User:Joujyuze/La danĝera lingvo

La danĝera lingvo ("The dangerous language") is a book written by Ulrich Lins, in esperanto, edited first in 1973 by a Japanese editor. It is about the persecution and repression of esperanto movement. The book has known many réeditions in esperanto and in a dozen of "national" languages. New editions are still planned as a french one for 2022.

The history of repression of esperantist movements is poorly known, including of esperantists themselves, the last version in 2015 has been revised using sources that became accessible with the fall of Soviet Union and german Reunification.

Dictatorships have labelled esperanto as a dangerous language, in particular in Nazi Germany and Soviet Union. Ulrich Links, german history, Hitler condemned esperanto as a "Jewish world domination plot", Staline has for its part opposed internationalism, and sent a lot of its members in camps to death.

The book also mentions, the histories of repression in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Japan, China. In some cases esperanto is only publicly censored, under Tsar's regime, or forbidden in 1922 in France, after SDN's proposal to use it as an international language, by 14 countries representing half of world's population.

Zamenhof and esperanto's origin
Bialystok, a polish city is part of Russian empire. At this time in Russia, there have periodically been pogroms (1821-1902), Bialystok is a plurilingual city where people did not share a common language. Son of a l teacher, seen as a good pupil, passione. Ludwig Zamenhof learnt many languages, more or less completely: Yiddish, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Latin, Old Greek, French, German, English, Italian. His project is an international language, simple and neutral to make people able to understand each other.

Pains under the birth under Tsar's censorship
Dubbed a "Non-sense without danger" by censorship, the first esperanto leaflet is released on the 26 of july 1887. Roughly 1000 esperantists are by 1889. Leo Tolstoi, gives a public support to esperanto, and increases the popularity of the language. Tsar's regime decides then to ban the newspaper "La esperantisto", in Russia in april 1895.

Arrival in the West
From this date, a new period opens, centered at France and propaganda, for its diffusion. Ideas like advantage. Ideas like advantages for international trade are highlighted. Ideologies are seen as private, the book writes.

The esperanto's idealism.
At the same time, Zamenhof, insited on what he calls the "Internal idea": faternity between people, justice among peoples, unity of mankind. In 1907-1908 a reform of the language Ido "son, descendant", in France is proposed, by some of the esperanto's leaders in France, as Louis Couturat. It mis mostly similar but with some changed aspects. In 1908 the Swiss Gector Holder creates the international esperanto association, that organises exchanges between esperantists as well as yearly congresses. In 1914 it has 7000 members.

Obstacles before world war 1
At first, the failure of several projects of international language, notably Volapuk, made many people sceptical, indifferent or mocking toward such projects. In Germany nationalistic and Chauvin stereotypes are powerful. Critics toward it are: "Imperfection", esperanto not being seen as a "genuine" language, it being a threat to German language, internationalism that it purpotes, and pacifism, as well as Feminism, according to Albert Zimmermann. Esperanto, is however not a project meant against already existing languages, it is mostly meant as an international communication tool. In Russia censorships keeps being severe.

Esperanto at SDN
In Alvoko al la diplomatoj (Call to diplomates), in 1915. Zamenhof calls for so "Every country belongs morally and materially in right to all of its children. He dies in april 1917.

Hector Hodler, new responsible anticipates theses of american president Woodrow Wilson about society of nations. And pushes for as well as international agreements, an understanding between all peoples, with the help of an international, neutral, and easy language. He dies in March 1920, 2 months after SDN's creation. His successfor Edmont Privat supports the initiative of 14 delegations to SDN, including China, India,s and Japan. Represent half of the world's population. The initiative plans to teach esperanto in schools. However, french sendees, sent by a right wing wing, from the chamber "Blue horizon", oppose the proposal, wanting to defend french language as first language in diplomacy. In 1922 Leon Berard, ministry of instruction, forbids the teaching of esperanto in schools, this lasts until 1924 when a the centre-left governement of Edouard Herriot revets the ban.

