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A forgotten inspiration
Described by MI5 as ‘notorious,’ WILLI MUNZENBERG was at the top of the nazis’ most wanted list in the run-up to WWII. His name may have vanished from history but he was one of the most prominent, charismatic and revered figures in the world socialist movement during the inter-war years and, in this extract from his new biography, John Green explains why
Willi Münzenberg addressing a meeting (place and date unknown)

IN THE former communist countries Willi Munzenberg, like Leon Trotsky, was disappeared from history. Even in the West, apart from two US biographies which do more to reinforce Cold War prejudices than illuminate his life, he has also been ignored. The only decent biography was written by his partner, Babette Gross.

 

Why is Munzenberg not better known?

 

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