Letter to Sophie von Hatzfeldt, April 10, 1865

Author(s)	Karl Marx
Written	10 April 1865

First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 31, Moscow, 1963
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 42

MARX TO SOPHIE VON HATZFELDT

IN BERLIN

London, 10 April 1865

My dear Countess,

I shall be obliged if you would hand the copy of the '18th Brumaire' with my marginal amendments, i.e., corrections, to Mr Wilhelm Liebknecht.^[1]

I have read Becker's^[2] attacks on you with the greatest indignation, and, to judge from letters I have received from people of the most divergent views, the scoundrel has thereby generally done harm not to you, but only to himself. I am in entire agreement with Mr Rüstow that it is incomprehensible that any section of the Association of German Workers could calmly listen to such scandalous talk. The most elementary sense of decency should make such infamy impossible.^[3]

Yours most respectfully

Karl Marx

↑ This refers to Sophie von Hatzfeldt's intention to republish Marx's The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. It was to be printed in Switzerland. Liebknecht informed Marx of this on 2 December 1864 and asked him to send two copies of the book for the purpose. Marx objected because he was obviously afraid that the Lassalleans might use his works to propagate Lassalle's cult. Subsequently, Liebknecht, independently of Hatzfeldt, attempted to come to terms with the Swiss publisher, but in vain. The second edition of The Eighteenth Brumaire appeared only in 1869, in Germany.
↑ Bernhard Becker
↑ Bernhard Becker, President of the General Association of German Workers, made a speech at a meeting of the Association's Hamburg Section on 22 March 1865 in which he slandered the International Working Men's Association and also Marx, Engels and Liebknecht. Marx rebuffed Becker in an article 'The "President of Mankind"', published in the Rheinische Zeitung, No. 102 (second supplement), 12 April and the Berliner Reform, No. 88 (supplement), 13 April 1865 (see present edition, Vol. 20, pp. 92-96). On 27 March, Becker was denounced by Liebknecht at a meeting of the Association's Berlin Section when it discussed the question of the presidency. On 1 April 1865 the Nordstern (No. 303) printed statements by Rüstow and Herwegh against the attacks made by Becker on Countess Hatzfeldt. In view of the growing discontent among the rank-and-file members of the General Association with Becker as President, the Berlin Section resolved to expel him. Many other sections followed suit. In June 1865 Becker was compelled provisionally to delegate his presidential powers to his deputy Fritzsche and completely renounced them in November.

[1] This refers to Sophie von Hatzfeldt's intention to republish Marx's The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. It was to be printed in Switzerland. Liebknecht informed Marx of this on 2 December 1864 and asked him to send two copies of the book for the purpose. Marx objected because he was obviously afraid that the Lassalleans might use his works to propagate Lassalle's cult. Subsequently, Liebknecht, independently of Hatzfeldt, attempted to come to terms with the Swiss publisher, but in vain. The second edition of The Eighteenth Brumaire appeared only in 1869, in Germany.

[2] Bernhard Becker

[3] Bernhard Becker, President of the General Association of German Workers, made a speech at a meeting of the Association's Hamburg Section on 22 March 1865 in which he slandered the International Working Men's Association and also Marx, Engels and Liebknecht. Marx rebuffed Becker in an article 'The "President of Mankind"', published in the Rheinische Zeitung, No. 102 (second supplement), 12 April and the Berliner Reform, No. 88 (supplement), 13 April 1865 (see present edition, Vol. 20, pp. 92-96). On 27 March, Becker was denounced by Liebknecht at a meeting of the Association's Berlin Section when it discussed the question of the presidency. On 1 April 1865 the Nordstern (No. 303) printed statements by Rüstow and Herwegh against the attacks made by Becker on Countess Hatzfeldt. In view of the growing discontent among the rank-and-file members of the General Association with Becker as President, the Berlin Section resolved to expel him. Many other sections followed suit. In June 1865 Becker was compelled provisionally to delegate his presidential powers to his deputy Fritzsche and completely renounced them in November.

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