FRAGEN FUN LEBEN: ZAMELBUKH. NUMBERS 2-3 פראגען פון לעבען: זאמעלבוך נומ. 2-3.
St. Petersburg (Russia): Type [Printer] I. Lurie, 1912. Item #42480
1st edition. Original green printed wrappers, 12mo, 159 pages. In Yiddish. Not to be confused with the more common 1911 imprint from Vilna, also called “Fragen fun Leben.” With a frontis photo of a young dapper Morris Winchevsky in 1874 (about 18 years old).
Contents: 1) M. Vintshevski [Morris Winchevsky]: Meyn Arbeyter Muze (Mit'n Yugend Bild Fun Rikhter). 2) L. Martav : Di Oyfgaben Fun Der Arbeayter-Demokratye In Der Nekhster Vahl- Kamfanye. 3) A. Litvak: Di Vahl-Kampanye Oyf Der Yudisher Gas. 4) V. Kas-Ki : Der Natsyanaler Skhsukh In Der Estreykhim Sher Arbayter Bevegung . 5) V, Miski : In A Daytsher Sats. Dem. Organizatsye. 6) A. Ziskind Fun Byalistaker Arbayter Leben. 7) D. Katsenelenboygen. Vas Lernt Unz Di Nahente Fergangenheyt . 8) Z. Epilboym, Aunzere Tsyelen [Rough translation: M (orris) Winchevsky: My Working Muse (With The Young Image Of The Judge). 2) L. Martov: The Tasks Of The Workers' Democracy In The Next Election Campaign. 3) A. Litvak: The Election Campaign On The Jewish Street. 4) V. Kos-Ki: The National Conflict In The Austrian Labor Movement. 5) V. Maisky: In A Soc. Dem. [Social Democratic] Organization. 6) A. Ziskind. Of Bialystok Workers’ Lives. 7) D. Katzenelenbouygen. What Does The Recent Past Teach Us? 8) P. Apelbaum, Our Children]. The contributor’s list is a who’s who of Jewish labor movement leadership at the time.
It was in September 1912 that Legislative elections were held in the Russian Empire to elect the fourth State Duma. The results were indicative of a polarizing nation: “Both the right- and left-wing increased their representation in the Duma; right-wing candidates won 153 seats and left-wingers 152, whilst the centrists, including the Union of October 17, were reduced to 130 seats….
The lead article is by Morris Winchevsky (aka Leopold Benzion Novokhovitch; aka Ben Netz; 1856-1932), who was “a prominent Jewish socialist leader in London and the United States in the late 19th century.Born in Jonava, Lithuania, in 1856, Winchevsky later moved to London where, already a well known socialist, he founded the Der Poylisher Yidl (The Little Polish Jew), one of the first Yiddish daily socialist newspapers; and the Arbeter Fraynd, the first Yiddish-language anarchist newspaper.
After immigrating to New York City, Winchevsky joined with Abraham Cahan and Louis Miller, two other prominent New York Jewish socialists, to found what would later become the largest Yiddish-language daily newspaper in the world, The Forward in 1897. This got them kicked out of the Socialist Labor Party. They would later migrate to the Social Democracy of America, the Social Democratic Party of America and the Socialist Party of America. Winchevsky wrote parodies directed to Jews of the Pale of Settlement in hopes of creating class consciousness.
Winchevsky was later selected as the representative of the Jewish Socialist Federation to the American Jewish Congress when the AJC met to select its delegates to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. At the meeting of the Congress, Winchevsky was publicly censured by the JSF for expressing Zionist sentiments.
He was subsequently associated with the Communist Party USA and its Yiddish daily Morgen Freiheit….Winchevsky is known for his role in the development of Yiddish poetry. Notably, he was a member of the Proletarian Poets, an association formed with Winchevsky, Morris Rosenfeld, David Edelstadt, and Joseph Bovshover” (Wikipedia)
SUBJECT(S): Jewish labor unions. Jewish socialists. OCLC: 233373708. OCLC-Worldcat lists only 2 holdings worldwide (NLI, YIVO). Lacks rear cover, spine wear, some edge wear to front cover, internally very nice, paper surprisingly bright and strong. Good Condition. Rare and important. (YID-44-12).
Price: $225.00