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"The Future Belongsto the People"BY KARL LIEBKNECHT
"The Future Belongsto the People"BY KARL LIEBKNECHT
(Speeches made since the beginning of the War) EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY S. ZIMAND WITH AN INTRODUCTION By WALTER WEYL New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1918 All rights reserved Copyright 1918 By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Set up and Electrotyped. Published, November 16, 1918 Press of J. J. Little & Ives Co., New York "The aim of my life is the overthrow of monarchy. As my father, who appeared before this court exactly thirty-five years ago to defend himself against the charge of treason, was u
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PREFACE
PREFACE
The philosophy of Karl Liebknecht as revealed in these pages leaves but a narrow ledge for heroes to stand on. To him the significant thing in history is, and has always been, the stirring of the masses of men at the bottom, their unconscious writhings, their awakenings, their conscious struggles and finally their gigantic, fearsome upthrust, which overturns all the little groups of clever men who have lived by holding these masses down. In these conflicts, kings, priests, leaders, heroes count
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TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
" The future belongs to the people. " The time was October 24, 1918; the place, Berlin, the center of Germany; the speaker, Doctor Karl Liebknecht. A remarkable change had indeed come over the Empire. As far as the eye could reach, a great shouting, surging crowd had gathered before the Reichstag buildings, a crowd such as might have foregathered in times past on almost any day of national festivity, to do honor to his Imperial Majesty, Kaiser Wilhelm. They were indeed shouting frantically on th
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THE MAN LIEBKNECHT
THE MAN LIEBKNECHT
Karl Liebknecht is a worthy son of a great sire. His father, Wilhelm Liebknecht, for years a member of the Reichstag, was the author of numerous pamphlets on Socialism and economics and was one of the first founders of the Socialist Party in Germany. Karl Liebknecht was born in Leipzig on August 13th, 1871, the same year in which his father was arrested on the charge of high treason. His mother was wont to say that she bequeathed to her son all the sorrow that was hers during that period, all th
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THE FIRST DAYS
THE FIRST DAYS
On August 3rd and 4th, 1914, the Social-Democratic members of the Reichstag called a special meeting in order to decide what stand the party should take on the War. At the first vote taken, ninety-four members were for voting for the budget and only fourteen against. At the last there were only three who held out to the end—Liebknecht, Ledebour, and Haase. The officials of the party tried to give the impression that there were no differences of opinion in the party, but Liebknecht wrote the foll
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LIEBKNECHT'S VISIT TO BELGIUM
LIEBKNECHT'S VISIT TO BELGIUM
On September 16th, 1914, Liebknecht went to Belgium to inform himself about the situation, and here is what Camille Huysmans, the secretary of the International Socialist Bureau, writes about Liebknecht's visit to Belgium: To P. Renaudel, Editor of L'Humanité . " My dear Renaudel ,—Liebknecht came to Belgium on September 16th, 1914. He met several friends, and he came to see me at Brussels, at the Maison du Peuple, in the afternoon. I asked him into my office and we had a conversation which la
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DID NOT CHEER THE KAISER
DID NOT CHEER THE KAISER
Berlin , October 24, 1914. Editor, Berliner Tageblatt . Berlin. Dear Sir: In your report of the meeting of the Prussian Assembly on the 22nd of the month you say that during the reading by Dr. Delbrück of the greetings of the Kaiser the whole house stood (that means, the Social-Democrats also). That does not correspond with the truth. The Social-Democratic members of the Assembly, who were in their places, remained seated. With reference to the closing speech of the President your report reads
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LIEBKNECHT DISAPPROVES OF MAJORITY SOCIALISTS OF GERMANY
LIEBKNECHT DISAPPROVES OF MAJORITY SOCIALISTS OF GERMANY
The Swiss Socialist paper Volksrecht published in November, 1914, the following statement, signed by Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg, Franz Mehring and Clara Zetkin. "In the Socialist press of the neutral countries of Sweden, Italy and Switzerland, Comrades Dr. Suedekum and Richard Fischer have attempted to portray the attitude of the German Social-Democrats towards the present War in the light of their own ideas. We feel ourselves forced therefore to explain through the same mediums that we, an
