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Trotskyist Network Reported Found Among Ukrainian Jewish Writers

August 9, 1937
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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SOVIET NEWSPAPERS REPORTED TODAY DISCOVERY OF A NETWORK OF TROTSKYIST AGENTS AND “WRECKERS” AMONG JEWISH WRITERS IN THE UKRAINE. THE REPORTS SAID THAT A RECENT INVESTIGATION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE JEWISH SECTION OF THE UKRAINIAN UNION OF WRITERS LED TO REMOVAL OF A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN MEMBERS.

AMONG THOSE REPORTED OUSTED FROM THE UNION WERE MAX ERIK (WHO HAD BEEN SOME TIME AGO REPORTED FROM WARSAW EXECUTED ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES) AS “THE PEOPLE’S ENEMY, A POALE ZIONIST AND A POLISH ARMY OFFICER.” ANOTHER OF THOSE REMOVED FROM THE UNION WAS MIKHAIL LEVITAN.

CHAIM GILDIN, A LEADER OF THE UNION, IN ADDITION TO BEING EXPELLED FROM THE WRITERS’ GROUP WAS OUSTED FROM THE COMMUNIST PARTY. HE WAS ACCUSED OF HAVING BELONGED TO THE MENSHEVIK NATIONALIST PARTY BETWEEN 1904 AND 1919 AND OF PRODUCING WRITING THAT WAS “IDEOLOGICALLY DEFECTIVE.”

ISAAC FEFER, CHAIRMAN OF THE JEWISH SECTION, WAS SEVERELY REPRIMANDED AND WARNED THAT ONE OF HIS OFFENSES CONSISTED OF HAVING MENTIONED TROTSKY IN AN EARLY POEM AND FAILING TO REVISE IT IN SUBSEQUENT EDITIONS.

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