Abraham Leon
Encyclopedia
Abraham Leon (born Abraham Wejnstok), was a Jewish Trotskyist activist and theorist. He was born in Warsaw
but his family moved to Belgium
where he grew up. Leon became a member and then leader of the Belgian branch of Hashomer Hatzair
, a left wing Zionist
youth movement. In 1940, after the beginning of World War II
, Leon rejected Zionism and became a Trotskyist; around this time he joined the Belgian section of the Fourth International
and became an organiser and leader against Nazi
occupation and the "militarism
" of Winston Churchill
, exhorting Belgian workers to fight both Hitler and Churchill in the classical Leninist
fashion of turning World War II into civil war
. He wrote The Jewish Question: A Marxist Interpretation, a work which remains a widely used Marxist
analysis of Jewish socio-economic history (and is remarkable in itself but all the more so from a man who died by the time he was 26).
Leon was arrested by the Nazis in June 1944; he was subsequently deported to Auschwitz
where he died in September.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
but his family moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
where he grew up. Leon became a member and then leader of the Belgian branch of Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
, a left wing Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
youth movement. In 1940, after the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Leon rejected Zionism and became a Trotskyist; around this time he joined the Belgian section of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
and became an organiser and leader against Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupation and the "militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
" of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, exhorting Belgian workers to fight both Hitler and Churchill in the classical Leninist
Leninism
In Marxist philosophy, Leninism is the body of political theory for the democratic organisation of a revolutionary vanguard party, and the achievement of a direct-democracy dictatorship of the proletariat, as political prelude to the establishment of socialism...
fashion of turning World War II into civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. He wrote The Jewish Question: A Marxist Interpretation, a work which remains a widely used Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
analysis of Jewish socio-economic history (and is remarkable in itself but all the more so from a man who died by the time he was 26).
Leon was arrested by the Nazis in June 1944; he was subsequently deported to Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
where he died in September.