Workers and "neutral ones"
In 1921, is created the world anational world organisation. An organisation of esperantists. The shscisme changes deeply the esperanto momvement. The language progresses using for example the method, Cseh, based on "direct teaching" making studying a more amusing game. Correspondances, travels, trade, congress are other of the uses. The number of books as well as the quality of esperanto literature grows. An Hungarian writter Julio Baghy becomes widely known.

Persecutions in 1920
In several regimes of South-east europe esperanto gets forbidden because of the controls it allows with foreigners, that are harder to control. While the moverment insits on its "absolute neutrality" (pertaining to political, religious, racial or class issues), a lot of esperantists linked to workers' and other movement are repressed.

Esperanto in Weimar Republic in 1920
The international esperanto congress of Nurenberg in 1923 hosts 5000 people. In 1226, 30 860 germans declare themselves as esperantists and 8490 are reported in local groups. However strong resistance, or indifferences toward the language are found among Germany's rulers. It is qualified as "Jewish founding to the service of anti-german internationalist,pacifism, and preventing from using national languages, as well as foreign ones". However esperanto benefits from a popularity, based on peace ideas, as well as a federal europe after 1918.

A new ennemi
Nazis hate the jewish origin of esperanto, "mortal danger to any national evolution"

Nazis send to prisons the leftists, and GEA goes "toward the same path"
After hitler arrival to power by the end of Juanary 1933, and the Reichstag fire, at the end of the month, the organisations that are esperantist, workers' unions, and communist ones are represses, then dissolved. Many of the members are jailed. Almost the 3 thirds of esperantists lose their organisational base.

To the oppose the "GEA" (German esperanto association), abandons neutrality, and supports Hitler, and swears fidelity to the german nation. Rulers must certify that they are neither jewish, neither in proximity to marxism, and that they inform the state about "anti-state" members.

Esperanto speaking nazis.
In 1931 a small group, barely kown the "Nazi Deutscher Esperanto Bund" (Nazi German Esperanto league). Once nazis are to power, those take a bigger and bigger power among the GEA, and stipulate use of esperanto must be made "in a national-socialist way" The non-aryans, as Jews, cannot adhere.

Vers l'interdiction de la GEA (1936)
To this epoch most germans are blinded and make declarations of loyalty to the regime. Some esperantists are arrested for "treason toward states". Esperanto is only tolerated for use as propaganda toward the abroad. A cecree of Himmler "Biggest criminal of the century, head of the SS and Gestapo on the 20 june 1936 dissolves the group.

Esperanto, only a lgnauge?
From 1933 toward 1945, there was an anti-facist resistance mostly of workers: reports about nazi terror, anti-facist leaflets, organisation to flee abroad...nazis torture, jail, abd kill esperantists, as esperanto jewish-invented, must be exterminated. This repression is headed by a bureau of the central security of 3rd Reich, in German the "RHSA". A less kown aspect is the will to slave jewish and slaves. As well as will to restrict communication between jews and slaves. For Hitler the population that is non-german must understand only german orders. The Zamenhof's family is exterminated in Warsaw. Associations of esperanto of Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia are dissolved as well.

Follow the "German-nazi model"
Nazis apply their model to occupied countries. The repression is less strong is occidental europe as it is in oriental europe. Some groups are editing in clandestinity leaflets, as soon as 1937, during Warsaw's congress, the press attacks the governements of Poland as well as Esperanto congress dubbed "Judeo-communist".

The Salazar's dictatorship in Portugal also represses esperantists from 1936 until 25 of April of 1974 with republic's proclamation.

In Franquist spain, repression is very vilent from 1936 until 1951.

Facist Italy, uses esperanto only as a touristifc propaganda tool, until 1938 then, makes anti-jewish laws based on nazi model, and almost forbid the "jewish language"In

In Hungary and Bulgaria repression increases until liberation from Naziosm.

In Japan, esperanto survives as purely linguistic activity. But Japan forbids the use of esperanto and Korean in Korea.

