger, the blackest misery for the workers' class.
He finished his speech by saying:
“Comrades, we should encourage all means for a revolution, to liberate our brothers from the yoke of the vampire who's been sucking our ultimate drops of blood. Down to the Romanoffs and their entire consequences. Hail to the Revolution and to freedom!“
The entire room repeated these cries enthusiastically.
An English anarchist named Williams {Wess?} followed up with a violent but incoherent speech.
He was followed by a Jewish revolutionary named Mosses, who talked about the trade unionist movement and who invited all attendees to participate in tomorrow's demonstration of the people for the 1st of May.
The gathering closed with lighted projections of the Saint Petersburg massacre, the strikes of Lodz, the destruction of the Russian fleet at Port Alfred. The audience departed singing the Internationale.

[mariab]

“Der Arbeter Fraint“ and Kropotkin

Second spy report (starting from the bottom):

Paris, January 19, 1906 (from London).
The Jewish Russian revolutionary group “The worker's friend“.

The Jewish Russian revolutionary group “The worker's friend“, led by the anarchist Jewish federation, has just cocluded a Jewish translation of Kropotkin's “The words of a revolutionary“, the first chapters of which have been published in the French anarchist journal “La Révolte“ {“The rebellion“}.
The group is proposing a publication of this book, which treats the question of “communism and anarchy“ for Jewish propaganda in England and in Russia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The anarchist journal “The worker's friend“, led by the anarchist Jewish federation in Paris and in Great Britain, started the publication of a series of articles this week under the title “Bread and will“ {sic: “Bread at will“}.
These articles were written specifically by Mr. Kropotkin to instill the Jewish masses with revolutionary, combative spirit in the purchase of anarchist ideas.

[mariab]

the Jewish socialists and Balfour

I'm back (from a wonderful evening in knee deep pow in Xmasy, illuminated Berlin, including a quick but super yummy dinner at an Italian restaurant and an even quicker visit to an Italian drumm and bass club), so here goes the translation of the first spy report (starting from the bottom), kindly cleaned up and posted here by Rob Clack. NOTE: Tcherkesow, William Wess' buddy, turns up here again. Does anybody know who Alladin (and his magic lantern) was? Here goes:

Paris, November 3, 1904 (from London).
Jewish revolutionaries in England.
“New Times“.
Issue #34 of “New Times“, the publication for Jewish Russian democrat revolutionaries in London, has just come out in print.
In his editorial column the editor says that, in agreement with the executive committee of the socialist democratic British federation, the democrat socialists Jewish Russians of the London East End decided to ask Mr. Balfour, the prime minister, to immediately convene a parlamentary comittee for finding the means to provide the numerous unemployed workers with jobs.
A very interesting literary gathering was organized by the socialist democrat party of the Jewish Russians to celebrate the anniversary of Tschernishewsky. The gathering in question took plase at the “House of the people“ on Princelet Street. Tcherkesow and Alladin gave speeches.

[mariab]

Lynn Cates wrote:
Take the spelling of Jews above ("Juives") and write it on a slip of paper with a pencil. Neglect to dot the "i." What does it look like?
Yes, I know. The same can be said about the infamous “Dear Sor“. (While the rest of the “i“s in the letter feature dots.)

[lynn cates]

old hat

Hello Maria. Thanks.

Although what I am about to say is old hat, please bear with me.

Take the spelling of Jews above ("Juives") and write it on a slip of paper with a pencil. Neglect to dot the "i." What does it look like?

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Well said, Lynn!
I gotta go meet my friends for a couple hours, but I'll be back soon.

[lynn cates]

Juives

Hello Rob and Maria. Thanks. Must beware of those Juives. Seems they are not the men to be blamed for nothing.

Cheers.
LC