November 23, 1868 1 Modena Villas, Maitland Park, Haverstock Hill, London

To Mr C. Speyer, Secretary of the German Workers’ Educational Society

Dear friend, I have been informed that the Society has decided to issue a circular letter to the German workers,’ the theme of which is said to be the “mass unification of the German workers of South and North in consequence of the Berlin Congress of September 26”.”!

In these circumstances I am obliged to announce my resignation from the Workers’ Society.

Such a letter is obviously intended as, or implies, a public alignment of the London German Workers’ Educational Society for Schweitzer and his organisation and against the organisation of the Nuremberg Congress,” which embraces most of South Germany and various parts of North Germany. As I am known in Germany as a member of the Society, in fact its oldest member, I would be held responsible for this step in spite of all possible assurances to the contrary.

You must, however, realise that I cannot accept such responsibility.

Firstly: During the disputes between the Nuremberg organisation, represented by Liebknecht, Bebel, etc., and the Berlin organisation, represented by Schweitzer, both parties have contacted me in writing. I have replied that as the Secretary of the General Council of the International Working Men’s Association a K. Speyer, “Der deutsche Arbeiter-Bildungsverein in London an die Arbeiter for Germany I have to maintain an impartial position. I have advised both parties, if they cannot and will not amalgamate with each other, to look for ways and means of working for the common goal peacefully side by side.

Secondly: In reply to a letter from Herr von Schweitzer to me, I have set out for him in detail the reasons why I can neither approve the manner in which the Berlin Congress was managed nor the statutes adopted by it.”

Thirdly: The Nuremberg Congress has affiliated itself directly to the International Working Men’s Association. The Hamburg Congress—of which the Berlin Congress was a continuation—has only indirectly affiliated itself by a statement of sympathy, owing to the obstacles placed in its path by the Prussian legislation. In spite of these obstacles, however, the newly formed Democratic Workers’ Association of Berlin, which belongs to the Nuremberg organisation, has publicly and officially affiliated itself to the International Working Men’s Association.

I repeat that in these circumstances the decision of the Society leaves me no other choice than to announce my resignation from it. I trust you will be so kind as to convey these lines of mine to the Society.

Yours sincerely, Karl Marx