Lenin upon release from the Austrian prison in Novy Targ. 1914.
The war found Lenin in Poronin. He was arrested on false charges by Austrian authorities and was held for a while in the small town of Nowy Targ. In the water-colour by artist M.Sokolov a meeting between Krupskaya and Lenin in prison is portrayed, and there is also a photograph of the cell where he was held. After his release, Lenin moved to Switzerland and settled in Berne. He often moved from place to place and often changed flats, sometimes for conspiracy reasons.
One of the sections of the exhibition in this room could be named "Lenin's Theory of Socialist Revolution". On the exhibition stand lies the article "On the Slogan for a United States of Europe" (1915). Its historical significance can scarcely be exaggerated. Here Lenin first came to the conclusion that it was possible for socialism to win at first in a few countries or even in one country, and moreover, that this need not take place in a country highly developed economically. Thus by 1915 V. I. Lenin clearly envisaged the future division of the world into two opposite systems-socialism and capitalism - as a result of socialism's victory in one or several countries. (See Revolution: the intellectual bases new site)
Lenin's analysis of imperialism and his conclusions have a present-day significance for the understanding of the nature and character of modern imperialism. These conclusions were confirmed by the victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia and subsequently in the formation of the world-wide socialist system. With every room in the Museum the image of Lenin as a theoretician and master of socialist revolution becomes clearer and more concrete. (see also Documents to defend Lenin mausoleum the Defend Lenin mausoleum! site)
A short letter of V. I. Lenin lies in the display case: "There it is, my fate. One fighting campaign after another-against political stupidities, Philistinism, opportunism and so forth." "It has been going on since 1893. And so has the hatred of the philistines on account of it. But still, I would not exchange this fate for 'peace' with the philistines." February Russian Revolution (February 1917) |
