United Jewish Socialist Workers’ Party (Fareinigte; UJSWP).
In Latvia, this organisation was active during 1919–1920. Its bureau was located in mid-September 1919 at 20a Elizabetes Street. Press reports mention the re-registration of party members (particularly in the Riga branch) and general meetings, including those related to elections.
The organisation was anti-Zionist. This is reflected, for example, in the subject of one of its lectures, “Zionism and Socialism,” delivered on behalf of the organisation at the Small Guild by M. Shatz-Anin, who in the 1920s–1930s was one of the leading critics of Zionism in Latvia.
The party was often identified with the Jewish Communist Party (JCP). The Jewish Section (Evsektsiya) several times dealt with questions regarding its stance towards the JCP. The Central Bureau (CB) of the Evsektsiya was, for instance, concerned by a proposal from Poale Zion to the JCP regarding the coordination of activities. In this context, the bureau decided:
“Do not exacerbate relations with the JCP too strongly, so as not to give the Centre and the right wing the opportunity to cultivate chauvinistic feelings among the masses by playing on party ambitions. Maintain <…> ties with the left wing, direct them where possible to activities within the JCP, even involving them in our work under favourable conditions, <…> and generally support the strengthening of this wing <…> but not at the expense of the non-party masses.”
In the same document, the CB decided to “inform the Central Committee of the forthcoming approach from the JCP and suggest sending it to known representatives of the Evsektsiya,” because “relations with Jewish factions <…> are to be handled by the Evsektsiya and <…> the Central Committee is hardly in a position to understand <…> the situation in the JCP.”
M. U. Shatz-Anin repeatedly attempted to unite the UJSWP (Fareinigte – United) and Poale Zion. For instance, in October 1919 he gave a lecture at the Carmel Society entitled “Is the Unification of Jewish Socialist Parties Possible?” In December (or January), he organised a discussion on the topic, delivering an opening address.
Paradoxically, despite Shatz-Anin’s strong anti-Zionist stance, a unification—at least of some Poale Zionists and JCP members—occurred through the creation of Arbeterheim. Those who did not agree with the ideology of Arbeterheim most likely joined the left-wing Zionists of Latvia.
After March 1920, the press contains no further references to the UJSWP in Latvia. After 1922, the organisation is not mentioned in archival materials of the Latvian Communist Party. It is most probable that the left-wing elements of Fareinigte, Poale Zion, the Borokhov Club, and Carmel merged into Arbeterheim.