# Alexander Berkman — The Bolshevik Myth character guide

> Alexander Berkman in The Bolshevik Myth by Alexander Berkman.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Berkman, Comrade Berkman

**First appearance:** 0004-iii-in-petrograd

## Who they are

An anarchist veteran of the American movement, Berkman returns to revolutionary Russia only to watch the Bolsheviks strangle the revolution he came to serve.

## Relationships

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_friendship_

Alexander Berkman is a fellow anarchist and close ally of the narrator, sharing ideological camaraderie.

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_friendship_

Alexander Berkman is a fellow anarchist and close ally of the narrator, sharing ideological camaraderie.

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_friendship_

Alexander Berkman is a fellow anarchist and close ally of the narrator, sharing ideological camaraderie.

## In the story

### [The Bolshevik Myth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/the-bolshevik-myth)

Berkman is noted as a comrade and co-witness to the betrayal of revolutionary principles.

### [II: On Soviet Soil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/ii-on-soviet-soil)

The narrator, deeply moved by the reception, speaks at the meeting to promote unity after Bianki's divisive remarks.

### [IV: Moscow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/iv-moscow)

The narrator, who travels to Moscow as an interpreter for Lansbury and Barry.

### [VII: The Market](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/vii-the-market)

Addressed as 'Berkman' during the evening discussion; the narrator is implied to be Berkman.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/i)

Chairman of the Reception Committee for American deportees; narrates the journey and engages in ideological debates with Cheka officials.

### [XVII: The First of May](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xvii-the-first-of-may)

Berkman is hailed by Zinoviev and joins him in the parade; he interprets for an American correspondent.

### [The Spirit of Fanaticism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xix-the-spirit-of-fanaticism)

The narrator and protagonist, an anarchist who joins the committee to help the Butirki hunger strikers and later refuses to translate Lenin's pamphlet.

### [XXXV: Returning to Petrograd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xxxv-returning-to-petrograd)

Mentioned as a friend arrested in Kharkov along with Volin and Baron.

### [Kronstadt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xxxviii-kronstadt)

Berkman co-signs an arbitration proposal to Zinoviev urging a peaceful commission to settle the Kronstadt dispute.

### [XL: The Lessons of the “Bolshevik Myth”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xl-the-lessons-of-the-bolshevik-myth)

Implied as a close comrade; the narrator mentions 'my friends' and 'nearest comrades' alienated by their partiality toward the Bolsheviks.

### [I: My Personal Attitude and Reactions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/i-my-personal-attitude-and-reactions)

Implied as the narrator, given the autobiographical context of the chapter.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/endnotes)

Referenced in endnote regarding his 'Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist'.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/characters/alexander_berkman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/characters