rcturn to thc country in 19J1 Erlich was placcd by the Czarist regime on tria[ for bis adherence IO the revolutionary and ·· subversive·· Generai Jcwish Workers' Union •• Bund.' 0 Neither prison nor Czarist persecution, bowever, could break Erlicb's spirit and courage. Alìer tbc" Bund " bccame affiliated IOthe Russian Sodai Democratic Party. be was, in recognition of bis services 10 the cause of Labour. electcd to tbc Centrai Committce of tbat Party and appointcd by tbe ·• Bund ·• as liaison rncrnber to the Socia] Dernocratic faction in tbe Czarist ·· Duma •• During tbc Russian Revolution of 1917 Erlicb becamea member ofthe editoria! staff of tbe centrai organ of tbe Russian Social Democratic Party, .. Rabocbaya Gazeta .. (.. Workers· Gazette ..), and in the rnontb of Marcb of tbe same year, after tbe Czar bad abdicated and tbe Revolu1ionwas victorious, be was elected one of tbe leaders of the St. Petersburg Soviet and a member of tbe Centrai Exccutive Committcc of tbe Workers• Soviets of Russia. Appointcd by tbe Council of Workcrs' Soviets as a mernber ofa delega• tion tbat went to Europe 10 organise tbc farnous lntcrnational Socialist Confercnce in Stockhohn, Swcdcn, Hcnryk Erlicb visited Norway, Great Britain, France, Italy, and won the respect of tbe Dernocratic and Labour rnoverncnts in those countries. At tbc end oftbe last war-toW11rds thc end of 1918-Erlich rcturned IO his native country, Poland. Very soon, in tbe first few montbs of 1919, be was cbosen a mernber of tbe Warsaw City Council and be retaincd tbis tille for the next 20ycars-unti1 tbeday ofbistragic deatb. In Poland be was tbe rccognised and respectcd leader of tbc Jcwish working class, tbe most faitbful fighter for tbe liberation and tbc solidarity of the · e was Editor-in-chief of loyahy to Socialist ideals. ·· New Peop1e·sOaily ..). ofthe bestspeakersand bonesty in politics and Since 1929, i.e., frorn tbc time tbc ·· Bund ·· joined the Labour and Socialist lnternational. be was the representative of bis party on the Exccutivc Commi1tee of the lnternational. Often be rcpresentcd vicws in this Cornmiuee which werc not sbarcd by tbc majority of tbe members. But cve~ then hc was beld in great esteem by ali tbe member5 of tbc Jnterna11onal. Frorn the moment wben tbe darkness of Fascism and Hitlerism first began lo descend upon Europe, Erlicb did not miss a single opportunity of"giving warning against tbc growing danger, of attempting 10 destroy tbc smug, sbort-sigbtcd optimism of rnany, of calling for the use of new me1bods in the struggle witb tbìs new and deadly enerny of freedom, human culture and progress. He did tbis not only in bis own country, but internationally. In Poland bc was one of1he most ruthless and aclive opponents of tbe military and police régirne of men like Beck and RydzSmigly. In thc Socialist lnternational he beld tbc view tbat Fascism could only be destroyed by united action of the working class of tbe world, conscious of ìts aims and metbods. Biblioteca Gino Bianco
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