V. I. LENIN TO P. B. AXELROD.

*) Dietz—a well-known German Social-Democratic publisher whose printing house in Stuttgart printed "Zarya*.*
7) "Responsible"—refers to the so-called responsible editor of "Zarya," whose presence was required by German press laws.
8) Refers to Axelrod's article: "W. Liebknecht," printed in the first issue of "Iskra" on the occasion of the death of the organizer of the German Social-Democratic Party and one of the most prominent leaders of the German proletariat (died August 7/July 25, 1900).
Besides this small article published in "Iskra," Axelrod was also preparing a larger article about Liebknecht for the journal. This latter article did not appear in "Zarya."
9) Karl Lehmann—a Social Democrat, member of the Munich organization of the German Social-Democratic Party, who greatly helped the Iskra group when its editorial office was in Munich.
The editorial office used his address for their correspondence.
10) See letter 1, note 5.
11) D. Koltsov—Boris Abramovich Ginzburg (1863–1920). Emerged from the Narodnik organizations of St. Petersburg in the 1880s, was in contact with A. I. Ulyanov's group, which was preparing the assassination of Alexander III (unsuccessful attempt on March 1, 1887).
In 1893, after prison and exile, he emigrated and in Switzerland joined the Social-Democratic Union organized there by the Emancipation of Labor Group, having evolved towards Marxism already in Russia. In 1895–97, he was the secretary of the Union and collaborated in "Rabotnik." During the split, he sided with the Emancipation of Labor Group, was the organizer of the revolutionary group "Social-Democrat" and then the "Foreign League of Revolutionary Social Democracy."
He collaborated in "Iskra" and during the split in 1903 became a Menshevik. After 1905, he came to Russia and worked in Menshevik organizations, participating in the Menshevik press ("Rabochaya Gazeta" 1912–14, "Nasha Zarya"—pseudonyms L. Sedov, Dernitz, Ring). During the war—a defencist, died in Ufa in 1920.
(See note 3 to Martov's letter 4, p. 26, "Letters of P. B. Axelrod and Yu. O. Martov").

3.
15/X 900 [Zurich].
Dear Friend!
Finally, yesterday I recovered from the cursed trip to Paris 1) and—what a rare bliss for me!—for the second day now I have been working, pen in hand, without suffering and without clutching my unfortunate head in despair, but as befits, I won't say, a true writer, but a person who has writing obligations relative to society. If you are able to transport yourself for even a minute into the moral state of a person like me, you will understand how difficult it is for me now to tear myself away from work for this letter. But I'm afraid that silence might give rise to some misunderstanding, and therefore, willy-nilly, I tear myself away from work.
So, I am writing an article for the newspaper, I am afraid that it will turn out longer than it should be. But you on the spot will see better—and, depending on the need, will cut it. But if, contrary to expectation, you have another article on hand for some reason, then let me know immediately, even by card (with a hint), and I will be able to verwerthen 3) my article 2), with some changes, as part of something for the journal. The cursed Mehring causes me Kopfzerbrechen 4)—and now I especially feel the inconvenience of living in a provincial [European] town, where you can't find old newspapers (from the 60s) or other necessary sources. I turned to Bebel 5), perhaps he will help. It would be terribly important for me to at least quickly look through "Demokrat. Wochenblatt" (in 68–9) and "Volksstaat" (70–1) 6) on the one hand, and "Socialdemokrat" of Schweitzer 7), on the other. One way or another, I will try to prepare an article for the journal as well. Tomorrow they will start rewriting the article for the newspaper in a decent hand.

