A synopsis of the positions and work of the Bund on its tenth anniversary shortly after it rejoined the R.S.D.L.P. as a consequence of the 1905 Revolution.

‘Ten Years Activity of the Jewish Bund’ from Industrial Union Bulletin. Vol. 1 No. 38. November 16, 1907.

On October 8th, 1907, the Jewish Bund celebrated its tenth anniversary. In the Fall of 1897 all local Jewish Socialist organizations, who carried on the propaganda amongst the masses in many cities of Poland and Lithuania, united into a compact body.

The first secret circles in which Socialism was taught to the best elements of the Jewish proletaire dates back as far as 1887. Characteristic was the fact that those circles, led by a few Jewish intellectuals and working among the Jewish proletaire, had nothing Jewish about them, but had adapted themselves only to Russian conditions and culture. This state of affairs could naturally not last long. As soon as the propaganda bore fruit amongst the masses, they changed their character accordingly. The Russian language being strange to the Jewish workingmen had to give way to its own mother tongue. A literature in Yiddish had to be created. The organization was confronted with new problems. They also had to battle against those peculiar forms of oppression due to the position the Jewish worker holds as a nation in the Russian empire. At the same time, the mainly economic movement commenced to be active also in the domain of politics. The necessity of a closer affiliation arose and to combine this three cornered fight for his rights as a worker, citizen and Jew became more apparent. It was under those conditions in 1887 “Der Bund” was founded.

With proud satisfaction may its active workers now look upon the fruit of its labors. In the Jewish proletaire, the “Pariah,” amongst the workers, the most cruelly oppressed and exploited of all in Russia, it awakened the consciousness of his might and honor. The light-spreading torch of Socialism was pressed in his “Right,” which placed him in the foremost ranks of fighters for Russia’s freedom from wage slavery.

As early as 1896, the Russian Section in its report to the International Congress, calls the “Bund” the advance guard of the revolutionary movement in Russia. The Jewish worker, organized under the banner of the “Bund,” understood, notwithstanding all the sacrifices which he willingly made, to hold this honorable position.

By means of stirring up a furious race hatred, by organizing bands of sluggers, the Russian government endeavored to crush the Jewish revolutionary movement. And it is the “Bund” who deserved the credit of uncovering the true character of the “Pogroms” and taught the Jewish proletaire to defend his life and honor with a weapon in his hand. It was the “Bund” who first founded the organization of armed self-defense, which marked a turning point in the history of massacres and a revolution in the psychology of the Russian Jew. Of great consequence is also the role the “Bund” played in the fight against the national tendencies within the Jewish nation. Only a short time ago did Zionist Congress in Hague demonstrate the downfall of Zionism, and to the “Bund” is due the honor for having inflicted the deepest wounds.

Notwithstanding that Zionism afterwards endeavored to appear Socialistic, it could not influence the masses to any extent. But all this work the Bund could not have accomplished had it not, standing in the  midst of the fight, forged a weapon, which at the same time became valuable achievement in culture. The Yiddische language owes its present form in a great degree to the Bund. Ten or fifteen years ago it was nothing more than an idiom, fit only to express elementary ideas used in every day life; but today it has reached a dignity, making accessible to the Jewish masses all the beautiful treasures of international art and science. The work of improving the language is so much more to be appreciated on account of the Bund being an illegal party, which made its existence very hard, only having the insufficient means of a secret press at its command, accompanied by horrible persecutions on the one side, and the scorn and shrugging of shoulders of the Jewish bourgeoisie on the other, who denied the right of existence of a Jewish culture. The strongly developed national consciousness that the Bund always exhibited resulted in awakening a deep felt feeling of solidarity amongst the proletarians of Russia, with whom he fought together for freedom, although momentarily separated. And now since the Bund again is a member of the Socialist party of Russia, he takes a deep interest in the inner life of the organization with the purpose of smoothing over and brushing aside all those harmful dissensions, which he luckily never knew. Hand in hand with the proletaire of Russia, the Jewish worker, led a heroic fight. The most appropriate congratulation that we can give the Bund on these festive days of jubilee, is the wish that the fight should terminate in the near future in a full and untroubled victory. Speed the day!

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

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