1917-2017: October, October

An international congress at CEU opens new interpretations about Russian Revolution.

Actually, it happened in November, it was only October in old Russian calendar. But Bolshevik mythology made old chronology remain in history and October Revolution letterhead was imposed. It will be 100 years in a few days, and it is already known that round anniversaries are a good pretext for academic commemorations and revisions. Today it begins at headquarters of CEU of Madrid A Congress dedicated to se one hundred years of Russian Revolution, directed by historians Luis E. togoes and Ricardo Martín de la Guardia.

In addition to reviewing state of matter, Congress, says Luis Togoes, wants to go furr and show influence of revolution, for example in Spain (what will be seen tomorrow in a session that Togos qualifies as "potent"). or in China; So presence of novelist Jung Chang, author of best-selling Wild Swans and Mao, unknown history.

Although name that has been left is October, it all started (for not going furr back) in February of 17th, when czarism fell and a Provisional government was installed. "People do not usually think," says Togoes, "that Russia was only country in Europe that had not done bourgeois revolution, remained anchored in old regime." "So it was as if Louis XIV passed into communism with coup against an incipient democratic government."

In change of course of events between February and October has a fundamental role Lenin, which arrives in Russia in April ("paid by Germans", recalls Togos), determined to burn historical stages and which finds a "collaborator of a capacity Exceptional» in Trotsky. "Lenin is not understood without Trotsky", says Togos. In whirlwind of events of those months, like attempted military coup on part of General Kornílov, who opposed Kerenski leaning on Bolsheviks, did not miss luck factor or disaffection of many to Provisional government, directed Then for Kerenski. "A decided revolutionary has a lot in favor if no one reacts," togos sentences.

The definitive turn came in October, when Bolsheviks gave coup d'etat that toppled Provisional government and proceeded to "build a socialist order" (Lenin Dixit). Today, Mira Milosevich, author of recent Brief History of Russian Revolution (Galaxy Gutenberg), speaks.

Milosevich agrees to apply Russian Revolution name to " events between February and October 1917." The period opens with Tsar's abdication and closes with Bolshevik coup d'etat on night of 24th to 25th of October. «Coup that had a estrambote in January of 18-» We can speak of second coup d'etat, even if it were not against a Government»-when Lenin dissolved Constituent Assembly-established in wake of February Revolution-in which Bolsheviks were in minority after The elections last November.

The Revolution/coup d'etat of October triumphed thanks to genius of Trotsky, to popular disappointment towards Provisional government and to fact of having thousands of armed workers, Red Guard, with approval of government. It failed in something that Bolsheviks mselves considered essential: to extend it to rest of Europe. for Milosevich, what Bolsheviks n tried was nothing less than converting utopia into reality, something impossible to achieve if it is not supported by state violence and terror. Which was what came next.

In addition to those quoted, in Congress, sponsored by sphere of books (part of Editorial unit group), participate, among ors, Juan Avilés Farré (on influence of revolution in Spain), Blas Piñar (WHO and why did y fight Bolsheviks?)), or Guillermo Solana (On image of Revolution). In parallel, it highlights an exhibition with bibliographical novelties. Ranging from reprints of classics like ten days that shook John Reed's World or history of Russian Revolution of Trotsky (Nordic and Captain Swing) to new stories like that of Rex A. Wade in sphere of books.