Liberating Society from the State and Other Writings: A Political Reader

Description

Featuring a riveting collection of anarcho-communist poetry, essays, articles, and diary entries, this translation of Erich Mühsam’s legendary writings introduces the German revolutionary’s ideas to English speakers for the first time. Uniting a burning desire for individual liberation with radical, left-wing convictions and bohemian strains with syndicalist tendencies, this diverse body of work not only includes his main political pamphlet and one of the key texts in the history of German anarchism but also some of his best-known poems, unbending defenses of political prisoners, passionate calls for solidarity among the proletariat, recollections of the utopian community of Monte Verità, debates on the rights of homosexuals and women, and the role of intellectuals in the class struggle. Perfect for anarchists, activists, or those interested in German history, this expansive and enlightening compilation provides a deep understanding of this important historical figure. Title......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Contents......Page 4 Editor’s Note......Page 7 Introduction......Page 11 Childhood And Youth......Page 37 Autobiography......Page 38 “Father’s 72nd Birthday”......Page 41 1900–1904: Literary And Anarchist Awakening......Page 45 The “Homosexuality” Pamphlet......Page 46 1904–1909: Traveling Years......Page 50 “Johannes Nohl”......Page 51 Excerpts From “Ascona”......Page 56 Bohemia......Page 71 1909–1914: Munich I, Socialist Bund And Kain......Page 76 New Friends......Page 77 The Fifth Estate......Page 81 My Secret Society......Page 85 “Riot In Berlin”......Page 91 Women’s Rights......Page 93 The Moroccan War......Page 97 Anarchy......Page 102 The Suffragette Amazons......Page 104 Culture And The Women’s Movement......Page 106 The Blessing Of Children......Page 110 Ritual Murder......Page 113 1914–1918: Munich II, The War......Page 115 The Great Slaughter......Page 116 Kain Letter......Page 121 “The Typical German”......Page 122 ”Discharged”......Page 123 ”Plans For Anti-War Protests”......Page 125 ”Riot In Munich”......Page 126 ”Bernhard KÖhler”......Page 131 1918–1919: Munich IIII, Revolution And Council Republic......Page 133 Karl Liebknecht– Rosa Luxemburg......Page 134 Excerpts From “From Eisner To LevinÉ”......Page 138 ”Gustav Landauer’s Death”......Page 146 ”Zenzl”......Page 148 Final Court Statement......Page 150 “SENTENCED”......Page 154 1919–1924: Imprisonment......Page 155 “The Ebrach Prison”......Page 156 On The Jewish Question......Page 158 The Intellectuals......Page 164 ”MAX HOELZ”......Page 169 “Hitler And The Fledgling Nazi Movement”......Page 171 “Free!”......Page 176 1924–1933: Berlin......Page 177 Germany Needs Colonies......Page 178 Bismarxism......Page 180 The Anarchists......Page 186 Sacco And Vanzetti......Page 194 Leaving The Rote Hilfe......Page 204 Liberating Society From The State: What Is Communist Anarchism?......Page 208 Preface......Page 209 I. The Worldview Of Anarchism......Page 212 II. The Way Of Anarchism......Page 249 Appendix I......Page 276 Additional Diary Entries......Page 277 Additional Letters......Page 288 Appendix II......Page 298 The Fate Of Zenzl MÜhsam......Page 299 Bibliography......Page 320 German......Page 321 English......Page 328 Index......Page 330