“Edible” revolutionaries: The Rudolf Slánský trial as a romance [Full text]

Abstract

'Revolution is like Saturn', observed Danton in Georg Büchner's play with the eponymous title, 'it devours its own children'. Of the many ironies this catchy quip triggers, article focuses on the historical: the reiteration of a saturnal paedophagy in time. And the show trial of Rudolf Slánský, General Secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, and thirteen co-defendants in 1952 that resulted in eleven death penalties provides ample material for such a study.