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REICHSTAG MEETING, DECEMBER 2, 1914, AND LIEBKNECHT'S DOCUMENT EXPLAINING WHY HE VOTED "NO"
REICHSTAG MEETING, DECEMBER 2, 1914, AND LIEBKNECHT'S DOCUMENT EXPLAINING WHY HE VOTED "NO"
At the second War Session of the Reichstag, Dec. 2, 1914, Karl Liebknecht not only voted against the War Budget—the only member of the Reichstag so to vote—but also handed in an explanation of his vote, which the President of the Reichstag refused to allow to be read, nor was it printed in the Parliamentary report. The President banned it on the pretext that it would entail calls to order. The document was sent to the German Press, but not one paper published it. The full text of the protest was
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KARL LIEBKNECHT CONDEMNED BY HIS PARTY FOR VOTING "NO" ON DECEMBER 2, 1914, AND HIS ANSWER
KARL LIEBKNECHT CONDEMNED BY HIS PARTY FOR VOTING "NO" ON DECEMBER 2, 1914, AND HIS ANSWER
In December, 1914, the Social-Democratic representation of the Reichstag censured Karl Liebknecht for voting "No" in the open meeting of the Reichstag. At a meeting on February 2, 1915, the Reichstag Socialists adopted a resolution condemning his stand and repudiating alleged misleading information he had spread about the Party. To this Liebknecht answered in the Vorwärts of February 5, 1915, as follows: Berlin , February 5, 1915. Editor Vorwärts , Berlin. Dear Comrade :— Concerning the resol
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A NEW YEAR'S GREETING TO ENGLAND
A NEW YEAR'S GREETING TO ENGLAND
I am pleased to be able to write a message of brotherhood to British Socialists at a time when the ruling classes of Germany and Great Britain are trying by all means in their power to incite bloodthirsty hatred between the two peoples. But it is painful for me to write these lines at a time when our radiant hope of previous days—the Socialist International—lies destroyed on the ground with a thousand expectations, when even many Socialists in the belligerent countries—for Germany is not an exce
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SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE WAR MEETING OF THE PRUSSIAN ASSEMBLY, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1915
SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE WAR MEETING OF THE PRUSSIAN ASSEMBLY, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1915
The Censor forbade the printing of the following speech in Germany. It is a clear analysis of the franchise question. Dr. Liebknecht also blames the personal régime and rule of Bureaucracy for the War. According to the Vorwärts reports, when Liebknecht began to speak the Free Conservatives, most of the National Liberals and the Centrum left the chamber in a demonstrative manner. Present : The Minister of the Interior: Discussion about the Prussian electoral reform, care for those disabled by war
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IN DEFENCE OF ROSA LUXEMBURG
IN DEFENCE OF ROSA LUXEMBURG
Dr. Rosa Luxemburg, with whom the following speech of Dr. Liebknecht deals, was tried in 1914 because at a public meeting she attacked militarism and the tragedies which were happening in the German barracks: brutal treatments, abuses and suicides of German soldiers. At her trial nine hundred and twenty-two men from all parts of Germany were ready to testify to something like thirty thousand separate instances of brutal treatment of soldiers. Dr. Rosa Luxemburg was born in Russian Poland, of Jew
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LIEBKNECHT CALLED TO ARMY SERVICE
LIEBKNECHT CALLED TO ARMY SERVICE
On March 23, 1915, Liebknecht was ordered to place himself at the disposal of the German military authorities. From this day on he was under military law as a member of a Landsturm regiment....
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LIEBKNECHT QUESTIONS THE GOVERNMENT
LIEBKNECHT QUESTIONS THE GOVERNMENT
Beginning with August 20, 1915, Liebknecht began putting his questions in the Reichstag which so much embarrassed the German Government. In England this form of parliamentary control of the Government is very common. In Germany this form is very seldom used. The possibility of putting supplementary questions gives this method a particularly great usefulness where there is so little parliamentary criticism as in Germany. Reichstag Meeting, Aug. 20, 1915 , 2 P. M. At the table of the Federal Gov
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LIEBKNECHT EXPELLED FROM THE SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY
LIEBKNECHT EXPELLED FROM THE SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY
On January 13, 1916, by a vote of sixty to twenty-five, the Socialist Central Committee expelled Dr. Karl Liebknecht from membership in the Socialist Party for continuous "gross infractions of party discipline." The majority Social-Democrats took that measure against Liebknecht for having greatly embarrassed the Government with his questions two days before in the Reichstag....
