Hirasawa Keishichi - Hirasawa Keishichi

He was a labor activist and writer in the Taisho period. He was born on July 14, 1889 in Niigata Prefecture, and began working as an artisan after graduating from high elementary school. In 1914 (Taisho 3), he joined the Yuaikai Association, became involved in the labor movement, and led many labor disputes. After leaving the association in 1920, he formed a pure labor union and further devoted himself to the movement. During this time, he published many novels and plays with labor as the subject, making a major contribution to the establishment of labor literature. In particular, in 1921, he organized a theater company and attempted to perform labor plays that he had written himself. On September 3, 1923 (Taisho 12), in the midst of the chaos following the Great Kanto earthquake, he was arrested by Kameido Police Station, and on the 4th he was massacred by the military along with nine others, including Kawai Yoshitora (Kameido Incident).

[Ryuichi Narita]

"Hideo Odagiri, editor, Hirasawa Keishichishu (1955, Aoki Shoten)" ▽ "Katsuhira Matsumoto, "History of Japanese Socialist Theatre" (1975, Chikuma Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大正時代の労働運動家、作家。明治22年7月14日新潟県に生まれ、高等小学校卒業とともに職工生活に入った。1914年（大正3）友愛会に入会、労働運動に携わり多くの労働争議を指導した。20年同会を脱会してのちは純労働者組合を結成してさらに運動に励んだ。この間、労働者に題材をとった小説、戯曲を多数発表、労働者文学樹立に大きく貢献した。とくに21年には劇団を組織し、自作の労働劇を上演する試みも行っている。23年（大正12）9月3日、関東大震災の混乱のさなか、亀戸(かめいど)署に拘引され、4日川合義虎(かわいよしとら)ら9名とともに軍隊の手で虐殺された（亀戸事件）。

［成田龍一］

『小田切秀雄編『平沢計七集』（1955・青木書店）』▽『松本克平著『日本社会主義演劇史』（1975・筑摩書房）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例