Henri Guilbeaux French left-wing poet, journalist, publicist and political activist Date of Birth: 05.01.1884 Country: France

1. Henri Guilbeaux: A Revolutionary Poet and Political Activist
2. Literary Beginnings and Activism
3. Dynamism as a Literary School
4. Post-War Poetry and Russian Influence
5. Communist Activism and Internationalism
6. Role in the Communist International

Henri Guilbeaux: A Revolutionary Poet and Political Activist

Henri Guilbeaux (1885-1938) was a prominent French poet, journalist, essayist, and political figure. Known for his influential literary movement, Dynamism, he was also a dedicated communist who played a significant role in the foundation of the French Communist Party alongside Maurice Cachin and Paul Vaillant-Couturier.

Literary Beginnings and Activism

Before World War I, Guilbeaux pursued both literary and educational endeavors. He established a network of schools to train functionaries for the leftist movement, drawing inspiration from Friedrich Engels' vision of an International as an order of communist builders. His projects included a school in Longjumeau for Russian revolutionaries.

Dynamism as a Literary School

Guilbeaux's literary career can be divided into two periods: pre-war and post-war. His pre-war poetry lacked specific social and class content, focusing instead on abstract urbanism. He believed that modern poetry should reflect the "powerful movement of proletarian masses, great world cities, international trade relations, and the industries of banking capital." His collection "Berlin. Notes of a Solitary Man" exemplified this urban sensibility. Stylistically, he employed free verse and Whitmanesque rhythmic prose.

Post-War Poetry and Russian Influence

Following his arrest in 1918, Guilbeaux traveled to Russia and immersed himself in its political and social realities. His subsequent poetry exclusively drew its inspiration from Russian experiences, as evidenced by his collections "Red Kremlin" and "The Legend of the Three Magi."

Communist Activism and Internationalism

Guilbeaux was a committed communist who devoted his poetry to promoting communism and the proletarian revolution. He was a close associate of Vladimir Lenin and wrote a book about him. Lenin wrote introductions to several of Guilbeaux's publications and intended to write a book on him before his illness.

Guilbeaux's political activism extended beyond France. He supported the Zimmerwald movement against World War I and founded a journal in Switzerland that became a leading mouthpiece for left-wing anti-war sentiment. He was sentenced to death in absentia in France, a sentence that was only overturned in the 1920s.

Role in the Communist International

In 1918, Guilbeaux moved to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and participated in the First, Second, and Fifth Congresses of the Comintern. He served as a member of its Executive Committee.

Lenin highly valued Guilbeaux's work, particularly his book "The French Socialist and Syndicalist Movement during the War." In his preface, Lenin praised its timeliness and its insights into the historical development of communism. He expressed his belief that the book would be widely distributed and inspire other publications exploring the history of socialism and the labor movement.