Krupskaya, Lenin’s Widow, Defends Teacher Accused of Anti-semitism

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

An interesting polemic is now going on in Moscow between Madam N. Krupskaya, widow of Lenin. and the “Comsomolskaya Pravda,” Communist youth organ. The controversy concerns the case of a woman teacher whom the Moscow press accused of spreading anti-Semitism among the children in her school. Madame Krupskaya undertook the defense to prove that the teacher is not an anti-Semite.

The “Comsomolskaya Pravda,” in a lengthy article, cited a number of facts which occurred in the school under the direction of Madame Polotayeva. According to the paper, anti-Semitic propaganda was spread not only among the school children but also among their parents.

Madame Polotayeva is not the only anti-Semite in the school, she has surrounded herself with a staff of similarly minded teachers, the paper stated. “A very comical situation arose when the teachers of Madame. Polotayeva’s school assembled one day and complained to each other concerning the Jews.” the paper related. “Suddenly one of the staff. Miss Sonia Rubinstein rose to declare that she is one of the ‘Zhids.’ The teachers then offered their apologies.”

Madame Krupskaya published an article in the “Pravda”. Communist daily, in which she states that Madame Polotayeva is not responsible for the anti-Semitism prevailing among the children attending her school. The children come mainly from a vicinity where anti-Semitism is strong in the homes she stated.