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REICHSTAG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CENSORSHIP
REICHSTAG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CENSORSHIP
January 19, 1916 Liebknecht was unable to obtain the floor at the general discussion. In a personal remark after the discussion was closed he made the following characteristic remarks: "Repeatedly members of this House told me that I work in the service of the enemy, that I am a traitor. ("Very true," from the left side of the House.) I wish to answer this by saying that I prefer being insulted by you as a traitor or anything else, to being praised for speaking according to your taste, as some m
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JUSTICE IN GERMANY IN WAR TIME
JUSTICE IN GERMANY IN WAR TIME
Twentieth Meeting of the Assembly, Friday, March 3, 1916, 11 o'clock morning session. On the Ministerial Bench: Freiherr v. Schorlemer, v. Loebell and Beseler. The order of the day: Continuation of the discussion on second reading of the budget of the Department of Justice. Taking part in the discussion: Assemblymen: Delbrück (Conservative), Reinhard (Centrum), Minister of Justice Beseler, Assemblymen Liepmann (National Liberal), Kanzow (Progressive Peoples Party), Nissen (Dane), v. Trampczyns
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THE SITUATION IN AUSTRIA
THE SITUATION IN AUSTRIA
(At the same meeting Assemblymen Nissen (Dane) and v. Trampcynski (Pole) protested against the prosecution of their nationalities by the authorities of the Department of Justice. To them the Minister of Justice gave no definite reply. This situation gave Liebknecht another chance and he took the floor again to add his protest and by a few remarks to show the conditions existing in Austria, Germany's ally.) Dr. Liebknecht : The disciplining of a nationality living in Prussia fits exactly into the
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EDUCATION IN GERMANY DURING WAR
EDUCATION IN GERMANY DURING WAR
Meeting of the Prussian Assembly March 16th, 1916, 11 o'Clock Morning Session On the Ministerial Bench: V. Trott zu Solz (Minister of Religion and Education). The subject of discussion was: The Education and Religion Budget, and as a special topic: The Higher Schools of Prussia. Taking part in the discussion: Dr. Karl Liebknecht (Social Democrat), Wilderman (Centrum), Frhr. v. Zedlitz (Free Conservative), Minister (Progressive People's Party). In this discussion Liebknecht exposes the method a
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LIEBKNECHT PROTESTS AT BEING PREVENTED FROM DISCUSSING THE SUBMARINE WARFARE
LIEBKNECHT PROTESTS AT BEING PREVENTED FROM DISCUSSING THE SUBMARINE WARFARE
Reichstag, March 22, 1916 President Kaempf presides. For discussion: First reading of the Budget in connection with the taxation bill. President Kaempf : In accordance with an understanding between the representatives of the different parties in the Reichstag the submarine warfare will be excluded from this discussion until further decisions of the Seniorenconvent . (Committee composed of the Party Leaders to discuss the business of the Reichstag before it is discussed in open session. S. Z. )
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REICHSTAG MEETING, MARCH 23, 1916
REICHSTAG MEETING, MARCH 23, 1916
Discussion of the Budget and taxation bill. Different persons spoke. Dr. Liebknecht asks to be recognized on the motion of closing the discussion. Dr. Liebknecht (speaks to the question): I am sorry that under this motion, which was directed in the first place against me, I will be unable to say that I certainly refuse all taxes to the Government of martial law, the government of War über Alles . (Excitement at the right side of the House.) President Kaempf : I must ask you to confine yourself t
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LIEBKNECHT'S COMMENTS ON THE IMPERIAL CHANCELLOR'S SPEECH
LIEBKNECHT'S COMMENTS ON THE IMPERIAL CHANCELLOR'S SPEECH
Reichstag Meeting, April 5, 1916 On April 5, 1916, Karl Liebknecht made some sharp comments on certain passages of the Imperial Chancellor's speech. Asserting that Germany's aims were peaceful, the Chancellor said that Germany wanted the "strength of quiet development" before the war. "We could have had all we wanted by peaceful labor. Our enemies chose war." Liebknecht retorted: "Lies, it was you who chose war." (Uproar followed, with cries of "Scoundrel!" "Blackguard!" "Out with him!" The Pr
