3611 - The Secret History Zionist Have Hidden w/ Molly Crabapple
The Majority Report with Sam Seder Podcast Recap
Published:
Duration: 1 hr 35 min
Guests: Molly Crabapple
Summary
Molly Crabapple discusses her book on the Jewish Labor Bund, a socialist movement that emerged in response to Jewish persecution. The episode delves into the Bund's history, contrasting it with Zionism and highlighting its role in Jewish liberation.
What Happened
Molly Crabapple, an artist and author, discusses her new book 'Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund.' The book covers the history of the Jewish Labor Bund, which emerged in 1897 as a socialist response to Jewish persecution in Eastern Europe. Crabapple finds inspiration in her great-grandfather's painting depicting a young woman, symbolizing the Bund's spirit of resistance.
The episode discusses the historical context in which both the Jewish Labor Bund and Zionism emerged in 1897. While Zionism advocated for relocation and assimilation, the Bund promoted maintaining cultural identity within socialism. The Bund's focus on democratic socialism and human solidarity shaped its opposition to Zionism, which it saw as complicit with anti-Semitic regimes and British imperialism.
The Bund was active in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland, where it thrived in the interwar period, creating mutual aid networks and cultural programs. However, it faced repression from both the Russian Bolsheviks and later the communist dictatorship in Poland, which forced its liquidation. Despite these challenges, the Bund played a significant role in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and in documenting the Holocaust.
Arthur Ziegelbaum, a prominent Bundist, committed suicide in protest after his warnings about the Holocaust were ignored. His story highlights the Bund's efforts to raise awareness of the atrocities faced by Jews during World War II. The Bund's documentation, including the first major Jewish report on the Holocaust, was smuggled to London.
The episode contrasts various Zionist movements, including those led by Zev Jabotinsky with fascist elements, and socialist Zionist movements like Labor Zionism, which excluded Palestinians. The Bund criticized Zionist strategies, seeing them as ethically compromised and contrary to its vision of multicultural democracy.
In the post-war period, surviving Polish Jews faced further persecution, leading to mass migrations. Zionist movements influenced Jewish refugees in displaced persons camps to move to Palestine, joining the Haganah. The Bund, while losing political influence, continued as a cultural group in the US, contributing to the revival of the Yiddish language and maintaining its historical legacy.
Molly Crabapple's book serves as a call to rediscover Jewish history beyond Zionism, emphasizing the relevance of the Bund's ideals today. It offers a historical perspective on the Jewish anti-Zionist movement and its vision for liberation, which remains pertinent for young Jews seeking alternative narratives.
Key Insights
- The Jewish Labor Bund emerged as a socialist response to Jewish persecution in Eastern Europe, promoting a multicultural, democratic socialism. It opposed Zionism, viewing it as collaborating with anti-Semitic regimes and British imperialism.
- The Bund played a crucial role in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and documented the Holocaust, smuggling reports out to raise global awareness. Despite repression, it thrived in Poland with mutual aid and cultural programs.
- Zionism and the Bund had contrasting approaches to Jewish liberation, with Zionism advocating relocation and assimilation, while the Bund emphasized cultural identity. Zionist movements, including those led by Jabotinsky, had fascist elements.
- Post-Holocaust, surviving Polish Jews faced further persecution, prompting migrations to displaced persons camps. Zionist movements influenced refugees to move to Palestine, while the Bund continued as a cultural group in the US.