Letter to Karl Marx, August 20, 1870

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 20 August 1870


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. IV, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 4, Berlin, 1931
Printed according to the original
Part of this letter was published in English for the first time in: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Writings on the Paris Commune, Monthly Review Press, New York-London, 1971
Published in English in full for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 44


ENGELS TO MARX

IN RAMSGATE

Manchester, 20 August 1870

Dear Moor,

I hope that your rheumatism has become less acute. The chloral will have done you some good; if not, then see a doctor and ask him to prescribe a sedative. Gumpert is in Wales and hence unavailable for consultation.

I have written a vigorous letter to Smith today about the house.[1] I can't let myself be humbugged any longer by this GROUSE-SHOOTING ARISTOCRAT. I was supposed to be there in 4 weeks, yet it was 5 weeks yesterday since I reached agreement with Smith and there is still no answer!

I think that the ANNEXATION of the French Germans is as good as settled. If a revolutionary government had been formed in Paris as late as last week something still might have been done about it. Now, however, it comes too late and can only make a fool of itself by parodying the Convention. I am convinced that Bismarck would have settled for a peace without cession of territory with a revolutionary government if it had come on the scene in time. But the way France is behaving now he has no reason to resist the pressures from without and his vanity from within. It is a great pity, but it seems to me inevitable. If Germany were a state like France, it would be easier to find excuses. But as things stand, with the need to divide the conquered territory between the three neighbouring countries, it is ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is the fact that the Germans should be willing to lumber themselves with a German-speaking Venetia in the West.[2] I shall try to obtain the ponderous Blind's weighty pamphlet, but it will likely as not come too late.[3]

What do you think of Mack-Bazaine? Mac-Mahon was bad enough, but now we shall have Mack (of Ulm)—tout court[4] ? It will be an unheard-of thing if 120,000 Frenchmen have to lay down their arms, and that will doubtless be the result.[5] Just imagine that old mule William[6] deflowering la pucelle[7] of Metz in his old age! There has never been such a dégringolade[8] as the one now displayed by the 2nd Empire. I am only curious to see whether the Parisians will not finally muster the energy to do something when they learn the truth about the events of this last week.[9] Not that it would be of any use any more. The demolitions undertaken around Paris to facilitate its defence are on such a colossal scale that I cannot believe they have been carried out properly. The population of the city has almost trebled since 1840 and the difficulties of provisioning it likewise. And finally, all traffic relies so greatly on the railway now that if a few bridges are blown up on every line it will be almost impossible to bring any supplies worth mentioning into the city, even if the blockade is not complete.

The losses of the last few weeks must be enormous. Throughout the entire war the Germans have used bayonets with the greatest determination. And now they have been deploying cavalry against unflinching infantry so that men must have been falling like flies. The handsome William[10] has made no mention of all this. But this much is certain: man for man and battalion for battalion, the Germans have proved their most decisive superiority over the French. First at Spicheren[11] where they had 27 battalions against (at least) 42 French battalions which were occupying an almost impregnable position. After Thursday's battle[12] it will be almost impossible to restrain the demoralisation in the French camp.

Is Kugelmann in Carlsbad[13] ? I do not know where to send the portrait.

Best wishes from Lizzie and me to you all. I hope to hear good news from you soon about your rheumatism.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ The Daily Telegraph
  2. ↑ Engels calls Alsace and Lorraine a "German-speaking Venetia," by analogy with the Italian province of Venetia, which was part of the Habsburg Empire in 1799-1805
  3. ↑ See this volume, p. 45.
  4. ↑ just that; Engels is referring here to Bazaine who allowed himself to be shut up with his army and besieged in Metz, and suggesting a parallel firstly with MacMahon and then with the similar fate that befell the Austrian general Mack in Ulm in 1805.
  5. ↑ and 1814-1866 and a stronghold of the Italian national liberation movement against Austrian oppression.
  6. ↑ William I
  7. ↑ the maid
  8. ↑ collapse
  9. ↑ After the Battle of Gravelotte, which took place on 18 August 1870 (in historical literature it is also known as the Battle of Saint Privat), the Army of the Rhine under Bazaine was surrounded in Metz and surrendered in late October 1870.
  10. ↑ William I
  11. ↑ Engels' forecast proved correct. On 6 August 1870 one of the major battles of the early period of the war took place at Forbach (in Lorraine, not far from Saarbrücken), in which the Prussian troops defeated the French 2nd Corps under General Frossard. In historical literature this battle is also called the Battle of Spicheren. Engels refers to it as such in several of his letters.
  12. ↑ This refers to the defeats which the French army suffered at the Battle of Colombey-Nouilly (known also as the Battle of Borny) on 14 August 1870, the Battle of Vionville-Mars-la-Tour on 16 August, and the Battle of Gravelotte-Saint Privat on 18 August.
  13. ↑ Czech name: Karlovy Vary.