Political activities: Cleanup← Previous revisionRevision as of 23:18, 14 October 2026 Line 45: Line 45: After graduating from a German high school some time in the 1920s, Olberg travelled to Latvia. He met up with his brother in Riga, and from 1928 Olberg was closely associated with the [[Communist Party of Latvia]], specifically its Trotskyist wing. Latvian police pressure against Marxists escalated later that year, forcing Olberg and his brother to emigrate to [[Germany]]. Many of their closest comrades followed them, including the daughter of Menshevik Alex Braun, Sulamif Braun, who later became Olberg's first wife.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=90-93}} After graduating from a German high school some time in the 1920s, Olberg travelled to Latvia. He met up with his brother in Riga, and from 1928 Olberg was closely associated with the [[Communist Party of Latvia]], specifically its Trotskyist wing. Latvian police pressure against Marxists escalated later that year, forcing Olberg and his brother to emigrate to [[Germany]]. Many of their closest comrades followed them, including the daughter of Menshevik Alex Braun, Sulamif Braun, who later became Olberg's first wife.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=90-93}} === Late 1928-1936: Berlin and the KPD === === Late 1928-1935: Berlin and the KPD === Valentin and Pavel Olberg arrived in Germany in late 1928. Although Paul managed to obtain German passports for Paulina and Pavel the next year, Valentin was unable to receive a passport, since he had already already reached adulthood and was likely known as a Communist. Thereafter he carried only a [[Nansen passport]], a document issued to stateless post-WWI refugees by the [[League of Nations]].{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} Valentin and Pavel Olberg arrived in Germany in late 1928. Although Paul managed to obtain German passports for Paulina and Pavel the next year, Valentin was unable to receive a passport, since he had already already reached adulthood and was likely known as a Communist. Thereafter he carried only a [[Nansen passport]], a document issued to stateless post-WWI refugees by the [[League of Nations]].{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} Line 53: Line 53: In March 1932 Olberg was expelled from the KPD althogether, after another party member discovered and reported Olberg's Menshevik heritage and "anti-Bolshevik" activities in Riga.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} Then, in April 1932, possibly in connection with his activities as a communist, Berlin police arrested Olberg. There was no love lost between him and the Berlin communists: while in custody, Olberg and his father cooperated with the police by providing them with a detailed list of KPD members. When a character reference became a precondition for Olberg's release, the influential Russian émigré, Menshevik [[Raphael Abramovitch]], vouched for him. Olberg stated he knew Abramovitch personally, but the exact extent of relations between the two is unknown.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} In March 1932 Olberg was expelled from the KPD althogether, after another party member discovered and reported Olberg's Menshevik heritage and "anti-Bolshevik" activities in Riga.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} Then, in April 1932, possibly in connection with his activities as a communist, Berlin police arrested Olberg. There was no love lost between him and the Berlin communists: while in custody, Olberg and his father cooperated with the police by providing them with a detailed list of KPD members. When a character reference became a precondition for Olberg's release, the influential Russian émigré, Menshevik [[Raphael Abramovitch]], vouched for him. Olberg stated he knew Abramovitch personally, but the exact extent of relations between the two is unknown.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=88-89}} Sometime later that year, Olberg's former KPD comrades broke into his apartment and seized 43 letters and postcards from [[Leon Trotsky]] and his son, [[Lev Sedov]], written between January 1930 and May 1932. There were also letters from [[Anton Grylewicz]], at the time one of Trotsky's closest confidants. By June these materials, including eleven addresses Olberg had sent letters to, had made their way to the Comintern, who forwarded them to the [[Joint State Political Directorate|Soviet secret police]].{{Sfn|Chase|2001|pp=134-135}} The stolen archive contained extensive information about Olberg's close ties to Sedov and Trotsky, who entrusted Olberg with crucial work. In Berlin he helped Grylewicz distribute Trotskyist literature such as the ''[[Bulletin of the Opposition]]'', and served as a middle man in communications with the Landau group. He frequently sent reports to Sedov on the internecine politics of Berlin Marxists. He was also trusted with clandestine tasks involving Trotsky's supporters in the USSR; Olberg managed communications, located safe houses, and wrote propaganda based on their smuggled reports. Sedov and Olberg frequently met in person while the former was in Berlin.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=113-117}} Sometime later that year, Olberg's former KPD comrades broke into his apartment and seized 43 letters and postcards from [[Leon Trotsky]] and his son, [[Lev Sedov]], written between January 1930 and May 1932. There were also letters from [[Anton Grylewicz]], at the time one of Trotsky's closest confidants. By June these materials, including eleven addresses Olberg had sent letters to, had made their way to the Comintern, who forwarded them to the [[Joint State Political Directorate|Soviet secret police]].