Ture Nerman

Ture Nerman (1886 ? 1969) was a Swedish Communist politician, and as a journalist and author, he was one of the most well-known political activists in his time. He also wrote poems and songs.

World War I and Zimmerwald

In November of 1912, Nerman attended the special emergency convention of the Socialist International, which had been summoned to Basel in Switzerland, due to the outbreak of the Balkan Wars. At the convention, the leaders of all the European Socialist parties agreed to stand together internationally to prevent any future wars. With a united international working class, there could be no more wars.

Related Topics:
Socialist International - Basel - Switzerland - Balkan Wars

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Therefore, the outbreak of World War I in 1914, and the collapse of the Socialist International, came as a shock to Ture Nerman. Almost all the leaders of the European Socialist Parties suddenly sided with their bourgeoisie governments in support of the war, and turned against their former Socialist allies. Workers were killing workers out on the battle fields.

Related Topics:
World War I - 1914

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But there were exceptions. His friend Karl Liebknecht stood alone in the Berlin Reichstag, and against 110 of his own Party members, when he voted against German war credits. Learning of Liebknecht?s action, Ture Nerman knew which side he was on.

Related Topics:
Berlin - Reichstag

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Together with his comrade Zeth Höglund, Ture Nerman represented the Swedish-Norwegian members of the Zimmerwald Conference, which was the remaining international socialist anti-war movement, whose more prominent leaders were Lenin, Zinoviev and Trotsky from Russia, and Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht from Germany, who could not participate, but sent their greetings and support. Luxemburg was in jail for anti-war propaganda, and Liebknecht had been mobilized by the German military to dig trenches on the frontline.

Related Topics:
Zeth Höglund - Zimmerwald Conference - Lenin - Zinoviev - Trotsky - Rosa Luxemburg - Karl Liebknecht

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