Date: 1922-02-20
Source: ru:ND; en:Pipes

Comrade Kamenev!

In my view, we must not merely preach: “Learn from the Germans, you wretched Russian communist ‘Oblohmism’!” — we must also actually take the Germans as our teachers.

Otherwise, it’s all just empty rhetoric.

Why not start with those Germans who — as you have seen — have established a model institution in Moscow¹?

If you disagree, please jot down your thoughts. If you agree, forward the following to N.P. Gorbunov (Head of Administrative Affairs at the Sovnarkom) — for Semashko will not act on this.

Lenin.

Published in: Izvestia TsK KPSS, 1990, No. 4, p. 190.

Fund 2, Inventory 1, File 27071 — autograph.

1The note refers to the Central Bacteriological Station of the German Red Cross. On February 20, 1922, V.I. Lenin instructed N.P. Gorbunov, Head of Administrative Affairs at the Sovnarkom and the STO of the RSFSR, to “travel to that German medical institution in Moscow which is well known to L.B. Kamenev, and… to propose to the German physicians there… that they come and serve under us…” (Lenin, V.I., Complete Collected Works, vol. 54, p. 175).

No records have been found indicating that an agreement was reached with the German physicians.