The London German Workers’ Educational Society,’ in agreement 

with an agent of the Polish national government,” has authorised 
the undersigned committee to organise a collection of funds for 
Poland among the German workers in England, Germany, 
Switzerland and the United States. Even if only little material help 
can be given Poland in this manner, great moral assistance can be 
rendered. 

The Polish question is the German question. Without an 
independent Poland there can be no independent and united 
Germany, no emancipation of Germany from the Russian 
domination that began with the first partition of Poland. The 
German aristocracy long since recognised the Tsar as secret 
supreme sovereign. The German bourgeoisie looks on, silent, 
passive and indifferent, at the slaughter of the heroic nation which 
alone still shields Germany from the Muscovite deluge. Part of the 
bourgeoisie realises the danger, but is willing to sacrifice German 
interests to those of the individual German states, whose existence 
depends on the dismemberment of Germany and the maintenance 
of the Russian hegemony. Another section of the bourgeoisie 
regards the autocracy in the east as it does the reign of the coup 
d’etat* in the west, as a necessary buttress of order. Finally, a third 
part is so absolutely obsessed by the important business of making 
money that it has completely lost understanding of and insight 
into major historical relations. The Germans of 1831 and 1832, by 
their open demonstration in support of Poland,*" at least forced 
the Federal Diet to take strong measures. Today Poland finds its 

« The reign of Napoleon III.— Ed. 

Proclamation on Poland 297 

most eager opponents, and hence Russia finds its most useful 
tools, among the liberal masterminds of the so-called National 
Association.’'? Everyone is free to decide for himself how far this 
liberal Russophilism is linked to the Prussian upper crust. 

In this fateful moment, the German working class owes it to the 
Poles, to foreign countries and to its own honour to raise a loud 
protest against the German betrayal of Poland, which is at the 
same time treason to Germany and to Europe. It must inscribe the 
Restoration of Poland in letters of flame on its banner, since 
bourgeois liberalism has erased this glorious motto from its own 
flag. The English working class has won immortal historical 
honour for itself by thwarting the repeated attempts of the ruling 
classes to intervene on behalf of the American slaveholders by its 
enthusiastic mass meetings, even though the prolongation of the 
American Civil War subjects a million English workers to the most 
fearful suffering and privations. 

If police restrictions prevent the working class in Germany from 
conducting demonstrations on such a scale for Poland, they do not 
in any way force them to brand themselves in the eyes of the 
whole world as accomplices in the betrayal, through apathy and 
silence. 

The undersigned committee requests that money be sent to Mr. 
Bolleter, the occupant of the Society’s premises at 2 Nassau Street, 
Soho, London. The expenditure of the money is controlled by the 
Society and public account thereof will be given as soon as the 
purpose of this collection permits. 

Bolleter, Berger, Eccarius, Kriiger, 
Lessner, Limburg, Linden, Matzrath, 
Tatschky, Toups, Wolff 

London in November 1863 

298