Henk Sneevliet - A Life in Documents
- 1907-1912: Social Democracy
- 1913-1917: Indonesia
- 1917-1918: Article Zegepraal on the Russian revolution
- 1920-1921: Eastern orientation of the Comintern
- 1921-1923: Representative for the Comintern in China
- 1924-1940: Return to The Netherlands
- 1940-1942: Resistance
- Personal life
- Sneevliet Commemoration Committee
1924-1940: Return to The Netherlands
After his return to the Netherlands by the middle of 1924, Sneevliet became chairman of the syndicalist trade union Nationaal Arbeids Secretariaat [National Labour Secretariat, NAS] from 1924 to 1940. In 1927 he broke with the Communist Party of Holland. He founded the Revolutionair Socialistische Partij [Revolutionary Socialist Party, RSP] in 1929 and was its chairman until 1935. After a merger the party changed its name to Revolutionair Socialistische Arbeiders Partij [RSAP, Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party] and Sneevliet became first secretary and later chairman until 1940. He was a member of Dutch parliament from 1933 to 1937. For his radical support of the Dutch and Indonesian seamen mutineers on the Dutch cruiser De Zeven Provinciën in 1933, Sneevliet was sentenced to five months imprisonment. During his imprisonment he was elected a member of Dutch parliament for the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
"Die Krise in der Holländische Kommunistische Partei" [The crisis in the Communist Party of Holland], report by Henk Sneevliet to the Executive of the Comintern (EKKI) on behalf of the opposition in the Communistische Partij Holland [CPH, Communist Party of Holland], 3-3-1924. (German text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 352 (pdf, 6.2Mb)
Letter from the Dutch socialist Sebaldus J. Rutgers to Maring, Tomsk 28-3-1924, concerning Rutgers' commercial activities and national and international political relations and the position of Russia. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 363 (pdf, 1.5Mb)
Cartoon with Henk Sneevliet as the leading character. (Russian text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 356 (pdf, 524Kb)
Letter from Henk Sneevliet's friend, the Indian communist M.N. Roy to Jack Horner, pseudonym of Henk Sneevliet, Berlin 14-4-1924, concerning the establishment of a Labour Bureau in Europe. Handwritten. (English text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 362 (pdf, 826Kb)
Letter from M.N. Roy to Henk Sneevliet, 12 June 1926, about left political activities on Java, the Netherlands Indies. (English text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 362 (pdf, 2.3Mb)
Letter from Henk Sneevliet to M.N. Roy, 10 July 1926, about left political opportunities in the Netherlands Indies; reply letter of 12 June 1926. (English text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 362 (pdf, 1.7Mb)
Letter from the Dutch poetess and socialist Henriette Roland Holst to Henk Sneevliet, 21 September 1926, about letters from Boris Souvarine and his reports on Soviet-Russia. Souvarine (until 1924 spokesman for the French Communist Party and its representative in the Executive Committee of the Comintern) warned about the danger of bureaucratization of the Russian communist party and denounced the treatment of the Russian opposition. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 7 (pdf, 1.7Mb)
Copy of a reply letter from Henk Sneevliet to Henriette Roland Holst, Amsterdam 30 September 1926. In this letter Sneevliet asked Roland Holst to come to a meeting to discuss the articles and letters of Boris Souvarine on the opposition in the Russian Party. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 17 (pdf, 1.5Mb)
In 1933 Henk Sneevliet was sentenced to five months imprisonment for his militant support for the mutineers on the Dutch cruiser De Zeven Provinciën in the Strait of Malacca. De Arbeid, organ of the Nationaal Arbeidssecretariaat [NAS, National Labour Secretariat], 25 February 1933; Sneevliet was editor of De Arbeid and chairman of the NAS. Articles and cartoon on the arrest of Sneevliet. Front page. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 395 (pdf, 2.8Mb)
De Arbeid, organ of the Nationaal Arbeids-Secretariaat [NAS, National Labour Secretariat], 8 March 1933. Front page De Arbeid on the detention of Henk Sneevliet, with a photo of the arrested Sneevliet. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 395 (pdf, 2.9Mb)
Brief report of Henk Sneevliet's defense at a session of the court on 1 April 1933 regarding his detention for agitation. Handwriting Sneevliet and typed copy. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 394 (pdf, 930Kb)
Pamphlet and notes regarding a lecture delivered by Henk Sneevliet about the political trials in Moscow, 1935. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 416 (pdf, 521Kb)
Passport in the name of Henk Sneevliet, issued on behalf of the Comité Local de Milicies Antifeixistes, Port Bou, Spain, 1936. (Catalan text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 410 (pdf, 469Kb)
Laissez passer [passport] in the name of Henk Sneevliet, issued on behalf of the Partido Obrero d'Unificació Marxista POUM), Barcelona, 1936. Sneevliet supported the struggle against the dictator Franco during the Spanish Civil War. (Catalan text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 411 (pdf, 382Kb)
Report of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Nationaal Arbeids-Secretariaat [NAS, National Labour Secretariat], held on 12 April 1939. Henk Sneevliet participated in the meeting as chairman of the NAS. (Dutch text)
Henk Sneevliet Papers, inv.no. 778 (pdf, 1.8Mb)
Group portrait: Congress of the International Red Help, section Holland, 11 April 1926. Henk Sneevliet and Henriette Roland Holst are standing at the back, fourth and fifth from the left.
Call number BG A20/871 (pdf, 421Kb)
Henk Sneevliet and daughters Sima and Bep during a holiday in Beekbergen, Domela Nieuwenhuisoord, The Netherlands, 1932.
Call number BG A13/72 (pdf, 346Kb)
Election poster RSP, Dutch Revolutionary Socialist Party, 1933.
Call number BG D30/450 (pdf, 1Mb)
Picture postcard: Actions for the release of Henk Sneevliet, The reaction go to hell, release Sneevliet from his cell, 1933.
Call number BG A48/168 (pdf, 404Kb)
Vote Sneevliet out of his cell, Dutch Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) campaign for the parliamentary elections, 1933 in Rotterdam. Sneevliet was put in prison for five months for his solidarity actions for seamen in Indonesia (the mutiny on the cruiser De Zeven Provinciën).
Call number BG A20/635 (pdf, 385Kb)
RSP propaganda poster for the general elections, 1933. Portrait of Henk Sneevliet and De Zeven Provinciën.
Call number BG E1/587 (pdf, 4Mb)
Board RSAP, Revolutionary Socialist Labour Party, 1935. Fifth from the right: Henk Sneevliet.
Call number BG B11/447 (pdf, 438Kb)