"Across borders stretches the worker's hand. And class at last destroys the fatherland": Klara Blum/Zhu Bailan's Search for Equality

Abstract: Klara Blum (1904–71) is one of numerous marginalized Jewish authors whose life and writing have significantly expanded our understanding of labor activism and women's rights. In order to gain insight into Blum's personal journey, this article draws upon a variety of sources, including newspaper articles, novellas, and poetry. It traces her experiences from her hometown of Czernowitz through Vienna, Moscow, and China and considers how her understanding of labor activism within the context of Zionism, socialism, communism, and feminism evolved. I argue that Blum did not simply replace one idea with another; she incorporated socialism into her Zionism and added communism to her socialism, while feminism served as her foundation and guiding principle. Her anticipation of present-day concepts and theories from decolonial studies and intersectionality not only positions her as an early precursor to these fields but also underscores the imperative for further critical engagement with her texts.