Background
ABRAMOVICH, Rafail was born on July 21, 1880 in Dvinsk.
ABRAMOVICH, Rafail was born on July 21, 1880 in Dvinsk.
Studied at Riga Polytech Institute and in Liege (Belgium).
While still a student took part in the student, then labor political movement, soon becoming a prominent figure in the General Jewish Workers' League in Russia and Poland (Bund). 1902, after suppression of Riga Bund organisation, left Riga for Liege to complete tech educational. 1903 attended 5th Congress of Bund.
1904 returned to Russia and engaged in underground work as representative, Central Committee, Bund. 1905 co-opted member, Central Committee, Bund. Member of Bund deleg at 4th (Amalgamative) Congress of Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party.
From 1906 member, Central Committee, Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (Mensheviks). Foreign next few years worked with Central Committee, Bund, editing legal and illegal publication 1911 arrested and exiled to Vologda Province, whence he fled abroad.
1912-1914, in Vienna, on ed staff of legal Bund organs: Leben Frage (Warsaw), Zeit, Unser Zeit, etc (Saint St. Petersburg). During World War 1 sided with defensists. Spring 1917 returned to Russia and became member, Central Committee, Bund, and Central Committee, Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (Mensheviks).
1917-1918 active in party and soc organizations (including AllRussian Union of Railroad Workers) trying to form broad socialist coalition government. Arrested in July 1918 at All-Russian Conference of Factory and Works Delegation and spent six months in prison. 1920, at 12th Conference of Bund, vigorously opposed Bundist faction advocating merger with the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and led the rightist wing out of the Bund, later forming the Social-Democratic Bund.
Late 1920, as member of a for dcleg of Mensheviks and the Social-Democratic Bund, he remained abroad and from 1 February 1921, together with Martov, began to publish Sotsialisticlieskiy vestnik, editing this journal until his death. In 1923 took part in Congress of the Workers’ International. Foreign almost 20 years he was a member of the Executive Committee and exec Bureau of this organisation.
10 April 1937 his only son, Mark, was kidnapped in Barcelona.