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Alfonse pogrom or "the pogrom of pimps” (May 24-26 1905) - was a three-day riots in Warsaw ignited by the Jewish labour party Bund militants, joined by Christians and common criminals, against the Jewish underworld and pimps operating brothels.
Backround
Main article: Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland (1905–07)In the second half of the 19th century, prostitution, sex trafficking and sexual slavery became widespread in Warsaw. This sector was mostly dominated by the Jewish underworld, and its existence caused much tension and controversy within the Warsaw's Polish Jewish community. As violent riots escalated during the Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland (1905–07), tensions between Jewish underworld and workers grew to the point a violent wide-scale incident was increasingly likely. According to Laura Engelstein, the pimps were perceived by Bundists to be agents of the police.
The riot
The pogrom started after a rumor, through there are several versions of which rumor, exactly sparked it. One version suggests that a sister and/or fiance of a Bund activist were kidnapped and taken to one of the brothels, and he was wounded while trying to rescue her. Another states that a Jewish prostitute asked a Jewish worker for help in her plight, and likewise, when he tried to rescue her, he was killed. All version suggest that after the rescuer was hurt or killed, his friends started a large-scale riot. Jewish activists associated with the labour party Bund were involved in the rioting. The rioting started in the north-west Warsaw before spreading throughout the city.
Accounts differ on events, though most agree that bands of Jewish workers went from brothel to brothel, assaulting pimps and prostitutes, and sacking property. Clashes also spread throughout the city in the streets. The rioting was joined in the second day by the Polish Christian population, and the third day saw a number of criminals take advantage of the chaos, committing a number of robberies. The Russian-led police authorities first attempted to orchestrate a Jewish pogrom, (through such accusations are part of the Bund narrative of the events) but when the attempt failed, Russian governor, Konstantin Maximovich [ru] ordered military to suppress all rioters.
The riot is considered to have been out down by 26 May, through lesser incidents continued for a few more days, with 3 further fatalities on the 28 May.
Aftermath
During the disturbances, 150 dwellings (mostly brothels) were destroyed with property damage estimated at 200,000 rubles, 5 people were killed, 10 severely injured (most died later in hospitals) and over 40 inured. Police arrested close to 100 pimps and prostitutes.
Bund leadership at first criticized its activists who took part in the rioting, but later changed it stance and claimed the riot was a righteous action against the morally corrupt government and criminals.
The riot is considered to have brought the problem of prostitution in Poland to the wider, public attention and led to a number of attempts to address this issue through further public debate and governmental reforms.
Leo Belmont [pl] wrote a poem "Po pogromie" (After the Pogrom) about this event.
See also
References
- ^ Borzymińska, Zofia (2003). Polski słownik judaistyczny: dzieje, kultura, religia, ludzie (in Polish). Wydawn. Prószyński i S-ka. p. 68. ISBN 9788372551269.. Entry reproduced online here by the Żydowski Instytut Historyczny.
- ^ Kołodziejska-Smagała, Zuzanna; Antosik-Piela, Maria (2017). Literatura polsko-żydowska 1861-1918: Antologia [Polish-Jewish Literature 1861-1918: Anthology] (in Polish). Wydawnictwo UJ. p. 28. ISBN 9788323396949.
..w kolejnych dniach do zamieszek wlaczyli sie chrześcijanie oraz pospolici przestepcy.. (In the following days the Christians and common criminals joined the riots)
- ^ Gaudenty, Radzim (2019-01-25). "Pogrom alfonsów 1905 r. Krwawa rozprawa robotników z sutenerami i prostytutkami. Zniszczono większość burdeli". warszawa.naszemiasto.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- The Keys to Happiness: Sex and the Search for Modernity in Fin-de-siècle Russia, Laura Engelstein, Cornell University Press, page 309
- Niezwykłe ujęcia znajomych miejsc, Gazeta Wyborcza website
- ^ Scott Ury (8 August 2012). Barricades and Banners: The Revolution of 1905 and the Transformation of Warsaw Jewry. Stanford University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-8047-8104-6.
- ^ Scott Ury (8 August 2012). Barricades and Banners: The Revolution of 1905 and the Transformation of Warsaw Jewry. Stanford University Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-8047-8104-6.
- Scott Ury (8 August 2012). Barricades and Banners: The Revolution of 1905 and the Transformation of Warsaw Jewry. Stanford University Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-8047-8104-6.
- Keely Stauter-Halsted (19 February 2016). The Devil's Chain: Prostitution and Social Control in Partitioned Poland. Cornell University Press. pp. 197, 256. ISBN 978-1-5017-0166-5.