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REICHSTAG MEETING, APRIL 7, 1916
REICHSTAG MEETING, APRIL 7, 1916
Vice-President Paasche in the chair. On April 7, 1916, Liebknecht declared—in the Reichstag during the discussion of the military estimates—that he had documents showing an agreement between Herr Zimmerman, the Under Foreign Secretary, and Sir Roger Casement, by which British prisoners were to be drilled to fight against England. After some further remarks about Mohammedan prisoners of war being pressed into service for Germany, Liebknecht was prevented from speaking amid shouts of "Traitor!" fr
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LIEBKNECHT'S REMARKS ON THE GERMAN WAR LOAN
LIEBKNECHT'S REMARKS ON THE GERMAN WAR LOAN
( Reichstag Meeting, April 8, 1916 ) Dr. Liebknecht : "Gentlemen, the principal work of the Secretary of the Treasury, whose salary we are asked to vote for, was his activity for the war loan during the last year. I intend to examine critically those activities (great merriment). The new loan has brought 1,400,000,000 marks less than the preceding one, but still a grand total of 10,000,000,000 marks. We should investigate carefully from what funds the money invested in the war loan comes. Does t
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LIEBKNECHT'S MAY DAY MANIFESTO
LIEBKNECHT'S MAY DAY MANIFESTO
This May Day Manifesto called the people of Berlin to the May Day Demonstration of 1916. He was sentenced to jail for expressions in this May Day Speech. "Poverty and misery, need and starvation, are ruling in Germany, Belgium, Poland and Servia, whose blood the vampire of imperialism is sucking and which resemble vast cemeteries. The entire world, the much-praised European civilization, is falling into ruins through the anarchy which has been let loose by the world war. "Those who profit from
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LIEBKNECHT'S MAY DAY, 1916, SPEECH
LIEBKNECHT'S MAY DAY, 1916, SPEECH
Delivered at the Potsdamerplatz, Berlin, May 1, 1916 (Report by one present at the demonstration) Berlin , May 1. Very early in the morning, with three other comrades, I reached Hortensienstrasse, where Comrade Liebknecht lives. We enter No. 14, climb up the stairs, ring his bell. Comrade Liebknecht opens the door himself. He is thin, his hair looks unusually black and his face is deathly pale. He walks like a dead man, walking with grim steps. He leaves us and soon returns with his wife; she is
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LIEBKNECHT'S REPLY TO HIS JUDGES
LIEBKNECHT'S REPLY TO HIS JUDGES
While in prison Dr. Liebknecht sent two letters to the military court handling his case, in which he explained his position. It was Dr. Liebknecht's hope that these letters would be read to the Reichstag and in that way reach the German people. But this was not the case. The letters were put before the Parliamentary Committee, which investigated Liebknecht's case and on whose recommendation the Reichstag, by a vote of 229 to 111, refused to ask for his release. A copy of one of these letters was
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LIEBKNECHT'S TRIAL AND RELEASE
LIEBKNECHT'S TRIAL AND RELEASE
On June 28th, 1916, Karl Liebknecht was sentenced at secret trial to thirty months' penal servitude. When the public prosecutor asked for this secrecy, Liebknecht exclaimed: "It is cowardice on your part, gentlemen. Yes, I repeat, that you are cowards if you close these doors." Nevertheless, the court decided to exclude the public, upon which Liebknecht cried to his wife and Rosa Luxemburg, in the audience, "Leave this comedy, where everything, including even the decision, has been prepared befo
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The following pages contain advertisements of a few of the Macmillan books on kindred subjects.
The following pages contain advertisements of a few of the Macmillan books on kindred subjects.
The End of the War BY WALTER E. WEYL Author of "American World Policies," "The New Democracy," etc. $2.00 "The most courageous book on politics published in America since the war began."— The Dial. "An absorbingly interesting book ... the clearest statement yet presented of a most difficult problem."— Philadelphia Ledger. "Mr. Weyl says sobering and important things.... His plea is strong and clear for America to begin to establish her leadership of the democratic forces of the world ... to insu
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