Letter to Friedrich Adolph Sorge, October 7, 1893

ENGELS TO FRIEDRICH ADOLPH SORGE

IN HOBOKEN

London, 7 October 1893

Dear Sorge,

We returned here on Friday 29 September and soon afterwards received your letter of the 22nd. I have been away for two months. Louise Kautsky and I travelled to Cologne where we met Bebel and his wife and from there we all went on together via Mainz and Strasburg to Zurich, whence I slipped off for a week to Graubünden where I met one of my brothers.^[1] But I had had to promise to be back for the end of the Congress on which occasion they induced me, malgré moi,^[2] to join in the finale about which you will have read. But that set the tone for the entire trip and completely put the lid on my intention of travelling purely as a private individual. I stayed another fortnight in Switzerland, after which Bebel and I travelled via Munich and Salzburg to Vienna. There the whole business of placing myself on display began all over again. First I had to attend a beano at which, however, there was room for only about 600, and the others also wanted to see me; so on the last evening there was another mass meeting at which I had to say a word or two. Thence via Prague to Berlin where, having protested vehemently against a mass meeting they had planned, I got away with a beano at which 3,000 or 4,000 people gathered. The chaps meant all this very kindly, but it isn't my cup of tea and I'm glad that it is over; next time I shall demand a written agreement to the effect that I shall not have to display myself before the public but shall be travelling as a private individual on private business. I was, and still am, astounded at the magnificence of the reception I was given, but I would sooner leave such things to members of parliament and public speakers; for them it's all part of the job, but has little to do with my kind of work.

But in other respects, after 17 years of absence, I found Germany completely revolutionised—industry enormously advanced as compared with before, agriculture—large- and small-scale—very much improved, and hence our movement making capital progress. Such little freedom as our people possess, they have had to win for themselves—wresting it more especially from the police and the Landräte after the relevant laws had already been promulgated in writing. And hence you find an assured, confident demeanour such as has never been evinced by the German bourgeoisie. Needless to say, they are also open to criticism on a number of individual counts—for instance, the party press, notably in Berlin, is not abreast of the party—but the masses are first-rate and better as a rule than the leaders, or at any rate than many who have come to occupy leading roles. With such chaps, nothing is impossible—they are really happy only in the midst of the struggle, they live for the struggle alone and are bored if their opponents do not provide them with work to do. It is an actual fact that another Anti-Socialist Law would be greeted by most of them with sardonic laughter if not with positive glee—it would, after all, again give them something new to do each day!

But alongside the Germans of Germany we should not forget the Austrians. By and large, they are not as advanced as these Germans, but they are more vivacious, more French, more easily carried away into performing great deeds, but also into perpetrating blunders. Seen individually, I prefer the average Austrian to the average German, the average Viennese working man to his fellow in Berlin and, so far as the women are concerned, I infinitely prefer the Viennese working woman; she possesses a naïve spontaneity beside which the studied precocity of her Berlin counterpart appears insufferable. If messieurs les Français don't look out and make haste to resume their erstwhile tradition of revolutionary initiative, then it might happen that the Austrians will take the wind out of their sails and seize on the first opportunity to get things going.

Incidentally, Berlin and Vienna, together with Paris, are now the most beautiful cities in the world, London and New York being filthy holes by comparison, especially London which has seemed quite strange to us since our return.

In November messieurs les Français will have to show what they are capable of. Twelve Marxists and four Blanquists, five Allemanists and two Broussists, along with a few Independents and some twenty-four socialistes radicaux à la Millerand in the Chamber constitute a goodish lump of leaven and should produce a nice state of fermentation provided they stick together. But will they? The 12 Marxists are, by and large, completely unknown quantities; Lafargue is missing, while Guesde, who is a member, is an infinitely more capable speaker but also an infinitely more gullible optimist. I am racked with curiosity. Even before the election our Marxists had already concluded a sort of pact with Millerand & Co. which the Blanquists, and in particular Vaillant, would appear to have associated themselves with by contributing to Millerand's Petite République française. Again, the Blanquists are taking a very firm stand against the Russian alliance just now. But I have received no direct news about the present state of the various parties, probably because they are not yet clear about it themselves.

I trust you and your wife are in good health. Cordial regards to you both from

Your

F. Engels

I met De Leon and Sanial in Zurich. Was not impressed.

[Postscript from Louise Kautsky]

Dear Mr Sorge,

May I pester you again by asking whether it would be possible for you to send me two copies of the Woman's Journal, or do you think I should do better to order it direct on behalf of a woman friend of mine in Vienna? If so, what is the best way of paying the Americans and to whom do I address myself? But that's not all. Please could I have a three cent Columbus stamp, if this isn't asking too much of you. I am besieged by so many stamp collectors who want it. Many thanks in advance and my most cordial regards to you and your wife,

Yours,

L. Kautsky