{{Sfn|Chase|2001|pp=134-135}} The stolen archive contained extensive information about Olberg's close ties to Sedov and Trotsky, who entrusted Olberg with crucial work. In Berlin he helped Grylewicz distribute Trotskyist literature such as the ''[[Bulletin of the Opposition]]'', and served as a middle man in communications with the Landau group. Olberg frequently sent reports to Sedov on the internecine politics of Berlin Marxists. He was also trusted with clandestine tasks involving Trotsky's supporters in the USSR; Olberg managed communications, located safe houses, and wrote propaganda based on their smuggled reports. Sedov and Olberg frequently met in person while the former was in Berlin.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=113-117}} After [[Adolf Hitler]] was appointed [[Chancellor of Germany]] on 30 January 1933, the Olbergs were stripped of their German citizenships. Olberg's brother Paul was safely studying in Prague, but Paul Olberg was forced to relocate to Sweden. Olberg and his comrades in the Trotskyist opposition chose to stay in Berlin, living in hiding and publishing a Trotskyist paper. By March 1934 the [[Gestapo]] had liquidated most of the group's leaders.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=109-113}} After [[Adolf Hitler]] was appointed [[Chancellor of Germany]] on 30 January 1933, the Olbergs were stripped of their German citizenships. Olberg's brother Pavel was safely studying in Prague at the time, but their father Paul was forced to relocate to Sweden. Olberg and his comrades in the Trotskyist opposition, however, chose to stay in Berlin, living underground and publishing an illegal Trotskyist paper. By March 1934 the [[Gestapo]] had liquidated most of the group's leaders.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=109-113}} === 1933-1936: Visits to the USSR === === 1933-1936: Visits to the Soviet Union === Olberg travelled to the USSR on three occasions. In March 1933, he and his wife arrived in [[Moscow]]. Travelling to the USSR required a legally recognised passport — as he was a stateless individual with only a Nansen passport, Olberg allegedly travelling on the "borrowed" passport of an Austrian friend. Upon arrival in Moscow, he immediately began contacting his old German and Latvian Trotskyist comrades, lodging in their apartments while he sought to find stable employment. Olberg and his wife then travelled to far-off Stalinabad (now [[Dushanbe]]), [[Tajikistan]]. {{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=194–195}} Olberg travelled to the [[Soviet Union]] on three occasions. The first was from March-July 1933. Travelling to the country required a legally recognised passport — as he was a stateless individual, Olberg stated that he had "borrowed" the passport of an Austrian friend called Yevgeny Freudigmann. In March, Olberg and his wife arrived in [[Moscow]], and he immediately began contacting his old German and Latvian Trotskyist comrades. The couple stayed in their apartments while he sought to find stable employment, before travelling to far-off Stalinabad (now [[Dushanbe]]), [[Tajikistan]]. {{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=194–195}} ⚫ The Olbergs gave the following story during their interrogations: in his quest to find stable employment that would allow him to stay in the country, Olberg applied for a job at the Stalinabad Institute, posing as a Soviet citizen. This backfired when his interviewers requested documents proving Olberg's completion of compulsory Soviet military service, which he was unable to provide. Having failed to locate employment, he and Betty were forced to leave the country, and by July the couple had returned to either Prague or Berlin. Olberg stated that he had travelled to Stalinabad in order to locate Platon Volkov, who was allegedly a crucial courier for clandestine communication with Sedov. According to Olberg's mother, his father-in-law had helped finance the trip, providing Betty and Olberg with 200 German Marks.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=194–195}} ⚫ He then obtained a Honduran passport, which he used to travel to Moscow for a short spell in March 1935. The final time Olberg visited the country was in July 1935. He was arrested in Jaunary the following year.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|p=104}} ⚫ The Olbergs gave the following story during their interrogations: in order to apply for a job at the Stalinabad Institute, Olberg decided to pose as a Soviet citizen. This backfired when his interviewers requested documents proving Olberg's completion of compulsory Soviet military service, which he was unable to provide. Having failed to locate employment, he and Betty were forced to leave the country. By July, the couple had returned to either Prague or Berlin. Olberg stated that he had travelled to Stalinabad in order to locate Platon Volkov, who was allegedly a crucial courier for clandestine communication with Sedov. According to Olberg's mother, his father-in-law had helped finance the trip, providing Betty and Olberg with 200 German Marks.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|pp=194–195}} ⚫ He then obtained a Honduran passport, which he used to travel to Moscow for a short spell in March 1935. The final time Olberg visited the country was in July 1935. He was arrested the following year.{{Sfn|Chase|Novikova-Monterde|2026|p=104}} == 1936 Moscow Trial == == 1936 Moscow Trial ==