P. B. AXELROD TO V. I. LENIN.

P. B. AXELROD TO V. I. LENIN.

Now about Koltsov [B. A. Ginzburg]. He is probably terribly angry with me for suggesting to Gurevich that he do the job 8), but, by God, I didn't even suspect that he had such an intention. The best thing, of course, would be for G[eorge Plekhanov], or at worst, Vera Iv[anovna Zasulich] to appease him. But if he still writes about the congress, and the article is tolerable, then G[eorge Plekhanov]'s duty will be to persuade him to publish it as a separate brochure from the Union. That Gurevich will write much better not only than Koltsov [Ginzburg], but, in all likelihood, than Nekhamkis-Steklov as well ("for the former has observed French party relations for much longer, and of course, knows them more fundamentally and comprehensively"), there is hardly any doubt. By the way, Nekhamkis-Steklov and his friend (the author of the article against "Rabocheye Delo") 9) have now made a completely decent impression on us 10). But in the future, your holy trinity 11) will still have to fuss with them. It is difficult and inconvenient to talk about this topic in writing. But be wise as serpents... And have you not tried to enter into negotiations with Buchholtz 12)? Otherwise it's simply a disaster—are you really going to move to London? Stockholm is better—closer to Russia and farther from emigration, which is extremely important 13).
Your message that your brother 14) is still with you—may he not be offended by what I say—made me awfully happy. If you both, or he alone, do not have absolutely important reasons that unconditionally require his departure, I will allow myself to express meine unmassgebliche Meinung 15) that before Alexei [Martov] arrives to you, it would be sinful for him to leave you. As you can see, I am reasoning exclusively from the point of view of business interest, so as not to be suspected of any sentimental considerations, in a word, of Aduevism 16). When Al[exei Martov] arrives, the risk to the cause from some misfortune with the brother [Pogresov] will still not be as great as it is now.
I found an English journal at home, similar in appearance to your description, and my wife thinks that the book looks like the one that sister [A. I. Elizarova] gave me 17). I was waiting for a message from L 18) about the time of her departure (I asked her about this on a card), in order to send the book and sister's [A. I. Elizarova's] pillow with her. But until now I still don't know if she has left. Going to her means losing half a day. Tomorrow

Lenin Miscellany, III.

LENIN MISCELLANY.
I will send it.
A mitigating circumstance is that before leaving for Geneva I was in a confused state and left as though forcibly torn away.
I don't know what you will do with the correspondence from Russia.
It seems to me that those of them which are too dry and monotonous could be utilized along with other material in the form of an internal review or leading article. And the authors would be satisfied, and the reader would not be bored, and the literary physiognomy of the newspaper would benefit from this.
Young Adler 19) arrived, having come from Vienna, sat for 1 1/2 hours (it is now 10 1/2 in the evening) and reported interesting things.
He will write an article on the current election campaign.
In my opinion, if it arrives in time for the 2nd book, there will be no harm either.
I'm afraid I've forgotten something; but I'm in a hurry to drop the letter in the mailbox.
And you wrote nothing about your health and that of [Potresov's] brother. Clearly, you intend to stand irrevocably on practical ground, à la Aduev the elder 20).
I shake your hands and those of your wife firmly.
Yours, P. A.
P. S.
Upon arrival, I found myself in a whirlpool of everyday prose, and on top of that in some kind of literally geistiger 21) prostration — a long series of sleepless nights in Munich until the middle of last week made itself felt by a terrible state of my head.
And for the last 8-9 days I had completely recovered, but now I have to sit in the office from morning until 8 1/4 (except for the interval after lunch), and later in the evening, because the children are preparing for the exam and there is no one to replace me.
I am waiting for my wife to return any day now.
That is my explanation for why I still haven't sent anything. Alas! I haven't even tried to start yet.
But still, I hope that, if not tomorrow, then on Monday, I will receive the freedom necessary to get into my work.
If you found it expedient to subscribe to the "inexperienced" gentleman, then do not send money, because 1) I am in debt to you (2272 marks?), and 2) money will probably be received from America soon.
In view of the fact that you will have to answer this letter, I expect to receive at least a hint from you about your personal situation.
(After all, you can already.)
How are the sisters 22) doing now? And how is [Potresov's] brother's health? And what about Schouwer? 23).

