Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn‘s 200 Years Together II: The Jews in the Soviet Union is the second volume of his two-part historical examination of Jewish-Russian relations. This volume picks up after the Russian Revolution and explores the role of Jews in the Soviet Union, focusing on their experiences during the Soviet era and their involvement in Soviet politics, culture, and society. The book is a continuation of Solzhenitsyn’s attempt to provide a detailed and nuanced understanding of the complex history between Jews and Russians, especially within the framework of Soviet governance.
Key Themes and Concepts:
Jewish Involvement in the Revolution and Early Soviet Politics: Solzhenitsyn examines the significant role that some Jews played in the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet state. He discusses the involvement of Jewish intellectuals and political leaders in Bolshevik movements and their contributions to the formation of Soviet ideology.
Prominent Jewish Figures in Revolutionary Movements
- Solzhenitsyn highlights the significant presence of Jews among the intellectuals and leaders of the Bolshevik movement, such as Leon Trotsky (Lev Bronstein), Grigory Zinoviev (Ovsei-Gershon Radomyslsky), and others.
- He notes that while these individuals were ethnically Jewish, many had distanced themselves from Judaism and traditional Jewish culture, embracing Marxist atheism and internationalism instead.
While acknowledging Jewish participation in revolutionary activities, Solzhenitsyn also emphasizes that Jews were not a monolithic group, and their involvement in the revolution was diverse and multifaceted.
Jewish Persecution Under Stalin: The book details the shift in Soviet policy toward Jews, particularly under Joseph Stalin. Solzhenitsyn addresses the growing suspicion of Jewish influence within the Communist Party and government. He explores Stalin’s increasing anti-Semitic purges, including the infamous “Doctors’ Plot” and other targeted actions against Jews, which led to widespread fear and repression within the Jewish community. This section highlights how Jews, like many other groups, were caught in the crosshairs of Stalin’s authoritarian regime.
Impact of World War II and the Holocaust: Solzhenitsyn discusses the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust, which had a profound effect on Soviet Jews. He highlights the dual experiences of Soviet Jews—both as victims of Nazi atrocities and as participants in the Soviet military effort against fascism.
Post-War Anti-Semitism and the Struggle for Jewish Identity: After the war, Jewish life in the Soviet Union became increasingly difficult, as Stalin and later Soviet leaders maintained anti-Jewish (anti-Zionism) policies. Solzhenitsyn examines how Jewish culture, religion, and identity were suppressed in the Soviet Union.
Jewish Dissidents and Emigration: The latter part of the book focuses on the growing Jewish dissident movement and the eventual push for the right to emigrate, particularly to Israel. Solzhenitsyn discusses how Jewish dissidents became a prominent force in the broader Soviet dissident movement, advocating for religious freedom, human rights, and the ability to leave the Soviet Union. The eventual large-scale emigration of Soviet Jews, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, is a key topic in this section.
Complex Relationships Between Jews and the Soviet State: Throughout the book, Solzhenitsyn presents the relationship between Jews and the Soviet state as highly complex. While some Jews were instrumental in the establishment and running of the Soviet system, they also became victims of that same system. Solzhenitsyn grapples with the paradoxes of Jewish involvement in Soviet governance, where they both contributed to and suffered under the regime.
Historical and Moral Reflections: Like the first volume, this book contains Solzhenitsyn’s reflections on historical justice, responsibility, and the lessons that can be drawn from this troubled history. He attempts to offer a balanced account, acknowledging both the contributions of Jews to Soviet society and the suffering they endured under the Communist regime.
Reception and Controversy:
As with the first volume, 200 Years Together II has been the subject of controversy. Critics have accused Solzhenitsyn of promoting anti-Semitic views by focusing on Jewish involvement in the Soviet regime, while others view the work as an important attempt to explore a difficult and often neglected aspect of Soviet history. Supporters argue that Solzhenitsyn’s work is a nuanced and thoughtful account of Jewish-Russian relations, though the book remains highly debated.
Conclusion:
200 Years Together II: The Jews in the Soviet Union is an ambitious historical account of Jewish life under Soviet rule, detailing both the roles Jews played in the early Soviet government and the repression they faced during the Stalinist and post-Stalinist eras. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn provides a complex and often controversial analysis of Jewish participation in and persecution by the Soviet state, contributing to the broader conversation about the legacy of Jews in Russian and Soviet history.
