This film paints Rosa Luxemburg as a sort of pacifist proto-Green.
I had the idea she was a founder member of the 3rd international, close associate of Karl Leibknecht and Lenin and supporter of the Bolshevik revolution, ie far from a pacifist, although obviously she opposed the mass slaughter of WW1.
Which interpretation is nearer the truth? Has Von Trotta hijacked Luxemburg's story to push her own agenda? Views?
@ Krustallos
Hello,
This is an excellent question!
I have read a fascinating account by Karl Kautsky, whose character also appears in the film. Kautsky was the former mentor of Luxemburg. Their relation deteriorated at the start of WWI (1914). The main cause was the rather naive vision of Luxemburg, and the more realistic attitude of Kautsky.
According to Kautsky, Luxemburg was deeply impressed by the Russian revolution of 1905, which nearly succeeded. This led her to believe, that eventually the common people would be capable of orchestrating an uprise, and seizing power. She firmly believed that the conscience of the people is superior to the ruling class. She abhorred war, but was certainly not a pacifist.
Her populist attitude led her in 1918 to stimulate some groups of German workers into an armed resistance, which in fact was without chance. Actually, she tried to start a civil war. As a result, many of them were slaughtered by the German armed forces.
I think that her attitude can be found in the narrative of Von Trotta. I suggest that you listen carefully to the fierce dialogues and debates of Luxemburg, and use your own common sense.
@ Krustallos
Hello again,
If you are interested in the private life of revisionist socialists, you might consider seeing the film "Nynke" (with also a woman as the main character).
Just a quick reaction to the "proto-Green" comment - that reminds me of something the editors of Partisan Review wrote about her back in 1938 as a woman "whose human relationships are so warm, whose sympathy for animals, birds, even plants and insects, is so acute as to cause her constant pain." In the same issue, when asked what she was reading, Luxemburg replied, "Mostly books on the natural sciences -- geography, botany and zoology." Clearly there was some intense concern to create favorable PR for her as a nature lover - it reminds me of the sort generated for modern presidential candidates - but her letters also attest to her zoophilia and topophilia.
shareHello, Most people enjoy strolling in the countryside and watching wildlife. During the early social movement the workers didn't have any leisure time, and certainly no money to travel. Holidays were for the rich, just like sport. The workers were confined to their dirty factory premises. Therefore the leaders of the workers organisations (party, trade union) glorified trips to the countryside, and founded holiday resorts for workers. Apparently Luxemburg had this similar attitude. She was not particularly kindhearted. For instance, she had been welcomed in a hospitable manner by the German party SPD and for many years Karl Kautsky was her mentor. But when the First World War started, and the majority of the SPD M.P.s supported the war credits, she accused the SPD leadership of betrayal. Although soon in the SPD a group opposed the consent with the war credits, the whole party tried with vehemence to maintain the inner harmony. According to Kautsky however, Luxemburg had a disintegrating influence, which he blames on her Russian revolutionary past (1905). She had little respect for the organisation, and glorified the will of the masses. She became an advocate of the scission in the SPD, and then at the end of the war an advocate of the scission within the dissident minority. Therefore she was later viewed by the German Bolshevists as one of their founders, together with Lenin (Uljanov). According to Kautsky her actions damaged the socialdemocrat opposition against the war. Similar to Lenin she aimed to transform the imperialist war into a civil war. I think that the negative judgement of Kautsky (who later has been nominated for the Nobel peace price) concerning Luxemburg is justified,
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