Marxists’ Internet Archive

David Korner (Barta)

1914-1976

Trotskyist militant, born in Romania, he participated in the creation of one of the first Trotskyist groups in his country.

Living in France from 1936, he was active in the Parti Ouvrier Internationaliste (POI), the official section of the Fourth International in France, then until 1939 in the trotskyist group in the Parti Ouvrier Socialiste et Paysan (PSOP). The PSOP was created the year before by the "Gauche Révolutionnaire" (Revolutionary Left) tendency of Marceau Pivert, following its expulsion from the Socialist Party (SFIO).

After the collapse of PSOP at the beginning of the war, Barta founded on strictly internationalists positions the "Groupe Communiste (IVème Internationale), later renamed "Union Communiste (Trotskyste)".

By april 1947, this group led an important strike in Renault, which resulted in the expulsion of the Communist Party from the government, when il failed to control it.

The Communist Union disappeared at the end of 1949 after having suffered a split and Barta stops its political activities in 1951.

The "Voix Ouvrière" group, (renamed "Lutte Ouvrière" in 1968), claims since its creation (1956) to stand in the continuity of the UC(T), although, in spite of several attempts, no durable relationships with Barta were reestablished.