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Izaak Botwin
Country:
 Poland |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Naftali Botwin was born into a poor Jewish family in Poland as the eighth of their children. His father passed away when Botwin was young, and he has no recollection of him. Frail from childhood, Botwin began walking at the age of seven. His education ended after completing three years of primary school.
Career and Political Affiliation
From a young age, Botwin took on any odd jobs he could find to support himself. By 1921, he had joined a trade union and became a member of the Communist Party of Western Ukraine (KPZU). His ideological beliefs, combined with a severe case of tuberculosis and the realization of his approaching demise, influenced his decision to commit an act of terror against a provocateur.
Assassination and Trial
On July 28, 1925, Botwin assassinated Józef Czechnowski, an agent of the Polish political police, in broad daylight on the streets of Lviv. He was immediately apprehended at the scene without resistance. At his trial, Botwin stated that his dissatisfaction with life led him to believe in the righteousness of the communist ideology as a solution to social injustice. Despite widespread protests in Poland and abroad, he was sentenced to death and executed.
Legacy
Botwin was buried in Lviv's Janowski Cemetery. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, a company of Jewish volunteers was formed within the 13th International Brigade and named after him. The Botwin Company became a symbol of Jewish participation in the conflict.
During the Soviet era, a street in Lviv bore Botwin's name until 1992. Streets in Astrakhan, Russia, and Velikiye Luki, Russia, continue to honor his memory.