P. B. AKSELROD ---- TO N. LENIN.

1) The Paris trip — P. B. Akselrod traveled to Paris for the international socialist congress, from which he returned in early October, as can be seen from the first two letters.
Here Akselrod held negotiations with some emigrants about participating in "Iskra" and "Zarya" as contributors (with Lindov-Leiteizen, Gurevich, etc.).
2) The article that Akselrod is talking about was published in the first issue of "Iskra" under the title "Wilhelm Liebknecht".
3) Verwerten — to turn into capital, to rework.
4) Kopfzerbrechen — literally: to break one's head; to confuse, to introduce confusion.
5) August F. Bebel — a turner, leader of the German workers, social democrat, born February 22, 1840.
Alongside W. Liebknecht, he was the organizer of the German Social Democratic Party.
Died in 1913.
6) "Demokratische Wochenblatt" — "Democratic Weekly" — the organ of the Saxon People's Party, published by W. Liebknecht from the beginning of 1868 to 1869, when it was recognized at the Eisenach Congress as the central organ of the German Social Democratic Party with the renaming to "Volksstaat" — "People's State" (from October 1, 1869).
7) "Socialdemokrat" — "Social Democrat" — the organ of the "General German Workers' Union". Published from December 15, 1864, edited by Schweitzer and Hofstetten until 1869.
(See F. Mehring, "History of German Social Democracy", vol. III, published by to in. br. A. and I. Granat and K°, Moscow 1906, pp. 202, 322 and 386.)
8) Akselrod proposed that Gurevich write an article for "Iskra" about the Paris international congress.
9) Ryazanov's article, which is mentioned here, was published in the first issue of "Zarya": N. Ryazanov, "Comments on the program of "Rabochee Delo".
10) See letter 1, note o.
11) Holy Trinity — V. I. Lenin, Yu. O. Martov, A. N. Potresov, the part of the "Iskra" editorial board that arrived from Russia.
12) Wilhelm Adolfovich Buchholz, a German citizen, was born in 1861 in Russia.
In 1887 he served his exile and was deported from Russia for participating in student riots.
Abroad, he joined the Social Democrats and became a member of the "Union of Russian Social Democrats" and in 1896-1897 he was the representative of the "Union" in Berlin; in 1901 he joined the Berlin support group for "Iskra" and "Zarya". He was part of the Russian delegation to the London Congress in 1896.
He later became a Menshevik.
Currently in Berlin, a member of the German Social Democratic Party.
13) Lenin and Potresov, and after Martov's arrival abroad, held the opinion that the editorial board of "Iskra" and "Zarya," namely their organizational center, should be further away from the "Emancipation of Labor" Group, firstly because it was not conspiratorial to settle in Geneva and in Switzerland in general, where the Russian emigration was mainly located, for work, and secondly, as it became clear after the meeting with Plekhanov in Geneva in August 1900 (See Lenin Miscellany "M 1, "How "Iskra" almost went out"), because Lenin feared that constant

6 8
LENIN MISCELLANY.
clashes with Plekhanov would not allow him to work calmly: the Geneva meeting was a good lesson in this regard.
That is why Lenin and Potresov focused on the idea that, if German police conditions did not allow them to stay in Germany, it was necessary to move to London. Akselrod, like other members of the Group, advocated Switzerland.
14) Brother — A. N. Potresov.
15) Meine unmassgebliche Meinung — my humble opinion.
16) Aduev — the hero of I. A. Goncharov's novel "An Ordinary Story".
17) The magazine that is mentioned in the letter "NS 2 (see letter 2, note 1).
18) It was not possible to clarify who is being referred to.
19) Young Adler — the son of Viktor, Friedrich Adler, an Austrian Social Democrat, sentenced during the imperialist war to 20 years of hard labor for the murder of the Austrian minister Stürgkh as a sign of protest against the war.
In 1918, he was released from prison during the November Revolution.
He was the head of the 2 1/2 International, from 1923 a member of the 2nd International.
The article by Adler that Akselrod assumed never appeared in either "Iskra" or "Zarya".
20) The uncle of the hero of Goncharov's novel "An Ordinary Story".
21) Geistiger — spiritual.
22) It has not been possible to establish whom Akselrod means here; in the correspondence, the "sisters" were — V. I. Zasulich, I. G. Smidovich-Zagorskaya, N. K. Krupskaya, but none of these people were in Munich at that time.
A. I. Elizarova had also already left Switzerland at this time and was in Paris.
23) Schouwer — a student who was involved in the transport of "Iskra".

