Leo Deutsch

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Leo Deutsch

Born September 26, 1855(1855-09-26)
Russia
Died August 4, 1941 (aged 85)
Russia

Lev Grigoriyevich Deich, also known as Leo Deutsch (Russian: Лев Григорьевич Дейч) (September 26, 1855 - August 4, 1941) was a Russian revolutionary, member of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party and one of the leaders of the Mensheviks.

The son of a Jewish merchant, after converting to Marxism, he spent his time distributing propaganda in southern Russia.

His actions let to his arrested in 1875 but escaped from custody and over the next few years attempted to organize a peasant insurrection.

Deutsch joined the Zemlya i volya (Land and Liberty), joining the Black Repartition once it split into two factions. supporting a socialist propaganda campaign among workers and peasants. The majority of members, joined Narodnaya Volya (People's Will), the group that favoured terrorism.

In 1880 Deutsch and other leaders of the Black Repartition group, including George Plekhanov, Vera Zasulich and Pavel Axelrod went to live in Geneva, Forming the Liberation of Labour group in 1883.

Deutsch was arrested in Germany 1884 and extradited for trial by a Russian court for a terrorist offence he had committed in 1876. Found guilty he was sentenced 13 years hard labour in Siberia.

Deutsch managed to escape from prison in 1901 and became active in the Social Democratic Labour Party. At the Second Congress of the Social Democratic Party in London.

Deutsch joined George Plekhanov, Pavel Axelrod, Leon Trotsky, Irakli Tsereteli, Moisei Uritsky, Noi Zhordania and Fedor Dan in supporting Jules Martov creating the Mensheviks.

During the 1905 Revolution Deich returned to Russia but was arrested and imprisoned. However, on the way to Siberia he escaped and made his way to London where he lived for the next eleven years.

After the February Revolution Deutsch returned to Petrograd and joined George Plekhanov in editing Edinstvo (Unity). He also wrote his memoirs and edited a volume of documents associated with the Liberation of Labour group. Deutsch died in 1941.

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