Letter to Karl Kautsky, March 3, 1884

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 3 March 1884


First published, in Russian, in Marx-Engels Archives, Vol. I (VI), Moscow, 1932
Printed according to the original
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO KARL KAUTSKY

IN ZURICH

London, 3 March 1884

Dear Kautsky,

Ede Bernstein has assumed the responsibility of drinking a fraternal pledge[1] with me in your name and on your behalf. I hereby take the liberty of putting this into immediate effect in the hope that you will not disavow his action.

Apart from that, he left this evening for Paris where he will spend tomorrow, departing the same night; no doubt he will reach Zurich at the same time as this letter.

Enclosed the sale of Russia to Bismarck for Bismarck to invest with Bleichröder with a view to a new Russian loan.[2] Ferry and Gladstone were the first to be taken in but, if Bleichröder supplies the money, the same thing may happen to Bismarck and, once the fun begins in Russia, it will be all up with the lot of them.

Your

F. Engels

  1. ↑ A little ceremony which precedes the use of Da (thou), the familiar form of address.
  2. ↑ In April 1884 Russia obtained a loan of 300 million marks from Germany.