Jan Otomar BERSON
MINUS MOSCOW
(VOLGA-CAUCASUS-CRIMEA)
Warsaw 1933, “Rój” Publishing Society, pp. [2] 229, format: 14x20.5 cm
“Minus Moscow”is a book of reportage by Jan Otomar Berson, in which he describes his impressions and experiences from his stay in the Soviet Union in the period following the Bolshevik Revolution. As a journalist, Berson had the opportunity to observe the unfolding political situation in the USSR during the 1920s and 1930s, which served as an important source of material for this book.
In the book, which is both a travelogue and a sociopolitical analysis, the author describes daily life in the USSR, striving to portray both the splendor and the dark reality of the Bolshevik Revolution. His observations focus primarily on the realities of life in Moscow and other cities he visited, and they also highlight the difficulties faced by the new regime.
Berson sought to understand the social and political mechanisms governing the USSR, drawing attention to the enormous contradictions between ideology and the reality of everyday life. It was a prophetic book in which the author foresaw, even then, the future consequences of the totalitarian system. Berson also presented a portrait of the Russian mentality and culture, which found themselves in conflict with Bolshevik ideology.
*Minus Moscow*became an important source of information about the USSR in Poland and throughout Europe. Although Berson’s book was full of criticism of the Soviet regime, it also expressed respect for Russian culture and an understanding of Bolshevik ideas (at least in the early stages of their implementation). The book is also an important historical document that helps us understand how a foreign observer perceived the USSR just before its full consolidation into a totalitarian system.
Jan Otomar Berson (1887–1972) was a Czech journalist, columnist, writer, and author of books on social and political topics. He was born in Prague, but his literary and journalistic work was also closely tied to Poland, where he worked for many years. In the 1920s, he contributed to numerous Polish magazines and newspapers, where he addressed topics related to politics, culture, and society.
Berson was particularly interested in Russia and the USSR, and his books on that country—such as*Minus Moscow*, *The Soviet Conquest*, and others—are examples of his sophisticated analysis and prophetic assessment of the situation in Russia. After the war, Berson settled in Switzerland, where he continued his work as a writer and journalist, becoming one of the most important political and social observers of the world at that time. His books are reportage-style and analytical, combining observations with personal reflections on political events.
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SOFTCOVER, DUST JACKET
Condition: Very Good / dust jacket significantly worn—see photo; stamp and inscription on the front endpaper; part of the endpaper uncut
