International Red Aid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
International Red Aid

Logo of the International Organisation for Assistance to Fighters for Revolution (MOPR), the Soviet section of the International Red Aid
MOPR poster from 1932
Founded	1922
Founder	Communist International
Dissolved	1941 (Soviet affiliate – 1947)
Focus	"Assistance in the creation of organizations to render material and moral aid to all captives of capitalism in prison."
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Julian Marchlewski Clara Zetkin Elena Stasova

The International Red Aid (also known as MOPR) was a global organization. It was created in 1922 by the Communist International. Think of it like an "international political Red Cross".

MOPR's main goal was to help people who were in prison because of their political beliefs. These people were often called "class-war prisoners." MOPR offered them both money and support around the world.

What Was the International Red Aid?

How MOPR Started

The International Red Aid, or MOPR, began in 1922. This happened after a big meeting called the 4th World Congress of the Comintern. They decided that all communist parties should help create groups. These groups would give money and support to people jailed for their political views.

Julian Marchlewski-Karski was chosen to lead the main committee of MOPR. This committee was the group's main decision-making body. In 1924, its name changed to the Executive Committee.

The first big meeting of MOPR's leaders was in June 1923 in Moscow. There, they decided that MOPR should set up branches in many countries. They especially wanted to help in places where revolutionary movements were being stopped.

How MOPR Grew

The first international meeting for MOPR took place in July 1924. This happened at the same time as another big meeting, the 5th World Congress of the Comintern.

By January 1, 1928, MOPR had grown a lot. It had about 8.9 million members in 44 different countries. This information came from Elena Stasova. She was in charge of the Russian part of MOPR.

By January 1, 1931, MOPR had even more reach. It had 58 national groups and over 8.3 million members. At that time, the organization also published 56 newspapers and magazines. These were printed in 19 different languages.

Stasova explained that MOPR worked in two ways. Some countries, like the USSR, Germany, and the USA, had "mass organizations." These groups had many members. Other countries had "committee type" groups. These groups mainly helped prisoners and their families. They did not try to get many members.

Stasova also pointed out a difference between MOPR and another group. This other group was called Workers International Relief. She said, "We help political prisoners, and the Workers International Relief helps during economic strikes."

The first big global meeting of MOPR was in November 1932. At this meeting, they announced their growth. Outside the USSR, MOPR had 67 national groups. These groups had over 1.2 million members.

When MOPR Ended

Elena Stasova led MOPR until 1937. After that, the organization became less focused on international work. The main international group was officially ended in 1941. However, its Soviet branch continued until 1947.

MOPR in Different Countries

By 1924, MOPR had groups in 19 countries. By 1932, it claimed 62 groups outside the Soviet Union. These groups had over 1.2 million members in total.

MOPR in Spain

The International Red Aid first appeared in Spain in October 1934. This was during a workers' protest in Asturias. MOPR helped people who were jailed for their part in the protest. They also worked to free prisoners who were going to be executed.

The organization included many artists and writers. It was later restarted and grew in Barcelona in January 1936. Its goal was to fight against fascism in many ways.

MOPR Activities During the Spanish Civil War

SRI poster in Catalan language. Text reads 'Anti-Fascists: Think of those who struggle!'

During the Spanish Civil War, writer Joaquín Arderíus was MOPR's president. He later moved to France and then Mexico. MOPR set up places to eat and refugee camps. These were in areas controlled by the Republicans. They also provided libraries for Republican soldiers.

Many of their programs focused on helping children. For example, MOPR started a school in Madrid. It was called the Escuela Nacional para Niños Anormales. This school had 150 students. They also created a Children's Park outside Madrid. It gave shelter to another 150 children.

Other things MOPR did included:

• Building ways to transport people between hospitals and the war front.
• Changing buildings like convents and churches into hospitals. They also made clinics, blood banks, orphanages, and schools.

MOPR also helped with medical care. They set up 275 hospitals and ambulance services. They created an Orthodontics Clinic and College. They also ran dental hygiene campaigns. Dentists were sent to the front lines to help soldiers.

A smaller Marxist group in Spain, the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM), had its own similar group. It was called Socorro Rojo del P.O.U.M..

MOPR Military Activities

The Fifth Regiment was a military group started by the Communist Party of Spain. It began at the start of the Civil War. Many MOPR members joined this regiment. Leaders like Juan Modesto and Enrique Líster were part of it. The Fifth Regiment fought mainly around Madrid in 1936.

MOPR also helped communist supporters in Nationalist Spain. They helped them get to safer areas.

The symbol of MOPR was an "S" (for Socorro, meaning aid) behind prison bars.

MOPR in the Netherlands

The Dutch part of International Red Aid held its first meeting in 1926. In the same year, they started publishing a newspaper called Rode Hulp.

MOPR in Finland

The Red Aid of Finland was active in the 1930s. It was led by the Communist Party of Finland. This group helped revolutionary prisoners in Finnish jails. Women connected to Red Aid made crafts and held sales. This helped them raise money for the organization. They also tried to get people to speak out against bad treatment of prisoners. The Red Aid of Finland published a newspaper called Vankien Toveri.

MOPR in Latin America

In the late 1920s, Farabundo Martí became a leader for International Red Aid in Latin America. Julio Antonio Mella, a Cuban communist leader, was also important. He was living in Mexico since 1926 and was a key figure in the Mexican MOPR group.

MOPR in the Soviet Union

The largest part of MOPR was its Soviet branch. This branch had most of the organization's members worldwide. MOPR in the Soviet Union organized many lotteries and fundraising events.

MOPR in Korea

Yi Donghwi was a well-known MOPR organizer in Korea.

MOPR in Madagascar

A MOPR branch was started in Madagascar in 1933.

Important Leaders of MOPR

• Julian Marchlewski (1922–1925)
• Clara Zetkin (1925–1927)
• Elena Stasova (1927–1937)

MOPR Meetings

See also

In Spanish: Socorro Rojo Internacional para niños

• Anarchist Black Cross
• International Association of Democratic Lawyers
• International Labor Defense
• Partisan Defense Committee
• Rote Hilfe e.V.
• Workers International Relief (also known as Mezhrabpom), started by the Comintern in 1921 to send international help to Soviet Russia during a famine.