A salutary lesson for the neutral movement.
The yougoslav movement stays united nationally and socially as early as 1922 and fights for freedom as soon as 1933. For Ivo Lapenna,"principles of freedom of thought as well as democracy must accompagny neutrality so it does not become a negative phenomenon.

In 30s many members do not anymore want to conflate "neutrality and silence". At London's congress in 1938, Lapenna qualifies the idea of "Anti-facist bastion" within the language. Under nazism, the resistance acts of esperantists are numerous. In 1947 UEA defines an "active neutrality" absed on human rights, peace and international cooperation.

Post revolution hope.
The esperanto movement is important under Tsar and it positively greets the end of the censorship with revolution. Esperanto is seen as a tool to remove language bareers between workers. In March 1921, Lenin starts the "NEP" the new economic policy. The priority it put over alphabetisation, and favour the creation of the Sovetlanda Esperantista Unuiĝo (SEU) (Soviet country's esperantist union), ruled by E.Drezen.

SAT and SEU: Pluralism and unique front as soon as 1922.
In august 1921 is created the "anational world asociation" to the initiative of Eugene Adam "Lanti", it gathers many workers' movements, socialists, communists, anarchists, unionists.

Lanti in 1922 decides to exit neutral association, a decision dubbed "sectarian" by Romain Rolland, that sees esperanto as already revolutionary in itself. SAT increases in size from 100 to 6500 memebers in 1929. In November 1922 after the victory of Italian facists, the Komintern adopts the "United Front" with social-democrats. The SEU gets closer to SAT. Communists enter in the SAT and obtain the censor of anarchist criticism against bolchevism in 1923-24.

The internaliste education work by esperanto.
Drezen calls for using esperanto as a language, top be used between workers, internationally, about working conditions. He uses as arguments that the language is the easiest to learn, and it helps as well to use other national foreign languages. The collaboration between SAT and SEU profits in both ways. In 1928 there are 16 000 esperantists in USSR

Sharpening of class struggle, after 1928
In December 1927, at the same time as exclusion of opposition of Trotski-Zinoviev and Kamenev from the Communist party. Stalin encourages the collectiviasation of lands, the priority is put on heavy industry and weaponry, he then instigate "terror period". The cnetral community sends to SEU a note against "Desinformation" towards the abroad that comes from Soviet correspondancies. The SEU, promotes then "collective letters", controlled by the unique parti in power, while famines occur notably in Ukraine.

Anationalism
In 1928, Stalin and the communist internationale put to halt, United front, putting in place instead "class against class", putting at the same side, the "social-facism" (social-democracy),and facism at the same foot. In 1928 Lanti exists French Communist party. And presents anationalism as a whole doctrine.

Scission of SAT
The SEU stopped paying to SAT any funding, accusing it of "refusing education in national languages". The communists left in 1932 in august, and created the IPE (Iternacio de Proleta Esperantistaro), social-democrat, leave as well. Lanti finally leaves SAT and travels from 1936 outside of Europe.

Esperanto in the processus of stalinism.
The poor decision of Kominter in the right against social democracy, qualifed as "Social-facist" came with a criticms of SEU, against SAT that answered bad. Kalocsay Hungarian write calls Drezen: "A red-green tsar". More and more esperanto soviet letters, become ordinary, controlled and rare.

Soviet esperantists get silence
After Hitler's rise to power, and the big number of esperantists sent to jail. Stalin and Komintern will preconise from 1935 a new political line, with a large alliance. However the esperanto correspondance stays much controlled. In 1938, the IPE's heads delcare that "Defending esperanto in our current world, is a battle against facism, for democracy, cilture, epeace, freedom of thought, equality of races, as well as internationalism", and in consequence, the separation between "Neutrals" and "Workers" within esperanto is no more defensible. IPE sections refuse dissolution, this a few months before German-Soviet pact, and the start of WW2.

