About
Angelica Balabanova was born in 1878 in Chernigov into a wealthy Jewish family. After studies in Brussels, Leipzig, and Berlin, she joined the Italian Socialist Party in 1900 and campaigned for workers' rights. Opposed to World War I, she participated in the Zimmerwald movement. After the Russian Revolution, she joined the Bolsheviks and became secretary of the Comintern in 1919, but broke with them in 1921-1922, criticizing Lenin's authoritarianism. Exiled under fascism, she lived in Switzerland, France, and New York. After the war, she joined the PSDI in Italy. She authored several works and poetry collections.
* 1869-05-08 — † 1965-11-25
Major works
- My Life as a Rebel (1938)autobiography
- Lenin visto da vicino (1959)essay
- Caduti per noi, caduti per voi (1935)poetry collection
- Tears (1943)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1915Secretary of the International Socialist Commission of the Zimmerwald movement.
- 1919Becomes secretary of the Communist International (Comintern).
- 1921-1922Breaks with the Bolsheviks and leaves Russia.
Themes
SocialismAnti-fascismWorkers' rightsCritique of authoritarianismPoetry
Sources: jwa.org · hls-dhs-dss.ch