Letter to Luigi Stefanoni, February 29, 1872

Author(s) Wilhelm Liebknecht
Written 29 February 1872


First published in Gazzettino Rosa, No. 110, 20 April 1872
Translated from the Italian
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 44


WILHELM LIEBKNECHT TO LUIGI STEFANONI[1]

IN FLORENCE

Leipzig, 29 February 1872

Sir,

I have just learnt that your paper has not only published repeated attacks on the International Working Men's Association, but that it has also (in Nos. 1 & 4 of this year[2] ) translated and endorsed the filthy slanders of the police about the London General Council and Marx in particular, which appeared in the Berlin Neuer Social-Demokrat.[3]

Since the publication of my previous letter to you, in the Libero Pensiero No. 3,[4] was suited and perhaps designed to give the impression that I approve of this conduct, I hereby formally request you to inform your readers that I must repudiate any connection with men who aid and abet the European police in their persecution of the International and thus—whether con- sciously or unconsciously—play into the hands of Messrs Bismarck and Bonaparte.

I may tell you furthermore that the regional congress in Chemnitz, to which I referred in the letter published by you, has unanimously come out in favour of the London General Coun- cil.[5] In conclusion I would add that a copy of this letter is being sent to my friend and teacher, Karl Marx, for him to make whatever use of it he wishes.

W. Liebknecht

  1. ↑ This letter was written by Liebknecht on 20 February 1872 at Engels' suggestion and on the basis of the information supplied by him (see this volume, pp. 319-20). Liebknecht sent the text to Engels, who translated it into Italian and forwarded it to Carlo Cafiero in Italy to be published in the press (a handwritten draft of the translation has survived which is identical to the version published in the Gazzettino Rosa). The Gazzettino Rosa dated the letter 29 February 1872
  2. ↑ 'L'Internazionale e il Consiglio Supremo di Londra', II Libero Pensiero, Nos. 1 and 4, 4 and 25 January 1872.
  3. ↑ J. Schneider, 'An die Socialdemokraten Deutschlands', Neuer Social Demokrat, No. 67, 3 December 1871; see also items in Nos. 68 70 of Neuer Social Demokrat of 6, 8 and 10 December 1871.
  4. ↑ on 18 January 1872
  5. ↑ The Congress of Saxonian Social-Democrats was held in Chemnitz on 6-7 January 1872. It was attended by 120 delegates, among them Bebel and Liebknecht, representing nearly 60 local organisations. In closed session the congress considered its attitude to the Sonvillier circular (see Note 374) and the battle against the anarchists in the International. Having rejected the circular and approved the resolutions of the London Conference, the congress gave its unanimous support to the General Council.