The problem of internationalism before revolution
In 1700s, Descartes, Comenius et Leibniz are convinced for the use of an international language. In 1867 the first internationale votes a resolution towards it. In 1908 the social-democracy Kautsky, who had a big doctrinal influence over the "national question", predicts that in future, in a future socialist society men and women will know their national language, and one or several world languages, and then at next tier, there would be an union of every human culture in one language, and one nationality. Kautsjy saw it as logical and unavoidable, the rise of the language of an hyper-imperialist state.For him the reject of smaller languages, would be the result of economical progress. Instead for esperantists, the use of esperanto is be with national languages, not to replace them. Zamenhof saw Kautsky's position as the "eating of nations and weak languages, by strong nationas and stron languages". Aso in 1918 the communist theorician Antonion Gramsci criticised as well esperanto, that he prolly knew. Saying One has no right to provoke consequences, without heir consequences being gathered.

Lenin and national questions
He saw the potential for revolution of minorities of Tsar's empire and supported the right to slef-determination of peoples that he dubbed as "oppressed", he supported mother tongues. At the same time he supported an absolute centrality in the party, and considered that knowning russian language would be advantageous to most. Questionned about Stockholm's mayor, about esperanto he said: "We already have 3 world languages, and Russian will be 4th". English grows faster than french and german. In this unfavourable, ideological context. Drezen mostly emphatises the practical use opf esperant, an useful tool as phone or plane, and the international conrrespondacies between workers are authorised.

While having a "marxist" linguistic rhetoric
Stalin defends short-term defense of languages, like esperantists, and stands against Kautsku's vision of a future unique languae. While Nicolas Marr linguist defends an evolutionary scheme "toward a perfect language", esperantists highlight the practical use of their language. The international auxiliary language, according to articles of 1928 or Belarussian journalist Spiridovitch, is adapated to transition to socialism. Drezen in a thick book, published in 1928 compares 460 projects of international languages, esperanto being the most developped. Marr writes that in future no national language will be used as a world language. The linguist Ferdinand de Saussure posits the possbility and need for an artifical constructed language.

Skrypnik against esperanto.
The commissary to Ukrainian people Mikola Skrypnyk criticises the idealogy of anatioanlism of some esperantists. By doing so he echodes to the dissatisfaction of Ukrainians and non russian peoples in overall, due the the concentration of power in the end of russophones. It is also about to reduce to the most esperantists from speaking with the abroad.

Debate over Russian language
For the regime, the common language is in fact in USSR, russian. The progressit way of its study is underlined. Esperanto has just been used as propaganda tool towards the outside. The anational doctrines of some esperantists were criticised.

Sterile theorisation
Stalin highlights the need of a "just relation between theory and practric" which trhows a wave of self-cricism against a lot of intelectuals. Official priority is given to efficency in technicity and industry. After 1932-33 after collectivisation of lands, and dekoulakisation, it is estimaated that famine killed 3.5 millions of people, only for Ukraine. Nationalisms are saw as a danger for brotherly collaboration of USSR's peoples. Soviet patriotism, put over Russian language is more and more exalted. It becomes more and more seen as needed to conform esperantis to present needs.

What did happen in 1937-1938
La SEU was dissolved. Until 1936 leaning methods for the language, were re-edited. Boukharine is arrested in the end of februrary 1937. Drezen writes his final letter in March. He is shot on october 1937. Vladimir Varankine, autor of "The theory of esperanto" is also missing. Between 100 to 5000 esperantists were sent in goulags. Non-organised esperantists were not arrested not part of any SEU were not arrested.

Esperantists in the great purges
The great purge is initiated in March 1937. Stalin orders Iejov the head of NKVD political police, to destroy "all of those that had contact with the abroad", including esperantists, who are dubbed "members of an international organisation of spies"

Evolution toward soviet patriotism
In 20s the latin alphabet deemed more international, was used for most minoritary languages, from 1937 cyrillic is imposed on most languages of the country. By a 1938, russian, soviet culture's language, becomes compulsory in every school of the country. An atricle from Pravda on augsut 31 1938 affirms "Russian will become the international language os socialist culture ,as latin was for superior social states in middle, and as was french in 18th and 18th centiries"

Limited success
SEU means to show the use of esperanto for USSR. In 1935 Lanti, having no more responsability in the SAT publicates in Herez-ulo (the heretic), letters about life conditions in stalinian terror. He calls the state "state capitalist" and "red facist".

