| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 1 July 1892 |
ENGELS TO LUDWIG SCHORLEMMER
IN DARMSTADT
[Manchester,] 1 July 1892 203 High Street, Oxford Road
Dear Mr Schorlemmer,
I am writing to you directly after Carl's[1] funeral which took place this morning. It was an imposing procession, first the carriages with personal friends, including the executors,1' Dr Gumpert and Carl's landlord, then the faculty of Owens College,[2] virtually all of whom were represented, also Roscoe, then a large number of his students past and present. The executors had asked Mr Steinthal, a Unitarian (akin to our Free Congregations •,0H) minister to conduct the burial service and say a few words at the graveside, which in fact he did most impressively — he was a good friend of Carl's. If the address doesn't appear in tomorrow's papers, Gumpert will send you a copy of it. Numerous very beautiful wreaths had been sent; apart from those from the family and the Party Executive in Berlin there was one huge and most beautiful wreath bearing the inscription: 'From the Germans in Manchester to their Illustrious Compatriot'; also one from his former students, one from the students of his last course, from his colleagues, etc.
I was asked on arrival whether I had any objections to the proposed arrangements for a funeral of this kind, maintaining as it did at least a semblance of Church practice. They felt that this was how they could best conform to the wishes of the family. I cannot say that I was particularly delighted with the plan, but circumstances being what they are here in Manchester, I had no alternative but to reply that it was up to the executors to decide and that if the ceremony was to be performed in a conventional setting, then Steinthal was undoubtedly by far the best man for it and he did, in fact, acquit himself quite admirably. Had I protested I might perhaps have been responsible for a wholly unecclesiastical funeral. But in the first place I did not know whether this would have been acceptable to all the members of your family. Secondly, the entire responsibility would in that case have devolved upon myself; / alone would have had to speak and the emphasis would not have been on Schorlemmer the chemist but on Schorlemmer the Social-Democrat and in the circumstances it was certainly preferable to play down the Social-Democrat in order that the chemist might be given his full due. The entire English bourgeois press would have said that I had exploited Carl's death for the purpose of a pointless and useless socialist demonstration in front of an audience that felt cool if not actually hostile towards me and towards socialism, yet was compelled to keep silent out of respect for the open grave. And since I dislike all demonstrations, however unavoidable, it would have been utterly repugnant to me to allow the funeral of a dear friend to degenerate into an intrusive demonstration. It would of course have been different had Carl himself made stipulations in his will. However the scarlet bows bearing the inscription 'From the Executive of the German Social-Democratic Party' were eloquent enough; they stood out in garish contrast to the white flowers and bows of the other wreaths and were in any case grossly at variance with British custom.
I have today shown Mr Philipp Klepsch, one of the executors (both are German), all the papers. We settled one or two further matters and discussed the more important points, which means that I can return to London tomorrow.
The will must now be registered at the Court of Probate and estate duty will have to be paid. Not until then can anything further be done.
I have arranged with Mr Klepsch that family letters should be returned to you. If you have any wishes regarding other mementoes, perhaps you would write to him,
Ph. Klepsch, c/o Stadelbauer & Co., Manchester. In case you might want them, I also suggested that he should keep for you the various writings Marx and I inscribed and presented to him.
As regards the manuscripts and publishers' contracts, more anon. Warm regards to your mother and the whole family.
Yours,
F. Engels