Emma Goldam is recognized by the permanent head of the FBI, Edgard Hoover, as "America's most dangerous woman." Who is she? Why was she given the nickname Red Emma? And how did it influence the assassination of the American president? More about all this in the article.
Birth
Emma Goldman was originally from Russia, more precisely from the Russian Empire. She was born in Lithuania, in the city of Kovno, on June 27, 1869. Today this city is called Kaunas. Her parents were considered petty-bourgeois Jews, they kept a small mill, which served as the source of their livelihood. When Emma was 13 years old, the family moved to St. Petersburg.
Revolutionary life was in full swing in the capital at that time: Emperor Alexander II died at the hands of two terrorist bombers. Passion for revolutionary ideas was then considered a fashionable occupation among young people. It was during these years that Emma was “infected” with such ideas.
First emigration to the USA
At the age of 17, Emma emigrated to the USA. In Rochester, New York, she began working in a textile factory. ATIn 1887 she married a worker and received citizenship. However, the rebellious spirit made itself felt: the girl learned about the four hanged anarchists who participated in the riot in Chicago, and immediately decided to join the anarchist movement.
Political views
Until now, many are interested in one question: what exactly did Emma Goldman preach - anarchism, anarcho-communism, anarcho-individualism, anarcho-feminism? There is no answer to it. Emma was one of those who sincerely believed in the bright ideals of democracy and democracy. It is in anarchism, in her opinion, that freedom of thought, conscience, and speech is manifested. It was oppressed by the rigid confines of the centralized state, which is called upon only to enslave, to oppress some classes for the sake of others. But the distinguishing feature of "Red Emma" was that she never once called for death for the sake of "bright ideas of the future." On the contrary, she loved life, loved faith in future changes. Her enemies were those for whom life was not the main value.
Was Emma a revolutionary?
Until now, some publicists and journalists ask the question: was Emma a revolutionary at all? Was it fair that she was expelled in 1917 to Russia on an old dirty steamer? If we carefully analyze her political views, then there is nothing surprising in these matters. Political activist Emma goes beyond the usual image of a revolutionary. The main thing in it is to completely immerse yourself in the ideas of a bright future, in the ideas of the revolution. He shouldn'tto have no interests, no feelings, no deeds, no attachments. Even the dreams of a revolutionary should only be about the realization of the intended goals. Naturally, he should not doubt for a second whether it is worth giving his life for the bright ideals of the future.
Emma had a completely different opinion. She respected and idolized the theoreticians of the Russian revolution: Mikhail Bakunin, Sergei Nechaev, Nikolai Ogaryov. However, Emma did not agree with them in the thoughts of total absorption by the revolutionary idea. She believed that such thoughts were no different from the thoughts of large Wall Street bankers, who are also completely immersed in their business of making a profit. Why deprive yourself of sex, creativity, the joy of life for the sake of revolution? Isn't it about building a brighter future? Then why sacrifice them now?
Emma believed that without joy, a person turns into a biorobot, into a thoughtless animal that is led to the slaughter for incomprehensible future goals. Her friends became those who, like her, refused to sacrifice themselves for the bright life of future generations. All this leads to one logical question: was Emma really a revolutionary? Or was she just a representative of the group of people who in the future will be called "civil society"?
Emma's fight
Emma Goldman fought not for abstract ideas of “building a brighter future”, but for quite understandable and ordinary things that were considered insignificant, trifling in the circles of American anarchist revolutionaries: for sexual freedom, reform of the institution of marriage, rejectionconscription, etc.
The American authorities did not consider the propaganda of refusing to be drafted into the army "trifle": in 1917, the First World War was going on. The United States helped the allies not only with material and technical support, but also sent their soldiers to the front. Ordinary Americans did not want to go to war, the ideas of desertion and sabotage of the conscription found practical application. Therefore, Emma's activities during this period of time were considered dangerous. In 1917, she and many other anarchists were sent to Russia, where the Great October Revolution had already taken place.
Sailing from the US on a steamer and looking at the Statue of Liberty from afar, Emma will say: “And this country is proud of freedom of speech, independence of opinion, and I am deported precisely for this.”
