I read Rosa Luxemburg’s letter more than thirty years ago in German then some years later I read some of the letters in Turkish. Luxemburgs’ letters were a must read literature for anyone who was interested in politics especially to understand the leading figures in the European and international labour and socialist movements.
In those days also anyone who was active in the women’s movement was reading Rosa Luxemburg’s letters and also the passionate love letters between her and Leo Jogiches. In those letters the dialogue between her closest friends like Karl Kautsky, Clara Zetkin and Karl Liebknech attempted to convey to the reader the factual historical events and also with emotions. Luxemburg’s role as an international revolutionary figure was projecting in the letters her as a compassionate human being.
Therefore as soon I heard about the new translation of ‘The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg’ by George Shriver in English I quickly got hold of a copy and enjoyed reading each letter as I did many years back.
The intellectual, political and personal life of a leading socialist and activist is a must read for anyone who has never read a letter by Rosa Luxemburg.
‘The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg’ edited by Annelies Laschitza, Georg Adler and Peter Hudis will provide English-language readers with new access on the life and time of Rosa Luxemburg.
Semra Eren-Nijhar 