The Women of the Bund Fought to Free Their Loved Ones

Artist and writer Molly Crabapple looks to the history of Jewish radicals in early 20th century Poland to understand the legacy of women fighting for their families.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:12am

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In this article, Molly Crabapple explores the role of women in the Jewish Labor Bund, a revolutionary socialist party in early 20th century Poland. She draws parallels between the Bund's women who supported their incarcerated loved ones and the modern-day women who visit their family members in prisons like Rikers Island. Crabapple highlights how this often-overlooked 'work of life' is crucial to sustaining political movements, even if it goes unrecorded in official histories.

Why it matters

This story sheds light on the unsung contributions of women to radical political movements, both historically and in the present day. It challenges the traditional narratives that focus on high-profile male leaders and activists, instead emphasizing the vital role of women in providing care, solidarity, and logistical support to their imprisoned comrades. Understanding this legacy can inform how we view and value the often invisible labor that sustains social justice struggles.

The details

Crabapple's article centers on the story of Sophia Dubnova, a Bundist poet and revolutionary in interwar Poland. When Dubnova's husband, Bundist leader Henryk Erlich, was arrested by the Polish government, Dubnova organized other women to navigate the bureaucracy of the prison system and support their incarcerated loved ones. From her dining room table, Dubnova ran an office to assist the prisoners' wives, smuggling out notes from the inmates. Crabapple draws parallels between Dubnova's work and the modern-day women who visit their family members in prisons like Rikers Island, enduring 'mendacious bureaucracy and quotidian humiliation' to maintain connections with their jailed loved ones.

  • In 1919, Sophia Dubnova lined up to visit her husband Henryk Erlich at Warsaw's Mokatow Prison.
  • After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Dubnova and Erlich became political refugees in Poland, where Erlich was later arrested for his Bundist activism.

The players

Sophia Dubnova

A Bundist poet and revolutionary in interwar Poland, Dubnova organized other women to support their incarcerated loved ones, including her husband Henryk Erlich.

Henryk Erlich

A Bundist leader and lawyer in Poland, Erlich was arrested by the Polish government for his socialist activism.

Mariame Kaba

An activist and educator who notes that incarcerated people often rely on the support of women in their lives.

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What they’re saying

“'Ask any incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people who supported them through that experience and they will mostly likely name a woman in their life.'”

— Mariame Kaba, activist and educator

The takeaway

This story highlights the critical, yet often overlooked, role that women have played in sustaining radical political movements throughout history. By focusing on the 'work of life' - the logistical and emotional support provided by women to their incarcerated loved ones - Crabapple challenges the traditional narratives that center on high-profile male leaders. This legacy of women's activism can inform how we value and uplift the invisible labor that keeps social justice struggles alive, both in the past and the present day.