Arriving in Russia
The road to our country inspired Emma. She considered Soviet Russia an advanced country that should set an example for the world. Still, if such a powerful Russian Empire collapsed under the blows of the revolutionary forces, then the rest of the countries would not be able to resist. Did Emma know the true state of affairs in Soviet Russia while sailing on the ship? Unknown. By this time, Lenin and the Bolsheviks had long since isolated themselves from all revolutionary forces, seized power, sent many anarchists and social revolutionaries to prison. The “hunt” for party comrades from the Menshevik wing has already begun.
Meeting with Lenin
Emma Goldman met with many revolutionaries in our country. She even visited the anarchist Nestor Makhno, but especially to herI remember the meeting with V. I. Lenin. She completely changed Red Emma's attitude towards the Russian revolution. Emma and Vladimir Ilyich did not like each other. The leader of the Russian revolution did not even remember her at all, and "the most dangerous woman in America" rarely remembered her, but with a negative connotation. Emma believed that the revolution gave the world an example of democracy, freedom of speech, religion, etc. However, Lenin's words completely changed this idea: Vladimir Ilyich at the meeting said that all this was just bourgeois prejudice.
In fact, the leader of the Bolsheviks directly stated that the bloody events in our country not only did not improve the situation of all workers, but, on the contrary, only worsened. Fear and terror are the main ideals of the new life. Naturally, Emma could not support this. She would later write about Lenin that “he knows how to play on the weak sides of people with flattery, awards, medals. I remained convinced that after achieving his plans, he could get rid of them.” She was frankly disappointed in both Lenin and the ideals of the Russian revolution.
Deportation back
In 1921, a paradoxical thing happened: Emma was sent by steamer to where she had previously been deported - to the United States of America. The reason is the same: she refused to be silent.
In 1924 her book "My disappointment in Russia" was published. She proves how sincere this woman was, that she spoke only the truth, she was not politically engaged. No one could blame her for venality, protecting someone's interests. Really,at first in the USA there was propaganda of anarchism. After being deported to Russia, she did not fight the "decaying West." On the contrary, seeing the even worse situation of people in Russia after the revolution, she began to defend the democratic principles of the West, for which she was sent back.
The appearance of the book "My disappointment in Russia" alienated many of her left-wing friends from her. Emma didn't care. The main thing, she believed, was to tell people the truth, what you really believe in. It was not her style to deceive herself and others for the sake of momentary preferences.
McKinley assassination
Emma's contemporaries considered her indirectly involved in the assassination of the American president. However, there are many inconsistencies in this story.
25th US President William McKinley died on September 14, 1901. The official version is as follows: the first person of the state could not cope with the consequences of the assassination attempt. On September 5, 1901, "after hearing Emma Goldman's fiery speeches," the zealous anarchist Leon Frank Czolgosz shot the president twice at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo.
Strange coincidence
The assassination of the American president in 1901 is not so simple.
Firstly, the activities of the guards are puzzling. At first, the employees claimed that they did not notice any suspicious people. Then the testimony changed: behind Czolgosz stood a huge black waiter, who seemed dangerous to them. Then why didn't they notice the gun in the hands of the anarchist next to him? By the way, it was this waiter who neutralized Czolgosz with a blow to the headfist after the second shot.
Secondly, further events cause bewilderment. The President did not die immediately. In addition, friends and relatives claimed that he would live on the mend. On September 13, 1901, the press loudly trumpeted that McKinley began to eat solid food, he would soon recover, and on September 14, the president died unexpectedly.
After his death, Theodore Roosevelt became acting president, who did not step aside from the sick president. A little later, he himself will become the first person of the state.
Emma's latest political activity
So who is Emma Goldman? The biography of this woman makes it clear to posterity that she is a living example of the steadfastness of her views and judgments. All people over the years change their attitude to certain things, statements, considering this a momentary weakness, youthful maximalism, etc. Emma did not stop believing in her ideals for a minute even when she became disillusioned with the Russian revolution. She also devoted her last years to the political struggle: in 1936 she went to Spain to support the Spanish anarchists in the Civil War on the side of the Republican government.
She will not return to her second Motherland alive again. May 14, 1940 Emma dies of a cerebral hemorrhage. She will be allowed to be buried next to the executed anarchists in Chicago, because of which her struggle for an ideal society began.
