Child of the Revolution

Child of the Revolution is Wolfgang Leonhard's firsthand account of his youth in the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s. The memoir traces his experiences from age 13 when he arrived in Moscow with his Communist mother, through his time in a children's home and later education at the Comintern school. The narrative provides an inside view of daily life under Stalin's rule, detailing the routines, relationships and political education of young people being groomed as future Communist leaders. Leonhard recounts his observations of major historical events including the Great Terror, World War II, and the early Cold War period. Through specific memories and encounters, Leonhard documents his gradual transformation from an idealistic young Communist to someone who begins to question the system. His position as both an insider and outsider - a German Communist in the USSR - offers a distinctive perspective on this pivotal era. The memoir stands as both a personal coming-of-age story and a broader examination of how totalitarian systems shape the minds of young people. Through Leonhard's experiences, readers gain insight into the human impact of political indoctrination and the complex relationship between belief and reality in revolutionary movements.

Readers highlight this memoir's personal perspective on growing up in the Soviet Union and East Germany during a transformative period. Amazon reviewers note Leonhard's detailed accounts of daily life and political indoctrination in communist youth programs. Readers appreciate: - First-hand descriptions of the Stalin era from a youth perspective - Clear, straightforward writing style - Personal insights into communist party training methods - Balance between historical events and personal experiences Common criticisms: - Some sections move slowly with excessive detail - Translation feels stiff in certain passages - Limited coverage of author's later life Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (31 ratings) Multiple readers on Goodreads mention the book helped them understand how young people were shaped by communist ideology. One Amazon reviewer wrote: "Leonhard shows how an idealistic teenager gradually recognized the contradictions between communist theory and practice."

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🔹 Wolfgang Leonhard lived in Moscow's famous Hotel Lux during his teenage years, alongside many high-ranking Communist officials and future leaders of Eastern European socialist states. 🔹 The author was one of the first prominent defectors from East Germany, escaping in 1949 after becoming disillusioned with Stalinism and the emerging East German regime. 🔹 As a child in the Soviet Union, Leonhard attended the Karl Liebknecht School, a special institution for children of foreign Communists, where he was educated alongside future Communist leaders. 🔹 His mother, Susanne Leonhard, spent 12 years in Soviet labor camps, yet Wolfgang remained committed to Communist ideals until witnessing the Stalinization of East Germany firsthand. 🔹 The book provides rare firsthand insights into the "Group Ulbricht," the team of German Communists who were sent from Moscow to Berlin in 1945 to establish Communist control over East Germany.