Maurice J. Casey, author of 'Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of Communism's Forgotten Radicals,' dives into the rich tapestry of 20th-century revolutionaries who found refuge in Moscow's Hotel Lux. He recounts the intertwined stories of three families bound by love and idealism. The podcast reveals the emotional lives of these individuals against the backdrop of radicalism, the unsung heroes of revolution who supported change, and lessons of solidarity from historical struggles that resonate in today's quest for justice.
37:27
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Research Origins
Casey's research on Irish women in communism led him to Joseph Freeman's memoir.
This memoir mentioned an Irish woman, "OB," working in Moscow, sparking Casey's seven-year research journey.
insights INSIGHT
Balancing Levity and Ideals
The Hotel Lux residents were revolutionaries who also found levity in their situations.
Casey felt a connection to their blend of humor and serious ideals.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Elise Sabarovsky's Story
Elise Sabarovsky, a Comintern revolutionary, resided in room 350.
Her letters revealed vulnerability and anxieties about Stalin's rise.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
An Intimate History of Communism's Forgotten Radicals
Maurice J Casey
Hotel Lux follows the lives of three revolutionary families—the O’Flahertys, Cohens, and Leonhards—whose paths converged in the Comintern’s Moscow living quarters, the Hotel Lux. Historian Maurice J. Casey delves into the connections and disconnections of these forgotten communist activists, including a brilliant Irish translator, a maverick author, the rebel daughters of an East London Jewish family, and a family of determined German anti-fascists. The book provides an intimate insight into the legacies of the Russian Revolution, from its early idealism to the brutal Stalinist purges, and culminates in a queer love story between the daughters of the Cohen and Leonhard families.
An American Testament
A Narrative of Rebels and Romantics
Joseph Freeman
In *An American Testament: A Narrative of Rebels and Romantics*, Joseph Freeman recounts his life journey from his immigration to the U.S. from Ukraine at the age of seven to his involvement with the American Left and his eventual break with communism. The book provides a valuable insight into the radical literary politics of his time and his experiences as a journalist, editor, and activist. It covers his education at Columbia College, his work in Europe, and his roles in various influential publications and political movements of the early 20th century.
History is often told through the epic struggles of famous personalities or grand movements. Yet sometimes the voices of ordinary people break through. In this episode, Maurice J Casey speaks to Danny Bird about his new book, Hotel Lux, which follows three connected families through the upheavals of the 20th century. Bound by idealism, friendship and love, their journey begins in 1920s Moscow, inside a hotel that was once a sanctuary for international revolutionaries drawn to the Soviet Union’s bold vision for a better world.
(Ad) Maurice J Casey is the author of Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of Communism's Forgotten Radicals (Footnote Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotel-Lux-Intimate-Communisms-Forgotten/dp/180444099X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
History Extra podcast 
