Joseph Kruk
Encyclopedia
Joseph Kruk was a Polish
Jewish socialist politician.
Kruk took part in founding the first labour Zionist grouping in his hometown Częstochowa
prior to the Russian Revolution of 1905
. When the revolution broke out, he was a major leader of the territorialist
Zionist Socialist Workers Party
in the city.
In 1906 he went into exile. Kruk travelled over most parts of Europe He studied Law
at the University of Berne
, obtaining a doctoral degree. During the First World War he and his wife, Roza Kruk, lived in London
.
Kruk returned to Poland in 1918 and settled down in Warsaw
. He became a leader of the Fareynikte party (into which the Zionist-Socialists had merged). In 1922 Kruk and the Fareynikte merged into the Independent Socialist Labour Party
.
By 1927 the Independent Socialist Labour Party was in crisis. The question on cooperation with the communists
divided the party. The party was split in two, one group led by Bolesław Drobner
and another led by Kruk. Drobner's group merged into the Polish Socialist Party
in 1928, whilst Kruk's group continued operate as the Independent Socialist Labour Party. After the split, Kruk took over Drobner's seat as one of the Polish representatives in the executive of the Labour and Socialist International
. Kruk was a member of the executive between June 1928 and October 1930, sharing the seat with the Yugoslav
socialist leader Živko Topalović
(like Drobner had done as well).
In 1937 Kruk and his Warsaw
-based group merged into the Poalei Zion Right. However, even after having joined the Zionist mainstream Kruk retained links with the territorialist Freyland League.
In 1939 Kruk migrated to Palestine
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Jewish socialist politician.
Kruk took part in founding the first labour Zionist grouping in his hometown Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
prior to the Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
. When the revolution broke out, he was a major leader of the territorialist
Territorialism
Territorialism, also known as Statism , was a Jewish political movement calling for creation of a sufficiently large and compact Jewish territory , not necessarily in the Land of Israel and not necessarily fully autonomous.-Development of territorialism:Before 1905 some Zionist leaders took...
Zionist Socialist Workers Party
Zionist Socialist Workers Party
Zionist Socialist Workers Party , often referred to simply as 'Zionist-Socialists' or 'S.S.' by their Russian initials, was a Jewish socialist territorialist political party in the Russian Empire and Poland, that emerged out of the Vozrozhdenie group in 1904. The party held its founding conference...
in the city.
In 1906 he went into exile. Kruk travelled over most parts of Europe He studied Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Berne
University of Berne
The University of Bern is a university in the Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It is a comprehensive university offering a broad choice of courses and programmes in eight faculties and some 160 institutes. The university is an...
, obtaining a doctoral degree. During the First World War he and his wife, Roza Kruk, lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Kruk returned to Poland in 1918 and settled down in Warsaw
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...
. He became a leader of the Fareynikte party (into which the Zionist-Socialists had merged). In 1922 Kruk and the Fareynikte merged into the Independent Socialist Labour Party
Independent Socialist Labour Party
The Independent Socialist Labour Party was a political party in Poland. The party was founded on March 12, 1922 in Krakow. Initially the party bore the name Party of Independent Socialists . Bolesław Drobner was the chairman of the party...
.
By 1927 the Independent Socialist Labour Party was in crisis. The question on cooperation with the communists
Communist Party of Poland
The Communist Party of Poland is a historical communist party in Poland. It was a result of the fusion of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania and the Polish Socialist Party-Left in the Communist Workers Party of Poland .-1918-1921:The KPRP was founded on 16 December 1918 as...
divided the party. The party was split in two, one group led by Bolesław Drobner
Bolesław Drobner
Bolesław Drobner was a Polish politician. Member of the Polish Socialist Party, he supported cooperation with the communists...
and another led by Kruk. Drobner's group merged into the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
in 1928, whilst Kruk's group continued operate as the Independent Socialist Labour Party. After the split, Kruk took over Drobner's seat as one of the Polish representatives in the executive of the Labour and Socialist International
Labour and Socialist International
The Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
. Kruk was a member of the executive between June 1928 and October 1930, sharing the seat with the Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
socialist leader Živko Topalović
Živko Topalović
Živko Topalović was a Yugoslav socialist politician. Topalović became a leading figure in the Socialist Party of Yugoslavia, founded in 1921....
(like Drobner had done as well).
In 1937 Kruk and his Warsaw
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...
-based group merged into the Poalei Zion Right. However, even after having joined the Zionist mainstream Kruk retained links with the territorialist Freyland League.
In 1939 Kruk migrated to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.