German Pre-purges/Saeuberungen

["Chris, London" <100423.2040@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wolfgang:
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ich schicke Euch eine Rezension, die ich fuer "Das Argument", eine
marxistische Theorie- bzw. Philosophiezeitschrift, geschrieben habe.
Ist das fuer die Liste von Interesse?


Chris B:
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Ja. Bestimmt!


I will comment in English if I may.


It is good to have some link, even though indirect, with a serious German
Marxist journal like Das Argument. I hope that you and other subscribers will
be able to contribute some headlines from other articles in serious German
journals, so that we English-speakers can become familiar with this political
culture.

I have understand 60% of what you have written. That is a lot. The short English
introduction helps but of course the German is more exact. Between us all we
can make this form of communication work. Please continue like this.

Your simple German style helps. Long sentences of course are difficult.

Let me see if I have understood a key point.

Brandler was stuck in the Soviet Union because the KPD feared his return.
In order to be able to leave the Soviet Union, after the Party hearing
against him, he broke with party discipline, and subsequently this may have
saved his life. Is that right?


The theme is relevant today. There is a very high degree of self-discipline on
this list. It is quite remarkable. It is what one expects in a group of serious
marxists. There is a constant appeal, mainly silent, but sometimes open, to
contributors to be self-disciplined. That is a million kilometres away from
imposed discipline. Expulsion from this list is completely against Spoons
policy, yet on other lists it is possible. Of course we do not have to make
any revolution or do anything, so it does not matter if consensus emerges only
slowly. I do not think any of us are immune from the dilemmas that led to the
purges. Detailed work on the Moscow archives will illuminate these questions.

A question. Does Stalin have any direct responsibility or involvement personally
in the injustices that are described in this book? What is his degree of
culpability? Auf Englisch, Deutsch und beide.

Gruesse,


Chris B,

London.



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