V. I.

Lenin

211

CONVERSATION BY DIRECT LINE WITH B. M. VOLIN NOVEMBER 29, 1918

Comrade Volin, Chairman of the Orel Gubernia Executive
Committee and Gubernia Party Committee, on the line:

I
have just received a telegram from Surazh as follows: “On
November 29, a congress of German Councils in the Ukraine is taking
place at Gomel. It is essential to send representatives. We have sent the
head of the Information Department, and others. We are conducting
talks with a big German Council in the Ukraine and are enlisting in
the Red Army volunteers from the German army. Send directives
for talks to our representatives in the Ukraine. Our representatives
have been guaranteed safety, they are under German protection. The
temper of the German army is thoroughly Bolshevik.”
I decided today to send to Gomel a Communist, Chairman of the Soviet, and a
German, the Communist Meyer, from the International Detachment.
Should the Chairman of the Orel Soviet only make a speech of
greetings or can he take upon himself a political mission? I am asking you
for a directive. If you know of this congress and have sent your
representatives, then perhaps our delegation is not necessary.

Lenin : I know nothing about this congress. I advise you
to get in touch immediately with the Ukrainian Communists
and with their Central Committee via Kursk. The reports
about the majority of the German Councils being on the side of the Bolsheviks must be carefully verified. If this is
not the case, then it is necessary at the congress to deliver
a detailed, well-substantiated, principled speech about
Bolshevism and its tasks. If, however, the German soldiers
are already Bolsheviks or Spartacists, then we must propose
to them an immediate alliance with us for the speediest
restoration of Soviet power in the Ukraine and for the arrest not only of whiteguards, but also of the supporters of
the Rada. In any case people must be sent to the congress
who are capable of accurately reporting back all the discussions and resolutions.

If it is already too late to send new representatives to
the congress, then try to wire my note through to the people you have already sent. I await a reply.

Volin :
Vladimir Ilyich, I informed you that I decided to send the Chairman of the Soviet to Gomel. He is leaving tonight. That
was why I asked for your directive. Simultaneously with this I shall
try to get in touch with Kursk.

Lenin : I am very glad that you are sending the chairman
to the congress. I hope you are satisfied with my suggestions. Arrange for me to get information about each day
of the congress. [1]

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Notes:
[1]
Lenin’s doubts about the correctness of the reports that most of
the Councils of German soldiers in the Ukraine had adopted a
Bolshevik stand were fully justified. The All-Ukraine Congress of
Councils of German Soldiers, held in Kiev on December 13, 1918,
was influenced by German opportunists and did not adopt any
political resolution. The Congress decided to come to an agreement
with Petlyura’s bands and to surrender Kiev to them without a
fight in exchange for the free passage of westward-bound German
troop trains.