Annie Gottfried Cohen

@annsplaining.bsky.social

1921 Followers 942 Following

Historian researching communism and anti-fascism in the 30s and 40s, Spanish Civil War and (l'havdil) professional Jewish women who spoke to the dead. www.pullingatthreads.com. Yiddish teacher and translator.

Screenshot of a typed French document that reads "il semble, d'autre part, que l'opinion publque anglaise, doujours longue à s'émouvoir, commence à se manifester"
A blue flyer showing an illustrated book cover with a picture of a boy selling newspapers on a new york street, and photographs of three presenters - two white women and one black man. The event description reads: THE IWO: FROM POPULAR FRONT TO COLD WAR a discussion with Dr. Elissa Sampson, Anthony Russell and Annie Cohen MAY 12, 7:00-8:00 PM ET on Zoom How did the International Workers Order navigate Jewish and leftist political communities and organize for justice before, during, and in the wake of the Second World War? Join us and learn why the IWO's history and legacy remain compelling for all of us who wish to build "a better and more beautiful world for everyone."
Screenshot of a newspaper showing the title "SUSAN, the Home Page dressmaker, gives some useful tips on MAKING your own KNICKERS". Image of a knickers template with dimensions
Excerpt from a book that reads: In my address I concentrated on the pogroms. I could readily discern in the audience the terribly depressing effect induced by those sanguinary events. Words of consolation are hard to come by in such circumstances; and that was n ot my task. I had merely wished to set the matter in its proper light. And I said: Blood is being shed, the situation is horrible, but one should keep in mind (I can literally recall the words that follow): " Blood constitutes that lubricant without which the carriage of history does not move ahead." Here was a thought, one would imagine, that was perfectly legitimate and plainly elementary, yet these words had the effect of stirring up a hornet's nest. The audience included some sort of Zionist (I don't know whether he was a fool o r a vicio us faker) who wrote a report in a Jewish newspaper about the meeting, and he p ut altogether different words into my mouth. According to his report, I allegedly stated that Jewish blood is the lubricant of the R ussian revolution. A brouhaha ensued. The Zionists seized upon those fictitious words and tormented me with them for years. Several weeks after the speech-as soon as I arrived in Russia-! published a denial in Der Fraynd. I declared that what the correspondent had written about me was a lie; and I cited my actual words. Alas, to no avail. Those nice · folks simply ignored my response; it suited them better to sustain the furor. And year after year the words would be thrown up to mewords which I had never uttered. It became simply habit. A real tradition was established in the Zionist press: whenever my name was mentioned, the following addendum would be tacked on: "This is the same individual who said that Jewish blood is a lubricant for the Russian revolution." To this very day, sixteen years later, the identical statement continues meandering through Zionist byways. When faced with liars, one truly remains powerless.
Screenshot of typed text reading "After discussion with C.C. comrades it was decided that the occupation of the land should continue in an organised way, the only way of compelling the Institute of Agrarian Reform to hasten its steps but to occupy only the land of the ex-nobility, of important reactionary landowners, of the church, ex communal lands etc. The same thing is being done with appropriating stores of wheat ...."
Excerpt describing the activities of the Non-interevention committee. Highlighted section reads: "Baron Eric Palmstierna, the Swedish delegate, would sometimes fall into a species of trance, for he was busy composing a book, The Horizons of Immortality, in which he recorded his conversation with ‘the messengers from the other world’, and whenever these spirits spoke to him he had to concentrate on what they said in order to write it down later."
Screenshot showing a section of the front page of the Daily Herald, December 18 1933, with an article describing a protest at the German Embassy in London. Headline reads "Police baton charges at Embassy" and the subheading "women fight with sticks: many hurt"
A black cat shaped like a big bread loaf sitting on a desk looking out the window
A white and brown cat in front of a laptop. On the screen is a white person talking next to a document they are sharing. Text reads : Yiddish for beginners II, Wednesdays at 1.30pm EST / 6.30pm GMT
A woman with long brown hair in a ponytail wearing a blue jumper holds up a blue book with a picture showing a 1930s newspaper stand. The title reads "From Popular Front to Cold War"
A black cat sitting on a desk looking coy with his paws folded
Grey background with a black and white photo showing an anti fascist protest and a clip from a cartoon of a person with a dog running through their legs text reads: Chaver Paver's Labzik stories of a militant puppy. A class of intermediate Yiddish speakers. Online with the Workers Circle starting 19 February, Thursdays at 1.30-3pm EST, 6.30-8PM GMT
A person in a yellow beanie carrying a backpack walking on a path through a forest of tall thin trees
Screenshot of a tweet from the US Holocaust museum stating "Anne Frank was targeted and murdered solely because she was Jewish. leaders making false equivalencies to her experience for political purposes is never acceptable. Despite tensions in Minneapolis, exploiting the Holocaust is deeply offensive, especially as antisemitism surges
the front facade of a magestic cathedral, two tall bell towers and arched entrances, lit up at dusk
a page of a book, highlighted phrase "But nationalists, and especially Zionists harbored profound ambivalence about the disabled Jewish body and psyche"
A cloudy night sky with a bright pink haze peeking through the clouds
An online flyer that reads: Jewish and Yiddish Reactions to the Destruction of Gaza: a Panel
