Berlin, Ioffe

Today at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, two unknown persons, having made their way into the German embassy with a forged document from the Extraordinary Commission, threw a bomb into the office of Count Mirbach. Count Mirbach, severely wounded, has died. The Government, whose representatives immediately visited the German embassy and expressed to it their indignation at this act of political provocation, is taking all measures to discover the murderers for their submission to the extraordinary Revolutionary Tribunal. Measures have been intensified for the protection of the German embassy and German citizens. The Government instructs you to immediately visit the German Minister of Foreign Affairs and express to the German Government the indignation of the Russian Government at this act, as well as to visit the family of the murdered Count Mirbach to express to them its condolences.

Lenin

Written July 6, 1918

First published in 1959

From the text of the telegraph blank in the book "Decrees of Soviet Power," vol. II