51 Facts About Julius Martov

Yuliy Osipovich Tsederbaum, better known as Julius Martov, was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and a leader of the Mensheviks, a faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party.

Julius Martov opposed Lenin's plan for a party restricted to professional revolutionaries, and called for a mass party modelled after Western European social democratic parties.

Julius Martov was born to a middle-class and politically active Jewish family in Constantinople.

Julius Martov briefly enrolled at Saint Petersburg Imperial University, but was later expelled and exiled to Vilna, where he developed influential ideas on worker agitation.

At the second RSDLP Congress in 1903, a schism developed between their supporters; Julius Martov became the leader of the Menshevik faction against Lenin's Bolsheviks.

Julius Martov continued to lead the Mensheviks and denounced the Soviet government's repressive measures during the civil war, such as the Red Terror, while supporting the struggle against the Whites.

In 1920, Julius Martov left Russia for Germany, and the Mensheviks were outlawed a year later.

Julius Martov was born to an educated and politically active Jewish family in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire.

Julius Martov's grandfather, Alexander Osipovich Tsederbaum, was a prominent social activist.

Julius Martov's sister was the fellow Menshevik leader Lydia Dan.

Julius Martov suffered constant taunting throughout his childhood for his inability to keep up with other kids his age.

Julius Martov was raised in Odessa, but the pogrom against Odessa Jews in 1881 forced the family to move to St Petersburg.

In 1891, Julius Martov attended demonstrations at the funeral of Nikolai Shelgunov.

In 1893, Julius Martov edited and wrote the preface to the book On Agitation, written by the Vilno Social Democrat, Arkady Kremer, which explained the strategy involving mass agitation and participating in Jewish strikes in the work, and which they smuggled into St Petersburg in 1894 The plan detailed that workers were to see a need for broader political campaigning through participating in strikes, led by the Social Democrats as trade unions were banned under the Tsarist regime.

Julius Martov returned to St Petersburg in October 1895, and helped to form the League of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class, in which Lenin was a dominant figure.

Julius Martov took on the task of contacting workers at the Putilov factory, until his arrest in January 1896.

Julius Martov was deported for three years to the village of Turukhansk in the Arctic, while Lenin was sent to Shushenskoye in the comparatively warm "Siberian Italy".

Julius Martov was in exile during the strikes following Bloody Sunday, which marked the start of the 1905 Revolution.

Julius Martov advocated the joining of a network of organisations, trade unions, cooperatives, village councils and soviets, to harass the bourgeois government until the economic and social conditions made it possible for a socialist revolution to take place.

Julius Martov returned to Russia in October 1905, and was arrested in February, but released in April 1906.

Julius Martov helped organise the RSDLP group in the First Duma and first their first declaration, which was delivered on 18 May 1906.

Julius Martov was always to be found on the left wing of the Menshevik faction and supported reunifying with the Bolsheviks in 1905.

Julius Martov became the central leader of the Menshevik Internationalist faction which organized in opposition to the Menshevik Party leadership.

Julius Martov joined Trotsky in launching the newspaper Nashe Slovo.

Julius Martov was the only contributor to Nashe Slovo not to align with Lenin in 1917.

At the 27th session, Lenin and Julius Martov were again on the same side during an argument over whether the Bund should be recognised as an autonomous branch of the RSDLP, representing Jewish workers.

Julius Martov was one of the Jewish Marxist leaders, who rejected the demands for Jewish national autonomy, with the Iskra group favouring class interests over nationalism; he was therefore deeply opposed to the Bundists' Jewish nationalism.

Julius Martov was shocked by his treatment of the two older Marxists, Axelrod and Zasulich, and refused to serve on the truncated board.

Julius Martov became one of the outstanding Menshevik leaders along with Axelrod, Martynov, Fedor Dan and Irakli Tsereteli.

Julius Martov was described as being "too good an intellectual to be a successful politician", as he often was held back by his integrity, and "philosophical approach" to matters of politics.

Julius Martov has been described as a "brilliant intellectual and party theoretician".

Julius Martov's face was pale, he had sunken cheeks; his scant beard was untidy.

Julius Martov's suit hung on him as on a clothes hanger.

Julius Martov was stooped; one of his shoulders was higher than the other.

At the onset of the 1917 Revolution, Julius Martov was in Zurich with Lenin.

Julius Martov was the instigator of the idea of exchanging Russian Marxist exiles for German citizens interned in Russia.

However, the Provisional Government was unwilling to agree to the exchange, and Julius Martov agreed to wait.

Julius Martov declined to join Lenin's party on the famous sealed train which traveled across Germany.

Julius Martov was one of a party of 280 that included his Menshevik comrades, Axelrod, Martynov, and Raphael Abramovitch, who left by train on 13 May 1917.

Julius Martov reached Russia too late to prevent some Mensheviks from joining the Provisional Government.

Julius Martov strongly criticized those Mensheviks such as Irakli Tsereteli and Fedor Dan who, as members of the Russian government, supported the war effort.

Julius Martov was unable to enter into an alliance with his rival Lenin to form a coalition in 1917, despite this being the "logical outcome" according to the majority of his left wing supporters in the Menshevik faction.

Julius Martov's proposal was met with 'torrents of applause' in the Soviet, as the only way to avoid a civil war.

Julius Martov paused at the exit, seeing a young Bolshevik worker wearing a black shirt with a broad leather belt, standing in the shadow of the portico.

Julius Martov stopped, and with a characteristic movement, tossed up his head to emphasize his reply: "One day you will understand the crime in which you are taking part".

Stalin accused him of slander, and demanded that a tribunal be formed to hear the accusations, at which Julius Martov said he would produce witnesses, but the hearing was never held because of the outbreak of civil war.

In October 1920, Julius Martov was given permission to legally leave Russia and go to Germany.

Julius Martov spoke at the Halle Congress of the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany later that month.

Julius Martov had not intended to stay in Germany indefinitely, and only did so after the Mensheviks were outlawed in March 1921, following the Tenth Congress of the ruling Communist Party.

In 1922, learning Julius Martov was ill, Lenin asked Stalin to transfer funds to Berlin to contribute to Julius Martov's medical care, but Stalin refused.

Julius Martov was featured in Vladimir Mayakovsky's 1921 A Little Play About Priests Who Cannot Understand That This Is a Holiday.