| Author(s) | Karl Marx |
|---|---|
| Written | 30 September 1876 |
MARX TO WILHELM BRACKE
IN BRUNSWICK
[London,] 30 September 1876
Dear Bracke,
I had already learnt of your transactions with B. Becker from your various letters to Engels, since we always show one another everything that has a bearing on party interests.
As soon as I received your letter, Engels and I ventilated every aspect of the question and came to the conclusion that considera- tion for Becker is not in any way incompatible with your publication of Lissagaray's work.[1]
1. You terminated your ENGAGEMENT with B. Becker, purely on business grounds—long before there was any mention of Lis- sagaray's work—after he had abruptly turned down your proposals. Moreover, you paid him 300 talers by way of compensation. That meant that the matter was settled, nor could it possibly be assumed that, from then on, your house would refrain from printing any works relating to the history of the Commune.
2. In so far as Lissagaray's work competes with Becker's,[2] such competition is going to arise whether the work is published by you or by someone else. (Liebknecht just now offered to have it published by the Volksstaat printing office, an offer we would in no circumstances accept.) Lissagaray's work will be appearing in Brussels in a few weeks' time, whereas Becker won't have finished his until May 1877. So any injury he may incur thereby is in any case inevitable.
3. Although Becker's and Lissagaray's books have the same title—History of the Commune—they differ completely in kind and are works which, had not commercial or other considerations intervened, might very well have been brought out by the same publisher.
Becker's work is at best a compilation, written from the German critical standpoint, of material concerning the Commune which is available to anyone in Paris.
Lissagaray's book is the work of a participant in the events described (and to that extent it is in the nature of a memoir), a participant, moreover, who had at his command a wealth of manuscripts stemming from the protagonists in the drama, etc., which were not accessible to anyone else.
The only possible connection between the two works is that Becker will find in Lissagaray's book a fresh source which he cannot afford to leave out of account and which may necessitate extensive alterations to his manuscript, in so far as this has already been completed.
Your interest in the publication of Lissagaray's book is the same as induced you to commission Becker to compile the material— namely party interest which you can satisfy, as said above under 1., without remotely infringing your publishing ENGAGEMENTS origi- nally entered into with Becker.
So much for that point. As regards Mr Grunzig, I should like you to make inquiries from Most concerning the man's character. Should the particulars prove satisfactory, I would tentatively send Mr Grunzig a first sample sheet for translation so as to be able to judge whether he is up to this far from easy work.
Lissagaray has sent me the first five printed sheets. From this I see that it is a luxury edition, only thirty lines per page. If the French original runs to 500-600 pages, it will, in an ordinary German edition, hardly run to more than 400 pages.
Your stipulation as to the apportionment of profits meets with my complete approval; should it yield nothing, Lissagaray, like you yourself, must and will rest content with that.
As regards the translator's fee, that is a matter for you alone to decide. It is no concern of the French author.
As regards all the other stipulations—number of copies, design, prices, etc.—the decision is yours alone. (For Lissagaray has given me plein pouvoir[3] to act in his name.)
On the title-page you should print: 'Translation authorized by the writer of this work.'
On the title-page of the French original Lissagaray will put tous les droits réservés[4] so that you will be able to confiscate any eventual German translation that competes with yours.
With cordial regards,
Yours,
Karl Marx