Rosa Luxemburg: No to Borders

Ages 10 to 14, Grades 5 to 9

A fictionalized biography of the great Polish-German revolutionary and anti-war activist. The only book about Luxemburg for readers 12+.

Rosa Luxemburg was a Polish-born German revolutionary emboldened by the necessity of acting against imperialism, colonialism, and militarism. When she was jailed in 1914 for her anti-war speeches, she continued to speak against World War I by writing pamphlets published under a pseudonym. And after her release from prison she continued campaigning for her political causes, co-founding the Communist Party of Germany. Luxemburg was assassinated by the German Freikorps (paramilitary unit), who were sent by the German Chancellor to destroy the left-wing revolt. On the night before her death, she wrote about her belief in the masses and the “inevitability of a triumphant revolution.”  After her death, Lenin praised her, calling her “an eagle of the working class,” and her writings and commitment to democracy and internationalism live on.

In this fictionalized biography of the great activist and revolutionary, we see her actions and ideas through the eyes of her faithful companion, Mimi, an alley cat who has a front row view of this astonishing thinker and mover who railed against building walls between countries and people.

Series Overview: THEY SAID NO SERIES. There have always been people who said NO to what they considered unjust and unfair. They Said No is an historical fiction series for younger readers of protestors, activists, poets, revolutionaries and other brave changemakers from around the world that emphasizes the importance of standing up for what you know is right.

About the Author

ANNE BLANCHARD is the author of L'encyclopédie des rebelles, insoumis et autres révolutionnaires (Encyclopedia of Rebels and Other Revolutionaries) in which she tells the life of great figures who wanted to change the world, and of L'encyclopédie des héros, icônes et autres demi-dieux (The Encyclopedia of Heroes, Icons and Other Demigods) (Gallimard-jeunesse). But she has a special tenderness for Rosa Luxemburg, a woman who put her whole life at the service of a cause she thought was just. With Rosa Luxemburg she pays homage to what she admires the most: the total commitment of an entire existence, whatever the personal cost.

ROSIE EYRE is a literary translator from French and Spanish based in northwest England. Educated at the University of Cambridge and at the University of Manchester, her previous translations include  Caring in Times of Covid-19 (2020) by Spanish photojournalist Juan Zarza, 100 First Words for Toddlers (Rockwell Press, 2021), and the dystopian novel Survivor by Julie Guinand (Strangers Press, 2022).

Author Residence: France