Was Alexander Moisiu a communist?

By: Pjetër Logoreci

During the processing of hundreds of documents, articles, parts of books or newspaper clippings that I had extracted from the archives in Vienna on the life and work of Alexander Moisiu, my attention was drawn (in some of them) to his labeling as: Bolshevik, Communist, Jew, revolutionary, phyllorus, red, etc. Tempted to find the explanation of these epithets, I decided to read the materials I had chosen, concentrating on discovering the arguments of this "accusation". I noted with regret that the way it was written was provocative, heavy, insulting and had enough influence (but not on me) to spoil the image of an international caliber master of the stage, an actor incomparable, in terms of talent, with his colleagues his across Europe…

Today, for this article, I decided on the above title on purpose, since this question was a much-discussed topic in all German-speaking countries. So what was the reason that the great actor wore these epithets? What was his reaction in this case? How much did the malicious National Socialist propaganda of certain circles affect the life and activity of the stage genius Aleksandër Moisi? How much did the revolutionary movements of the time in Germany and the great sympathy he had for Soviet Russia influence him? Although I personally know Alexander Moisiu's life story very well, I would like the following to deal with the problems simply by relying on the writings and press articles of the time on the events or circumstances and not on my own comments and emotions personal, for the elements that caused this heart and campaign against our Moses.

It was the years 1918-1919, years that brought vigorous political movements, when representatives of the movements of communist groups, such as Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, to protect their ideas were sacrificed by the soldiers of the German National Guard.

The biographer of Moses, the German R. Schapër wrote: "...It was the time when the Kaiser had fallen in Berlin and the red flag was flying over the fortress of the city. When large crowds of citizens, workers, students addressed the Reichstag, with banners in their hands that read the words 'Freedom, Peace, Bread'. When the monarchy fell and the Social Democrats took power, Moses was in Berlin. He did not do magic, but played an active, dangerous role for him, in the German revolution. He believed in a world-wide revolution, while fervently reciting Tolstoy in front of crowds of thousands of workers, which caused him to be labeled by journalists as a Bolshevik... Even the famous director, Max Reinhardt, tells of crowds of demonstrators passing under his house... Moses was with the insurgents, he carried a red ribbon on his arm... From among the demonstrators, Alexander called to him... 'Come down Professor, you are needed here. This is where real theater is played, come…'”!

In a Salzburg newspaper, by Siegfried Geyer, an article was published in which the author drew attention to Moses with these words: "...Aleksandr Moisiu's bad thing is that he feels romantic and that's why he exaggerates things, but at the same time he wants to be human; yes, there is only one way: He should keep (shut) his mouth. No one would rise up against him if he did not constantly lecture in some small societies of supporters of communism, which causes him to receive the stamp of a Bolshevik and become ridiculous and unloved in the eyes of others…”!

But Alexander did not stop. He wanted to be as active as possible in efforts to establish social equality. "Dear Brother Moses", the workers and the little ones spoke to him, near whom he was always with his art and work. But this did not sit well with certain nationalist circles, who targeted him by closely monitoring his public activities. In order to denigrate him and remove him from his political activity and social life, the first sanctions began against him.

In number 176, of Saturday, June 28, 1919, in the "Workers' Gazette" (Arbeiterzeitung), organ of the Austrian Social Democrats, among other news, an article was published with the title: "...Moses cannot go to Prague..."!

It is announced from Prague that "Aleksandr Moisiu's show, which has been announced for next week in Prague, will be cancelled, as Moisiu has not been given a travel permit to the Czechoslovak Republic. The reason for the rejection: His communist beliefs and activity in Vienna"!

In another news from Berlin, a colleague of the Viennese newspaper, Neuen Wiener Jurnals, announces in 1919 with surprising words from the registry office there, about the coronation of the actor Aleksandër Moisiu with his colleague from the Deutsche Theater, the actress Johanna Terwin. The author of the article seeks to make news, purposely emphasizing the presence of the wife of the internationalist communist Karl Liebknecht, as a family friend and witness to the marriage of the Moisiu couple: "...Moses, according to his conviction, very controversial Bolshevik, is celebrated today, but only in civil state. As witnesses to the marriage, Moses has chosen lieutenant Bremer and the widow of Karl Liebknecht. Moisiu himself describes the scene experienced in the civil state like this: '...the office worker was very harsh and disrespectful to me and Johanna. Then, quite differently, in a very pleading and friendly tone, he invited Lieutenant Bremer to sign. When it came to Mrs. Liebknecht's turn, the guest asked her for her husband's name… and then in a stern and contemptuous tone, told her where she was to stand as a witness…”!

