Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume V

861.4016/3–1949: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kohler) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Moscow, March 19, 1949—1 p. m.

692. Over past month campaign against “homeless cosmopolitanism” which commenced in earnest with Pravda’s editorial January 27 “concerning certain group anti-patriotic theatre critics”¹ has been extended fields literature, music, cinema, philosophy, natural science, atomic energy, sports and circus and has gradually taken new twist and emphasis which is clearly anti-Jewish. Embassy at first reluctant accept few signs appearing as conclusive evidence new anti-Jewish emphasis but in last two weeks published articles have supplied very clear proof anti-Jewish theme culminating in particularly vicious article Vechernaya Moskva² March 14. Newspaper correspondents have had all despatches on this killed by censor even though straight quotation.

Great number names cited in current attacks obviously reveal racial origin but when this not so Jewish origin indicated by quoting Jewish names in brackets following adopted Russian names—to Embassy’s knowledge an unprecedented practice. “Cosmopolitanism” has been specifically associated with Jews in number instances and Zionism along with pan-Americanism and Catholicism has been termed guise cosmopolities actively serving interests imperialist reaction. At meeting plenum Ukrainian writers February 28 references made to “serious manifestations Jewish bourgeois nationalism especially in periodical Der Stern³ publication which we have had to discontinue”. This parallels recent Moscow closing Jewish publishing house and discontinuance newspaper Einikait (reEmbtel 3061, December 30⁴).

Frequent use expressions such as “people without kith and kin, passportless wanderers, people without tribe” have contributed uneasy feeling Jewish population. Violence language used accusing cosmopolite—critics conspiring carry out kind of sabotage against Soviet culture has gradually reached crescendo reminding some observers language used by press in great purges of 30’s. Vechernaya Moskva article referred autobiographical book Aleksandr Isbakh (Isaak Bakhrakh) Years of Life published 1948 by “Soviet writer” publishing house in which author accused exalting Hebrew religion and propagandizing Zionism. In not passing correspondents stories Soviet authorities may have realized current campaign gone too far.

Anti-Jewish twist which could not occur without at least connivance top party leaders obviously important new internal development. Although campaign in line with Soviet ideological housecleaning stemming from party decree on “Star” and “Leningrad” August 1946,⁵ current offensive transcends bounds similar campaigns past two years and has deep roots in Russian chauvinism with its traditional anti-semitism as well as anti-foreignism. Establishment of Israel has undoubtedly revived attraction Zionism Russian Jewry (re Embassy’s A–1044, October 18, 1948⁶).

Ehrenburg⁷ in Sep laid down principle that solution Jewish question lay in achievement socialism in countries residence rather than in establishment state Israel (reEmbtel 2078, September 20⁸) and pointed direction present assault constitutes warning that Soviet Jew can have only one loyalty i.e. Soviet fatherland (re Embassy’s A–35, January 13⁹). Thus it is not simply question anti-semitism or beginning Hitlerite policy toward Jews as people. It is perhaps also extension policy elimination Jews from influential positions reportedly carried out past decade Soviet diplomatic service and armed forces as persons who with traditional internationalist culture and ties abroad could not be relied upon conform increasingly tight ideological strait jacket demanded by party in postwar conditions.

Subsidiary factors contributing sharpness acidity these attacks undoubtedly personal desire for revenge by authors previously criticized and latent anti-semitism which still exists despite boasts contrary.

However, would be mistake consider present offensive merely continuation ideological housecleaning or reflection usual author-critic relationship. Rather it is one climax in current reassertion of Russian chauvinism strongly reminiscent 19th century with reverse side anti-foreignism and anti-semitism. And forms stern warning Russian Jews that only unbounded devotion Soviet state and ideals Communism can bring them acceptance and salvation.

Facts this new development should be given wide currency as doubtful whether informed westerners realize significance but caution should be used in applying ephithet, “anti-semitic” which could be countered by Soviet references anti-discrimination laws and to positions Kaganovich¹⁰ and Ehrenburg.¹¹ Recommend waiting full report by pouch before exploitation information media and VOA.¹²

Copy pouched Tel Aviv, Paris, London.

Kohler

1. For a lengthy summary of this editorial, see Current Digest of the Soviet Press, vol. i, no. 3 (March 1, 1949), pp. 57–61.
2. The newspaper of the Moscow City Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and of the Moscow Soviet.
3. A Yiddish-language literary almanac published irregularly in 1948 in Kiev.
4. Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. iv, p. 948.
5. In August 1946, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union issued a decree denouncing the ideological failings of the Leningrad literary periodicals Zvezda (Star) and Leningrad. Leningrad was discontinued shortly thereafter. See Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. vi, pp. 774–776.
6. Not printed.
7. Ilya Grigoryevich Ehrenburg, Russian novelist and journalist.
8. Not printed; it reported upon the contents of an article by Ehrenburg appearing in Pravda on September 21, 1948, presenting the Soviet ideological line on the questions of Israel and anti-Semitism in the USSR (867n.01/9–2149).
9. Not printed; it reported information indicating that Soviet foreign policy was shifting away from friendship for Israel and toward support of the Arab states (867N.01/1–1349).
10. Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich, a First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.
11. While many other Jewish writers were secretly arrested at this time, Ehrenburg suffered only a brief period of prohibition of publication. In April, apparently at the personal intervention of Malenkov and Stalin, Ehrenburg resumed his normal work. For his own recollections of the circumstances of the anti-Jewish campaign in 1949 and his own experiences therein, see Ilya Ehrenburg, Postwar Years, 1945–1954, translated by Tatiana Shebunina (Cleveland and New York, World Publishing, 1967), Chapter 15.

12. Telegram 184, March 23, to Moscow, not printed, replied that the information on Soviet anti-Semitism would be made available for appropriate use during the forthcoming Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace in New York, March 25–27 (800.00B/3–2349).

    In airgrams A–381, April 15, and A–425, April 25, from Moscow, neither printed, the Embassy reported that the “homeless cosmopolitan” drive on the internal front had virtually ended, and Soviet propagandists were focusing attention on the connection between “cosmopolitanism” and “hostile western ideology” and “international reaction” (861.4016/5–1549 and 861.4016/4–2549).