grassy hills underneath a blue/pink sky
White woman with long brown hair wearing an orange coat, blue scarf, black respirator mask and big blue headphones, entrance to Edinburgh castle in the background
A black cat looking down from a mezzanine bed, his paw touching a human hand
screenshot of a question in an online form 'do you come from ABROAD'
Screenshot from the website of French homeware store Leroy Merlin reading "-10% sur les caméras de surveillance avec le code LOUVRE" [10 percent reduction on surveillance cameras with the code LOUVRE]
Screenshot reading "Type of document: Accusation, Information Material, Leafing, Appeal, Circular"
a small white house with blue shutters and a slanted roof
snapshot of a letter reading "the finest place we have struck yet is Montreuil, very pale with plain houses jammed toegher round an enormous empty square. On top of a steep hill."
Screenshot of a title page "We'll stay here 'til the fascist tomb is made" - the IWO and the International Brigades, Annabel Gottfried Cohen
What appears to be a small natural habitat made of giant mushrooms on top of fried potatoes and other green stuff on a tortilla
a black cat lying on a shelf looking exhausted
a black cat in a small polystyrene white boat next to a few plant pots
A gate leading into a small park flower beds and bushes, an old municipal building in the background. Near the center is a pink cherry blossom which is dropping blossom on the ground
screenshot of a webpage reading 'J'ajoute les personnes de mon entourage' [I add the persons of my entourage]
Trees and fields reflected in the canal in low evening light
A white woman with brown hair in a patterned sweater holding a black cat who looks very squished and uncomfortable
A picture of pippin from lord of the rings holding a glowing firey ring and screaming, caption reads "Pippin accidentally getting added to the Sauron-Saruman-Denethor group chat"
A black cat with very wide open round eyes lying in a white tote bag
Screenshot of email from "Weenect": "mise à jour en cours: Shofar est indisponible pour quelques minutes" [update in progress: Shofar is unavailable for several minutes]
Black and white postcard showing the Soviet building at the Paris International Exposition 1937. Huge Brutalist structure with a communist flag in front, on the roof is a statue of a man and woman holding a hammer and sickle in joined hands
Screenshot of a typescript text "It may be of interest to record that I have recently received information tot he effect that on Tuesday the 5th. Inst, at about 9pm, an alien (male) and a woman called at 32 Wharton Street, WC. The alien's description is -6', age about37, well built, sallow complexion, wearing green Homburg had and grey cloth overcoat, and was carrying a camera. The woman's description is age about 40, 5'4", round figure, fair bobbed hair, fresh complexion, aquiline nose (not Jewish), wearing brown coat, stickingless but wearing short socks rolled down.
Screenshot of a typescript document that reads "16. SCUDDER. A Seamen who has travelled all over the world and got drunk every place -hardly ever sober - decided not to shave the time he landed and looks like a blonde hairy ape - participated in many seamen strikes and was active in union - he uses swear words for his adjectives - "I told that cocksucking cocksucker you know fucken well that you can't fuck me on this fucken ship ..."
A black car passed out on a book shelf
Screenshot of text: A wife at keyver-oves – collected in Laskarev by Isroel Briv She lay down on the grave of her deceased husband and began: Dear husband Moyshe-Nokhem. My sweet Moyshe-Nokhem, oh it’s been so long, and I haven’t been able to forget you. Your “thing” filled my every limb with pleasure. Dear Moyshe-Nokhem, see that you advocate for me and for my new husband, that things won’t be bad for us. Even in such [physical] matters, things are not bad for us. He has the same nature as you had … but I shouldn’t say sinful things. He also likes the things you used to like, Moyshe-Nokhem (quietly) Sweet Moyshe-Nokhem, do you remember how you used to press me so tightly that you almost squeezed my insides out of my belly? Be well, Moyshe-Nokhem, good day, Moyshe-Nokhem. Make efforts for me, Moyshe Nokhem.
Screenshot of phone showing an email notification from audible.co.uk, subject “Adolf Hitler is waiting for you”
A black cat sitting inside a red fabric storage box
Headline reads "Bad Luck Pursues Great Dog"
A black cat looks up between a pair of human legs standing on a mat
A man with long hair wearing a grey tshirt cuddles a small black cat, looking at each other lovingly
The first pages of the book turning, colorful pictures of the Yiddish alphabet and then a picture of Lenin being celebrated by the various peoples of the world
A black cat hiding in a brown paper bag
A screenshot of a French report discussing the potential for Communist revolution. The grammar has been corrected by hand to make it subjunctive rather than present tense.
Countryside at dusk, naked tree branches in foreground, green and orange fields in background.
Screenshot from a typescript police file containing the above quoted text
Newspaper clipping "A Communist Island". The Government of Chili is this week embarking on an experiment which may be of great value to the rest of the world, and may prove a step forward in humanitarian practice. Chili is, in effect, giving to the world an object lesson as to how to be kind to Communists. At the present time all democratic nations are irritated to a greater or lesser extent by the activities of Communists, ,and in many countries it must be admited, this natural irritation has manifested itself in repressive measures. Communists have been fined, imprisoned, deported, and generally harried whenever they have come into collision with the established order – as a good Communist is bound to do sooner or later.
screenshot of a typewritten document that reads "...following people: Viscount HASTINGS, W. DOBBIE, M.P., Seymour COCKS, M.P, and Isabel BROWN. The delegation crossed to..."