In a chronicle of January 30, 1920 from Hamburg, with the title "A failed Moses cultural evening in Hamburg", it is written: "An evening where Aleksandër Moissi was going to lecture, was disrupted by the followers of the nationalist party. They 'greeted' Moses as he entered the hall with whistles, then threw pieces of broken chairs where he stood, fired sizzling rounds with their revolvers, forcing him to leave the podium. His lecture had to be interrupted"!

In number 54 of February 1920, in the Labor Gazette (Arbeiterzeitung), the journalist Heinrich Ströbel publishes the article "A nationalist provocation": "...How much German nationalism has increased, as a result of the pressure of foreign propaganda, is shown by the series of groups of officers and soldiers, students and organizations, which, due to the weakness and silence of the government, are decided not only against war criminals and perpetrators of violence, but also against young revolutionaries, peaceful and democratic spirit"!

Alexander Moses, who was once warmly greeted by all Germans because he chose victorious Germany as his homeland, was now hindered and forbidden to read Goethe and Moritz, because of the growing influence of the Revolution and of the spirit for radical change... Moses' lecture did not take place, as it was obstructed by the Nationalist Organization of Students, even though Moses' followers who filled most of the hall were ready to defend him, while the police demonstratively filled the corridors …

This event was also reflected in the newspaper Giornale D'Italia, in a chronicle of January 31 of the same year, with the title "Actor Moisi among the whistles": "The German actor Aleksandër Moisi is said to be a communist, and this bad reputation brought him whistles from the nationalists in the hall during the show. It was not enough for them that he fights for Germany and tries to avoid any political propaganda. The actor interprets parts of Schiller, Heine, Tolstoy, and for this, he was rewarded by the public, last night, by throwing explosive bullets. His admirers reacted; some students went on stage to force him to withdraw…”!

After this event, Moses was forced to publicly react to the provocations that occurred during his lectures in various cities. In an article of his entitled "Moses as a politician", published in Die Zeit newspaper, July 7, 1919, he writes: "...I am not writing to defend myself from this unbridled negative propaganda that the newspapers do against me for free, but because it makes me feel bad, as in the role of the wanted accused, who is hiding... I have never publicly dealt with politics . Those who accuse me of being a communist have two motives: the first is that I promised the Viennese students that I would speak at one of their meetings and for this purpose I had chosen a speech by Victor Hugo on Voltaire; and the second because I signed for a protest that would save a human life... In fact, it is impossible for me to engage in a political movement, because for years I have put all my forces not into any revolution or counter-revolution, but for my art, my profession... They accuse me of being a communist and of earning a lot! Yes, I do a very hard job, which is paid... no one cares and it's my business how I spend the money... This is what I want to say to all those who accuse me of being a politician... instead of focusing on my achievements in scene…”!

In the Neue Wiener Jurnal of February 14, 1920, in the article entitled "Moses' Self-Defense", the journalist writes: "... Moisiu claims that he is being seriously accused by some people and groups, who are unknown and cannot be concretely proven, that he is engaged in political parties as a communist and as an opponent of Germany. This has angered the nationalist youth of Hamburg. When Moses was playing The Living Corpse in the Thaliatheater, wild whistles began to be heard which prevented him from being heard. It happened even worse during a lecture by Moisiu that apparently affected nationalist sentiments or attacked parts of anti-Semitic propaganda, affected groups of disengaged youth, officers, their families, associations of volunteers, students, pupils, who were gathered and began to make a noise, calling, whistling, blowing the trumpets they carried with them, as soon as Moses came to the podium. Exploding and smoking shrapnel, broken chair legs flew across the stage. In front of these persons, but powerless, hundreds of the actor's supporters begged him to continue the lecture, but their calls were covered by patriotic songs of the nationalist youth. After that, some angry and aggressive people wanted to attack Moses on the podium, forcing him to leave in the actors' room, so that the worst could be prevented. Only after a while, the police and security workers who were alerted about the activity a few days before arrived. This evening, which, the next day, was debated for three hours in the city Parliament, left deep traces"!

