Anti-Semitism in Easter Europe 1948-53

The issue of whether the Stalinist purges in Communist controlled Europe 1948 to 1953 were linked to Stalin's antisemitism is indeed much debated.

Antisemitism would seem to be an element in the purge of the General Secretary of Czechoslovak Communist Party, Rudolf Slansky, as he and several of his co-defendants were Jewish. Yet in the parallel trial in Hungary the non-Jewish Rajk was purged and executed by a party leadership that was itself mainly Jewish.

Far more important for Stalin was the elimination of communists who were not wholly obedient to him, who had independent support or who had links outside the bloc; e.g. those obtained through fighting in the international brigades in Spain.

For Stalin antisemitism was not an article of faith, but merely a tool to be used whenever it suited his purposes.


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Klaus: sign or resign

Vaclav Klaus is entitled to his personal views on the Lisbon Treaty, but he is not entitled to lead the Czech Republic a dance.

The Czech Republic does not have presidential system, but is a parliamentary democracy. The parliament of the Republic has decided to endorse the Lisbon Treaty and it is merely the duty of the President to sign a treaty which has been lawfully approved in the country.

If Klaus feels so strongly about the issue, he should resign the presidency, not play rogue elephant and embarrass the Czech government, parliament and people. And – if he persists in his obstinacy – cause the constitutional crisis which would ensue from his removal or his being by-passed.

Polish and Czech politicians with egg on their faces

So the situation is now clear. The US missile systems to be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic were principally about military relations with Russia as opponents of Bush always claimed.

The idea that the non-deployment of these missile systems leaves these two countries uniquely venerable to Russian attack is nonsense. An attack on Poland and the Czech Republic is not only highly unlikely but could only occur in the framework of a major war involving the whole of NATO in which possession of these US military instillations would render these Prague and Warsaw targets for special attack.

The truth is that neither Poland not the Czech Republic is more militarily vulnerable today or in the future, but rather that the pro-Bush politicians who pushed these measures against popular opinion in their own countries now have egg on their faces. They are the only losers