Figure 1.--Here we see an interesting historical photo of the third grade in a school for German and Austrian imigrants to Russia located on "Kropotkin- Strasse" (Kropotkin Street) in Moscow. I'm not sure what the formal name of the school was.

Here we see an interesting historical photo of the third grade in a school for German and Austrian imigrants to Russia located on "Kropotkin- Strasse" (Kropotkin Street) in Moscow. I'm not sure what the formal name of the school was, but a reader tells us that the school name is written on the photograph--the Karl Leibknecht School. I am not sure who Karl Leibknecht was. You would assume that he was a Communist killed by the NAZIs. This was not an internation school in the sence of we think of it today. Rather it was for the children of German speaking Communuists that had managed to escape from NAZI Germany. The Anchluss in Austria had not yet occurred when this photograph was taken, but would occur 2 years later meaning that ustrian Communists would have to try to escape. Notice the red scarves the children wear, a clear indication that they are Communists. This school would prove a very valuable for future officials in the East German satellite government after World War II. I believe there were similar schools where other Eastern European (Bukgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia) children were educated, but do not have complete details at this time. The photograph here was taken in 1936. The school was named after Karl Leibknecht, a German convert to Soviet politics.

The Class

Someone has written across the photo in white ink, identifying the school and the class level photographed. Here we see an interesting historical photo of the third grade. I'm not precisely sure what that meant. The children look to be about 9-10 years ols whivch would mean they should have been in school more than 3 years.

The School

The school ws for German and Austrian imigrants to Russia located on "Kropotkin- Strasse" (Kropotkin Street) in Moscow. The school name is written on the photograph--the Karl Leibknecht School. I am not sure who Karl Leibknecht was. One reader tellus that Leibknecht was a German convert to Soviet politics, but I have no additional details. You would assume that he was a Communist killed in Germany. There was condiderable turmoil in Germany after the Kaiser abdigated in 1918. Communists attempted to seize power and were supressed bythe militry and para-military right-wing forces. More on this school. The Karl Leibknecht German School opened in Moscow in 1924, but was apparently closed in 1938. We have no information explaining why it was closed. There was an exhibition in Moscow about this school in 1999. . The exhibition was called 'School of Our Dreams.' The school had primary and senior departments. We are not sure why the school was closed. We do note that 1938 was at the height of the fear of NAZI Germany. The Sovierts had order Communist parties in Europe to form a Popular Front against the Fascists. Not only were the NAZIs ensuring Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War, but the Anshluss and more importantly Munich took place in 1938. It was a year before Stalin decided to sign the Non-Agression Pact with Hitler. Thus in Moscow anything German may have been suspect.

Soviet Suspicions of the Germans in Moscow

We know that the Soviets were suspicious of the Germans in Moscow. Here the concern was not just possible NAZI secret agents, but also Trotskite influences. Trotsky was the founder of the Red Army and was Stalin's most serious opponent in his rise to power. He was driven out of the Soviet Union, but continued to be influential among European Communists. He was finally killed in Mexico City during 1938. KGB documents show their concern with suposed Trotskeite influences among the Germans, including a teacher at the school. Here is a sample KGB report. [Yale University Press]

Soviet International Schools

This was not an internation school in the sence of we think of it today. Rather it was for the children of German speaking Communuists that had managed to escape from NAZI Germany. The Anchluss in Austria had not yet occurred when this photograph was taken, but would occur 2 years later meaning that ustrian Communists would have to try to escape. Notice the red scarves the children wear, a clear indication that they are Communists. This school would prove a very valuable for future officials in the East German satellite government after World War II. I believe there were similar schools where other Eastern European (Bukgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia) children were educated, but do not have complete details at this time.

Chronology

The photograph here was taken in 1936.

Clothing

The children are about 8 to 9 years old. Notice that they wear a variety of clothing. Some boys wear long trousers (notice the boy in the back row at the extreme right who wears a white shirt with rolled up sleeves. One boy sitting in the front row wears a sailor suit with short pants. Two boys sitting near him wear short pants with long dark stockings. None of the boys wears a conventional tie which, in most cases, the dark neckerchief replaces. Another photograph perhaps taken a few years before the image here shows some of the older students. They are also wearing a Pioneer group type of neckerchief instead of a tie. Some of the teenage boys are wearing caps.

Young Pioneers

Many, but not all of the children wear red scarves. I'm not sure what if meant for the chikldren not wearing the scarves. Did they just forget or did they not join the Young Pioneers. That seems unlikely. Remember that Stalinist era with the purges and Terror was in full swing. Persumably the children with scarves are Young Pioneers. Some have tied their scarves passing it through a metal ring or slide.

School Environment

We have little information about the school environment. We know at least some of the teachers were also Grman emigrees. A 1999 exhibition suggests that the students have rather pleasant memories of the school. We wonder to what extebt they are their parnts kne of the KGB investigations underway.

Students

This was the school attended by the well-known film director Konrad Wolf whose family emigrated to the Soviet Union after the NAZIs seized power (1933). Wolf later attended the Moscow Film School where he studied directing.

Sources

Yale University Press. The KGB report comes from the Yale University Annals of Communism site.

Created: May 19, 2004
Last updated: May 22, 2004