London, 23 September 1876 

Dear Bracke, 

A French work by Lissagaray, Histoire de la Commune (500-600 
pages), is now being printed, publisher, H. Kistemaeckers, librairie 
contemporaine, Boulevard du Nord, 60, Bruxelles. This will be the 
first authentic history of the Commune. Not only has Lissagaray 
made use of all the published sources—he is also in possession of 
the material inaccessible to all others, quite apart from his having 
witnessed with his own eyes most of the events he depicts. 

Yesterday I had from him a letter addressed to him by Julius 
Grunzig of Berlin, in which the latter offers himself as translator. 

D’abord* 1 don’t know Grunzig; perhaps you can let me have 
some information about him. 

Secondly, however, he says nothing whatever about where the 
thing is to be published or how and, even if we could use Mr 

“ First 

12* 

Grunzig as translator (this depends entirely on his ability to do 
such work), he would be taken on only as translator, and in no 
case would he be entrusted with its publication. 

I would suggest that you undertake to bring out this work, 
which is of importance to our party and of interest to the German 
reading public at large. But Lissagaray—-who, needless to say, as a 
refugee in London, isn’t exactly in a bed of roses— must, in return 
for the German publication rights conceded by him, get a share of 
the profits which you yourself should determine. 

As for the translation, I would send Grunzig—since he was the 
first to apply and is also recommended by Most—some sample 
sheets to translate in order to assure myself of his competence. 

Should you accept the proposal, the original would be sent to 
you (and/or the translator) in batches, so that the German 
translation might appear pretty well simultaneously with the 
French original. 

Publication by instalments, as proposed by Grunzig in his letter, 
is inadmissible since the thing would then appear in German 
sooner than in French, and the Belgian publisher would object to 
this. 

As regards payment of the translator, that is a matter to be 
settled exclusively between yourself and him. 

You would oblige me by letting me have an early reply so that 
no time may be lost, and I can, if needs be, write to another 
publisher. 

With best regards from myself and Engels. 

Yours, 
Karl Marx 
My address is: 
41 Maitland Park Road, N.W., London.