After this unworthy event, Moses, I think, should clarify the public about this misunderstanding, by publishing this message in the press: "...Some voices accused me of being a criminal and a traitor to the nation. Without any legal obligation, voluntarily, at the beginning of the war, I enlisted in the German Army, where, like everyone else, I received military lessons... I went through all the hardships of war and prison as a prisoner of war, until I managed to escape, risking my life. During my imprisonment in France I contracted pulmonary tuberculosis, from which I suffered greatly in a clinic in Switzerland. Is this a betrayal of the Motherland?? I am a communist, some voices shout. I ask: Where did I get these lessons? I have never had anything to do with politics. And this is simple: I am not a politician and I don't want to be one. My purpose in life is to serve art. Or am I called a communist because with the work I do I serve the workers and all those who follow art. Can I stop my followers from visiting the art house, theater? On the contrary, I will always try to bring the Sun of Art into the darkness of the lives of ordinary people. So either I am a leader of the Communists or I am a leader of all Germans. I'm closing by using Goethe's words: '…I know no other society that is 'smaller' than all of humanity…'”!

Author Ursula L. Alex in her book Deutsche Volksfront, on page 23 notes: "...In 1921, the IAH (Internationale Arbeiterhilfe - International Workers' Solidarity) was founded in Germany. This organization was formed to collect aid for the hungry in Russia, but also in the world, as a forced ideology of the Communist Party in the name of 'proletarian solidarity'. This association included personalities such as the physicist Albert Einstein, the writer Leonard Frank, the scientist Alfons Goldschmidt, the painter Georg Grosz, the publicist Maksimilian Harden... the actor Aleksandër Moisi. The IAH society, according to the general German trade union, was the third column of communist politics"!

This is also reflected in the call of this association that the Austrian newspaper Neue Freie Presse of February 3, 1922 publishes in the column called “…To the Artists and Intellectuals of Austria…”: “…Bad news continues to come from various regions of Russia, where starvation is wreaking havoc. 30 million people, according to shocking news from Russia, have been affected by extreme hunger... corpses of the dead are left on the streets without burial. Women and children die on the streets from disease and bad conditions... Russia that gave us Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, Gogol and Chekhov, poets who wrote about the pain of the human soul, expects from Europe a testimony of human love... Only Bread... Our workers are united in powerful organizations, in order to help the hungry. But, the call is addressed to everyone, even artists who have the mission of their work to engage against human pain..."!

All the names of the organizing committee are lined up below the call, including the name of Aleksandër Moisiu.

Another newspaper that labels Moses as a communist Jew is the newspaper Prager Tagblatt, no. 97, dated April 27, 1921, where, among other things, it is written: "...Wedekind's third play, 'Schloss Wetterstein', was canceled as a result of a theatrical scandal. The managers of this theater were forced to reject the performance planned for that day, for an evening where the actor Aleksandër Moisiu, a Jewish communist, would lecture, a lecture that is really not useful…”!

Meanwhile, in a German link, with information about theater, film, TV, shows... for the actor Aleksandër Moisiu, among other things, it is written: "...Moses, in 1918, decided to join the Spartacist Resistance Movement in Germany..." (writer's note: The Spartacist Movement was a union of Marxist socialists in Germany who, during the First World War, aimed for an International Proletarian Revolution , to overthrow capitalism, imperialism and militarism of the world... The Spartacists took an active part in the revolution of November 1918)!

Also in the Hamburger Abendblatt article, May 19, 2000, in the article "Legend of the theater and sympathizer of women", the author W. Mommert writes: "...In the history of the actor's career there is also a political page, that of the First World War, when he volunteered for the front, to fight for Germany, but who was then isolated and labeled by the Nazis as a 'Communist Jew'"!

Finally, closing the article, I would like to emphasize to the reader that almost the same pressure campaign against the actor Aleksandër Moisiu was repeated in the press in the fall of 1931. This after an event known in the public opinion as "Moses Scandal", where the National Socialist propaganda became very aggressive, organizing various movements, demonstrations or obstacles during the lectures or performances of Aleksandër Moisiu on stage. /Telegraph/