Liebknecht, Jaures & Bebel Postcard

This postcard shows Wilhelm Liebknecht, Jean Jaurès and August Bebel. The three were prominent socialist politicians and leaders in late 19th–early 20th century Europe.

 

August Bebel (Germany) and Wilhelm Liebknecht (Germany) co-founded the Social Democratic Workers’ Party (later the SPD) and were central figures in building the German socialist movement. Jean Jaurès (France) led the French Socialist Party and was a major advocate for workers’ rights and international peace. 

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What is their connection to Armenia?

• August Bebel Bebel spoke in the Reichstag condemning the Hamidian massacres (1894–1896) and criticizing Germany’s support for the Ottoman regime.

• Jean Jaures was very vocal in the French Chamber of Deputies about the massacres in Armenia. In the 1890s and early 1900s, Jaurès criticized the French government for inaction and called for international intervention to protect Armenians. He framed the Armenian cause as a test of European moral responsibility, linking it to his anti-imperialist and pro-human rights positions.