4.
18/X 00 [Munich].
Dear P. B. Yesterday I received your long and kind letter
of 15/X – many thanks for it.
We were extremely glad to learn that you are feeling better and that you are working. The article for the newspaper is even already being rewritten! You are overtaking us – we all cannot arrange it so that there is someone to rewrite the things necessary for sending. Zagorskaya *)
still isn’t coming, and the work of handling correspondence is becoming more and more.
I sometimes become exhausted and completely lose the habit
of my real work.
I didn’t quite understand your hint about the upcoming “fuss” with the Parisians.2)
Of course, it would be terribly difficult to write about everything for you, but maybe you will pass on, what the essence is, to Vera Ivanovna [Zasulich], who, we hope,
will soon go here?3)
We still don’t have a person responsible4)...
The statement is ready and sent to Russia (I will send it to you soon), soon it will be possible
to begin typesetting the newspaper.
We are thinking of publishing the large correspondence “May Days in Kharkov” (about 50 thousand letters) as a separate brochure :i), and placing only a short one in the newspaper
extract, otherwise, don’t take up
3/4 of a sheet with one thing! (The newspaper will have 3 columns per page with approximately 6 thousand
letters, or rather, "places" in a column (we are thinking of making the 1st L* of the newspaper
in 2 sheets, 8 pages?).
What do you think?
Thanks for the advice about correspondences – we will definitely
try to use it, because the physiognomy of the newspaper would only benefit from this, of course.
I completely agree with your view on the brother’s [Potresov’s] trip.6)
What can you do with him?
We have to полу-V. I. LENIN — P. B. AKSELROD.

LEPPINSKY COLLECTION.
receive warnings from everywhere – both from Paris (that visitors from Russia call all three by name) and from Russia (that
I was tracked on the way here and in one district town they took
a completely innocent man who had never seen me, a distant relative7), and they asked what commissions I had given him!!), and I am trying with all my strength to convince my brother [Potresov] either not to
go, or to wave for
2 weeks, and I am persuading, and mocking, and scolding (I have never scolded him so severely!) – nothing
works, he keeps repeating one thing: home, home!
Now he has sung so much that the statement has gone to Russia - which means there will be (in the case that this statement falls, and this is certain) a direct indication of a new literary enterprise.
And now it wouldn’t be so long to wait for Alexei [Martov]?
Right now my "opponent" will come and I will let him read this - let him
"refute" it, if he has enough conscience!
We are both completely healthy, but our nerves are quite developed, - the main thing is this agonizing uncertainty 8), these devils of Germans feed us with breakfasts, - ah! I would х !...
Yes, I forgot! (please forgive me generously for the haste of the letter!) - there have already been negotiations with Buchgoltz - he refused, flatly refused. He imposes a Vermittlerrolle on us – and do what you want!
I shake your hand firmly and send greetings to your whole
family. Your Petrov.
Zagorskaya [Smidovich-Lehman] has just arrived. I will see her tomorrow}.

[Postscript by L. N. Potresov.]
I have read the letter and do not approve of its contents.
Krag.

*) Zagorskaya, Inna Germogenovna Smidovich-Lehman, also known as "Dimka,"
who performed the secretarial duties of the editor of "Iskra" until N. K. Krupskaya arrived
in April 1901.
Then I. G. Smidovich worked as an *iskrovka* in Russia; in 1902 she was arrested in Kremenchug; on January 13, 1903
she escaped from the Kiev Gendarmerie Administration (see her escape in No. 33
dated 1/I — 1903 and No. 35 dated 1/IV — 1903 of "Iskra").
Subsequently she became a Menshevik (see also "Letters of P. B. Axelrod and Yu. O. Martov."
Berlin 1923, p. 61.
2) "Parisians" - Gurevich, Ryazanov, Steklov, - see letter 1, note 5.