Staline against MArr
Marr ded in 1934, used to defend the idea of a fusion of language in a far communist future on 30 june of 1950, Stalines write that languages are autonomous and more durable thatn economical sturcture, and political-juridical structure of a period, and that for each nation, there would be a national unified language, that serves both bourgeois and socialist cultures.When two languages meet, one wins. Russian historically won over neighbours. In 1949 a journalist, of Literatorunaia gazeta writes: "To each epoch a world language is linked, latin, in antiquity, french at the end of fedodality, english unde capitalism, russian under socialism. Russification is justified that way. Stalin however distinguishes past from future, with a far future where two languages can be both enriched in both ways.

Present time needs
Between 1948 and 1953, Soviet power, fights against cosmopolitism, sionism, yiddish language. The priority is russian language, the other objective is to stop esperanto contact towards the outside.

Rebirth of Esperanto movement
La situation s'améliore après la mort de Staline en mars 1953. Dès août 1952, le Tchèque Rudolf Burda rappelle que Staline disait que la langue internationale ne pouvait être ni le russe, ni aucune autre langue nationale. En juin, le Conseil mondial de la Paix, fondé à l'initiative de l'URSS prône la coexistence pacifique entre les nations et leurs systèmes. Des espérantistes pacifistes et communistes de l'Est et de l'Ouest fondent alors le Mouvement Espérantiste pour la paix Mondiale (MEM) dont la devise est « Par l'espéranto pour la paix mondiale. » En 1954, l'URSS adhère à l'UNESCO. Celle-ci accepte l'UEA comme organisation ayant des relations consultatives, puis à sa conférence de décembre accepte une résolution notant « les résultats atteints par l'espéranto dans le champ des échanges intellectuels internationaux et pour le rapprochement des peuples du monde » et reconnaît que « ces résultats répondent aux buts et aux idéaux de l'Unesco ». La délégation soviétique s'abstient. Les associations espérantistes nationales à l'Est renaissent progressivement et cinq sont présentes au congrès UEA de Copenhague en 1955. En 1956, quelques semaines après les révélations du rapport Khrouchtchev sur la terreur stalinienne en février, des groupes espérantistes se créent en URSS, puis, en 1957, les associations renaissent en Chine, au Nord Vietnam.

Eastern Europe
Esperantist association are officially recognised. The UEA congress in those countries in 1959 and 1987 are big meetings. The east german Detlev Blanke insists on language being a tool, and nothing more. Poland and Hungary are the most open countries. Helsinki agreement in 1975 is positive, on the cooperation of european countries. Still the history of persecutions of esperanto under stalin stays as a taboo. Only China explains the quasi-forbiding of esperanto, by its following of soviet model until 1957.

Conclusion
The book concludes that esperanto did not have consistant support of one or several states, or of an international organisation. It never became a mass movement. It had to fight against hate as soon as its birth. In 1905 esperanto, was only a language, but siding with a peace and human fraternity ideaL. The repression of tsars, then the will of France and UK to keep their linguistic influence among SDN, the hate of esperanto by nazis, the forced diseapearances, and killings of esperantists in Soviet Union, as well as repression of many countries, indicates that the will of communication using an international language easy and neutral, has been fighting against important obstacles. The esperanto language is the symbol of the effort toward a mass communication between all men, in spite of race, mother tongue, religion. In the world esperantists are a small number. At the time of economic mundialisation, the rise of english, the rise of aggresive nationalisms, often racist, esperanto says as a symbol and tool tio get men closer toegether, as an equality of rights, and a symbol for universality.

The book was edited several times in esperanto in 1973, 1988, and 1990 by the editions "L'omnibuso" in Kyoto. The book was re-edited by UEA, in Netherlands.

The book was translated in english, japanese, german, Italian, Russian, Lithuanian Polish, and Korea. A french translation is being prepared for 2022