In the segment about Lenin, after his break with Martov and he was in bed sick. His wife pulled the blanket back and he had spots on his stomach. What was wrong with him?
Also, Lenin was upset with Martov because of his past association with a group that sounded like "Boont"? What was that group?
Thanks
I don't know what was wrong with Lenin when he was sick in bed. But I think the other reference is to the Bund, an organization of Social Democratic/Socialist groups before World War I. I'm guessing they were insufficiently Marxist in Lenin's eyes.
shareThe sores on his body were, I think, an early symptom of the syphillis that eventually killed him.
shareMy previous posting should probably have made mention of the fact that The Bund were a Jewish organization; which I think coloured his perception somewhat?
shareThe problem with the Bund, in Lenin's eyes, was that they were nationalists and reform-oriented -- rather than revoluntionaries. As for siphyllis. . . scholars today debate whether or not he had the disease. But the illness he seems to have in the episode in questions is small pox (I believe); and died of a series of strokes.
shareMy previous posting should probably have made mention of the fact that The Bund were a Jewish organization; which I think coloured his perception somewhat?Lenin fought anti-Semitism more vigorously than almost any leader who ever lived.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj7iRwzX-A0
^ Lenin's famous speech on anti-Semitism.
Sig under construction
It had been bandied about, mostly by his and enemies of the revolution , that he had syphilis. If he did, his female partner/wife would have had it too. The smallpox theory is implausible because then he would have had it on other parts of his body including his face which would have been pockmarked later since he obviously survived it. Besides, the smallpox vaccine was already widely available at that time and although smallpox was not yet entirely eradicated it was somewhat rare by that time in Europe. Since he quickly recovered from it and since the sores were on only one side of his body (in the video anyway), I suspect that what he had was a case of shingles, a delayed aftermath of chickenpox that affects some people in adulthood.
shareWhy would his wife necessarily have had it? Syphilis isn't a virus. By the time Lenin succumbed, she was mostly, I believe, secretary and nurse. Have you seen photos of Krupskaya? Lenin had to resort to affairs.
shareSyphilis is caused by a bacillus. Yes, it is highly contagious and communicable. If she was so ugly, why did he make her his wife?
share[deleted]
Here's a picture of her when she was younger. http://www.famousbirthdays.com/faces/krupskaya-nadezhda-image.jpg
shareThanks. Saw photo of young Nadezhda. By my standards, she must have been attractive despite the serious but innocent mien. She didn't age well though as I gleaned from the other photos -- looked battle weary and cynical. It must have been at that age when she was with Lenin.
shareI came here to ask the same question about the London disease. For some reason I thought he was being poisoned by someone, but there is neither historical nor narrative evidence to support this.
Is there historical evidence he was actually ill while in London?