Julius Braunthal

1891 - 1972

Julius Braunthal (Vienna, Austria-Hungary, 5 May 1891 – Teddington, England, 24 April 1972) was an Austrian-born historian, magazine editor, and political activist. Braunthal is best remembered for having been Secretary General of the Socialist International and for his three-volume History of the Socialist International.

Braunthal was editor of the Arbeiter-Zeitung, the official organ of the Socialist Party of Austria (SPÖ) in 1924. From 1927 to 1934 he served as editor of the SPÖ newspaper, Das Kleine Blatt (The Little Paper). He was also founder and editor of the illustrated magazine Der Kuckuck (The Cuckoo) between 1929 and 1934.

Braunthal was named an assistant secretary of the Labour and Socialist International in 1938, remaining in that capacity until the outbreak of World War II. During the war, Braunthal, now residing in Britain, was the editor of International Socialist Forum, the journal of the Labour and Socialist International. He would serve in that role until 1948.

Afterwards, Braunthal was named as the Secretary of the International Socialist Conference, a transitional organization which preceded establishment of the new Socialist International. In 1951, when the Socialist International was refounded, Braunthal was named as first Secretary General of the organization. He would hold this post until 1956.

Works:

The History of the International. Volume I, 1864-1914 (1961)