MARX TO WILHELM BRACKE
IN BRUNSWICK
London, 6 November 1876 Dear Bracke,
I have been comparing Grunzig's translation—first sheet—most scrupulously with the original[1] and am about to inform him that I cannot accept his services.
In fact, to correct it (an occasional correction will doubtless be necessary with any translator) would take more time than if I were to translate it myself from start to finish. But I haven't the time for that. I cannot again go through the painful experience I endured in connection with the French translation of Capital.[2]
I'd be glad to have Kokosky, but he entirely lacks the deftness, the lightness of touch, which is precisely what the translation of this book needs.
I have already taken soundings in another quarter[3] but doubt whether the person in question will have the time. Meanwhile, it would be as well for you to cast round if possible for a professional translator in Leipzig. Since the book in question is not intended purely for working-class readers, it would be foolish to go and look for a translator specifically within a party that is not well endowed with literary talent, i.e. to proceed from the outset on the assumption that the translator must be a party man.
From what I hear, B. Becker has found a publisher in Switzerland.[4]
Yours sincerely,
K. M.
The conciliation congress in Berne—Engels and I wrote and told Liebknecht the moment we heard of the Germans' intention to send their delegates to it—is, and has been from the start, nothing but a Bakuninist intrigue.[5] What is more, proof of this reached us a few days ago from Portugal/ More anon.
- ↑ [P. O.] Lissagaray, Histoire de la Commune de 1871 (see this volume, pp. 149 50 and 152).
- ↑ A reference to the French edition of the first volume of Capital. An attempt to translate Marx's principal work into French was first made by Charles Keller, a member of the Paris Section of the International. Between October 1869 and April 1870, he translated about 400 pages which he sent to Marx for editing, After the defeat of the Paris Commune, however, Keller was forced to emigrate to Switzerland, where he embraced Bakuninist views, after which Marx terminated co-operation with him.
In December 1871, Paul Lafargue assisted Marx in concluding a contract for the publication of Capital with the progressive French journalist and publisher Maurice Lachâtre. The contract was signed on 15 February 1872. Under it, Capital was to appear in 44 instalments, one printer's sheet each. The work appeared between 1872 and 1875 in two instalments at a time, but was sold in series of five instalments each, making nine series in all.
The last instalments having come out, the series were stitched together and sold as separate books.
The first volume of Capital was translated into French by Joseph Roy. Marx did not think much of the effort and made a vast number of alterations, in fact, revised the book. As he himself said, the authorised French translation had an independent scientific value alongside the German original.
In this edition, the first volume of Capital is published in Engels' authorised English translation with the interpolations from the French edition given in the Appendix (see present edition, Vol. 35).
- ↑ Marx is referring to the talks with Wilhelm Bios. On 16 November 1876 Bios accepted Engels' proposal that he translate Lissagaray's Histoire de la Commune de 1871 (Engels' letter has not been found). However, on 14 November Wilhelm Bracke wrote to Engels that he had already found a translator (Isolde Kurz) (see Note 194).
- ↑ See this volume, pp. 151 52.
- ↑ On the proposal of the anarchist Jura Federation, which withdrew from the International since it refused to recognise the resolutions of the Hague Congress (see Note 20), a congress of representatives of some workers' and socialist organisations (mostly anarchist and Proudhonist) took place in Berne from 26 to 30 October 1876. Since the International Working Men's Association had officially ceased to exist by decision of the conference held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1876, one of the issues discussed in Berne was the so-called solidarity pact that, or so the congress organisers hoped, would resurrect the International on the basis of their programme. In this connection, the participants in the Berne congress made an attempt to involve representatives of the German Social-Democrats in its work (see Note 192). A decision on this question was postponed until the next congress. However, the international socialist congress convened in Ghent in 1877 (see Note 324) turned down the anarchists' proposals and confirmed the resolutions of the Hague Congress.