Aniela Wolberg

The death of Aniela Wolberg is a great loss to us and to the Polish Anarchist Movement. (1907-1937)

After serious study Aniela joined the revolutionary ranks in 1924. At the Cracow University she came in contact with a group of Bulgarian Anarchist students, among whom was Taczo Petroff, who since then found his death in prison.

Although coming from a wealthy family Aniela understood that the Polish Anarchist movement had to take root in the masses. Soon she secretly published the “Proletariat.”

In 1926 Aniela was in Paris continuing her studies. She became the soul of “Walka” a Polish Anarchist monthly. When only twenty years old she sacrificed time and money for her ideal. At that time her sense of criticism and reality was highly developed; her heart was passioned for the masses, for the revolution. Her burning aim was to help the formation of an Anarchist movement in Poland; one that would not be locked up in groups, but powerful, popular, and able to materialize our aspirations.

Aniela received her degree of licentiate in science at the University of Montpellier, France. Here she cooperated with French and Spanish groups, yet never ceasing her activity with the Polish comrades in Paris and Poland.

Later Aniela found a position as a chemical-engineer in a Parisian automobile factory. But the French police had accumulated a heavy record of her activity and succeeded in deporting her from France.

In 1932 Aniela was secretly editing “Walka Klas,” and acting as Secretary of the Polish Anarchist Federation. When arrested in 1934, she was immediately released because of lack of evidence. When reaction gained the upper hand Anarchist propaganda in Poland became nearly impossible. Zealously, she devoted herself to science. New hope came along: the Spanish Revolution!

And soon Aniela was in Spain among the most active comrades. She lectured on Oct. 9th and died Oct 11th from an urgent and unsuccessful operation.

We shall always be faithful to the memory of our dear comrade Aniela Wolberg.

Group Durruti.

Translated by J. S.

From: From MAN! January 1938, p. 6. (Provided by the Anarchist Archives Project, Cambridge, MA.).