Revolutionary Social Democrats of the Balkans issue a statement reaffirming their internationalist mission in 1915. Begun in 1910 as the Balkan Social Democratic Federation to fight against national oppression and division in the extraordinarily contested and meddled in region. To their great credit, the majorities of the Socialist Parties stayed true to their internationalist calling through the terrible years of the Balkan and First World Wars. At their 1915 Bucharest Conference held in the midst of WWI they affirmed support for the Zimmerwald movement, reaffirmed their internationalism and denounced the Entente’s use of unresolved national divisions for their own imperialist ends. Constituent members of the Third International even before 1919, the Balkan Socialist Federation became the Balkan Communist Federation with some of the new International’s most important parties. Despite extraordinary repression and difficult circumstances, the Federation continued its activities until the cross-class politics of the Popular Front era made the Federation’s anti-nationalist positions increasingly problematic for the Communist Parties. The Federation was dissolved in 1939.

‘Balkan Socialist Manifesto’ from New Review. Vol. 3 No. 16. November 1, 1915.

THE Socialists of the Balkan States have issued a manifesto, signed by the executive committee of the Inter-Balkan Socialist Bureau, which reads as follows:

Recent actions of the great powers have shown once more the fatal results of the policy pursued by the Balkan governments. The powers of the Quadruple Entente are seeking by threats to force Greece and Servia to cede territory to Bulgaria, in return for which concessions the latter is to be forced by these great powers to enter into a new Balkan alliance by declaring war upon Turkey.

At the same time an ever strong pressure is being exercised, following the defeats of Russia, by Austria and Germany at Bucharest to push Roumania into the war, or at least force her to adopt a neutral policy favorable to the central powers.

The fire that has already devoured Servia now threatens such of the Balkan peoples as have hitherto remained neutral.

In protesting, in agreement with the Socialist parties of Greece and Servia against the attacks directed against the autonomy of the states and the sovereignty of the peoples, we at the same time protest against the criminal policy of the Balkan states, which by their thirst for conquest, their cruel egotism, their past filled with hatred and jingoism, have not only facilitated, but have provoked the intervention of the great powers in the affairs of the Balkan peoples.

Since their formation into autonomous states, a formation in itself, very largely the result of the diplomatic combinations of European powers, the Balkan people have not been able to escape from the control of these great powers. If from time to time one of these states has sought to assert its independence, if it has momentarily raised its head, it was only to stagger back and become the instrument of some other great power or group of powers.

The speculation of the bourgeois classes of the Balkans, which consists in supporting the palms of the great powers, in order to receive rewards from them in the shape of assistance in plans of conquest–this speculation has been revealed by the manner in which the Balkan peoples have become but merchandise, always either victims or dupes.

The powers of the Quadruple Entente in demanding cessions of territory from Greece and Servia, wish to prove that the support given to these states during the first and second Balkan war was not gratuitous. During the decades that the Balkan states fought each other for reciprocal spoliation they were always supported by one group or the other of these powers. Now the time for settlement of debts has arrived.

Russia, France and England now demand territorial cessions of their proteges, Servia and Greece; Germany and Austria demand of their protege, Bulgaria, that she shall repulse all understandings with Servia and threaten her 30-year ally, Roumania, with persecutions, because the latter sympathizes with Russia.

The nationalist and imperialist policies of the little Balkan states have had as their fatal and inevitable result, to make them instruments in the policy of European imperialism. They are to be forced either to attack Turkey and thus prepare for the free entrance of Russia into Constantinople, which means the practical subjection of the Balkan region within a very short time, or else to aid the central powers and the victory of German and Austrian imperialism by maintaining their neutrality even by the force of arms.

Saved by Germany, Turkey will become a colony with all the disadvantages of Asiatic despotism, masked under a pseudo-parliamentarism, with all  the disadvantages of the feudal militarism of Germany.

The Balkan states are forced by the predatory character of their ruling classes to destroy, with their own hands, their independence and their future.

It is for these reasons that we, the Socialists of the Balkans, faithful to our Socialist past, and in agreement with our Bucharest resolution; we, who have always welcomed each step leading to an effective understanding, and who have encouraged all concessions that might serve to bring about a reconciliation of the Balkan states in the interest of their independence and their neutrality, we now reject as fatal for the proletariat of the Balkan peoples all ententes and coalitions. which are intended for aggressive ends, for conquests or to further dynastic plans, and that, far from leading to peace or any effective understanding, will only provoke new catastrophes.

The International Socialist federation of the Balkans reaffirms through its bureau the declaration of the Socialist fraction of the Skoupchtina of August, 1915, which said:

“The Socialist federation heartily desires a closer alliance of the Balkan peoples; it energetically demands such action. But it rejects any artificial coalition which serves the temporary interests of one or the other of the groups of imperialist powers. A real understanding among the Balkan powers will lead to and assure peace, while any military coalition favored by the great powers, will only bring the danger of new wars. A real understanding will eliminate the possibility of conflicts between the Balkan states; a military alliance, on the contrary, will only increase such possibilities. An understanding of the Balkan peoples will guarantee their existence, while a military alliance, inspired by the great powers, will render their existence doubtful. An understanding will unite the Balkan powers; alliances, concluded in the interest of the great powers, will divide them.”

In struggling step by step against the imperialist policies of the great powers and of the Balkan governments, we are preparing the road to the victory of a federated republic of the Balkan powers, the only form of organization that conforms to the interests of the proletariat of the Balkan peoples.

Long live peace!

Long live the federated republic of the Balkans!

Long live international Socialism.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/newreview/1915/v3n16-nov-01-1915.pdf