Karl Marx an Ferdinand Freiligrath 
in London 
London, Mittwoch, 8. Februar 1860 

18 Feb. 1860. 
9, Graftonterrace, Maitlandpark, 
Haverstockhill, London 

Lieber Freiligrath, 

Als alter Partheifreund u. alter persönlicher Freund halte ich es für eine 
Pflicht, Dich von Schritten zu unterrichten, die ich im Interesse des Ber- 
liner Processes gethan, die also bald, nur nicht unmittelbar, dem Publi- 
cum bekannt werden müssen. 

Du wirst Dich erinnern, od. wirst aus dem Dir zugeschickten gedruck- 
ten englischen Circular wieder ersehn haben, daß Blind sich ausser auf 
Hollinger's, auf eines gewissen Setzers Wiehe schriftliche Erklärung in 
der A. A.Z. (u. s. w.) bezog als Beweis, daß ich „eine platte Unwahrheit" 
gesagt, daß „die Unterstellung eine Lüge war", daß er, Blind, Verfasser 
der Flugschrift „Zur Warnung", u. daß leztre für ihn von Hollinger ge- 
druckt, daß sie überhaupt aus Hollinger's Setzerei hervorgegangen. Ich 
theile Dir nun in wörtlicher Abschrift dieses Wiehes eidliche Erklärung 
vor dem Magistrat in Bowstreet mit. Von dieser Erklärung erhielt ich ein 
amtlich beglaubigtes Duplicat. Ein Exemplar derselben ist bereits auf der 
Reise nach Berlin zu dem Dossier der Staatsanwaltschaft. 

Ich halte es für überflüssig hier ein Wort Kommentar zu dem Akten- 
stück zuzufügen. 

Dein 
K. M. 

"One of the first days of November last—I do not recollect the exact 
date—in the evening between 9 and 10 o'clock I was taken out ofbed by 
Mr. F. Hollinger, in whose house (3, Litchfieldstreet, Soho) I was then 
living, and by whom I was employed as compositor. He presented to me 
a paper to the effect, that I had been continuously employed by him 
during the preceding 11 months, and that during all that time a certain 
German flysheet ‘Zur Warnung' (A Warning) had not been composed 
and printed in Mr. Hollinger's Office, 3 Litchfieldstreet, Soho. In my 
perplexed state,—and not aware of the importance || of the transaction I 

222 

complied with his wish, and copied and signed the document. He prom- 
ised me money, but I never received any thing. During that transaction 
Mr. Charles Blind, as my wife told me at the time, was waiting in 
Mr. Hollinger's room. A few days later Mrs. Hollinger (Mr. F. Hollin- 
ger's wife) called me down from dinner and led me into her husband's 
room, where I found Mr. Charles Blind alone. He presented me the same 
paper, which Mr. Hollinger had presented me before, and entreated me 

to write and sign a second copy, as he wanted two, the one for himself, 
the other for publication in the Press. He added that he would show 
himself grateful to me. I copied and signed again the paper. 

I herewith declare the truth of the above statements and that: 

1) During the eleven months, mentioned in the document, I was for six 
weeks not employed by Mr. Hollinger, but by a Mr. Ernani. 

2) I did not work in Mr. Hollinger's Office just at the time, when the 
flysheet ‘Zur Warnung' (A Warning) was published. 

3) I head at the time from Mr. Voegele, who then worked for Mr. Hol- 
linger, that he, Voegele, had together with Mr. Hollinger himself com- 
posed the flysheet in question, and that the manuscript was in 
Mr. Blind's handwriting. 

4) The types ofthe pamphlet were still standing, when I returned into 
Mr. Hollinger's service. I myself broke them unto columns for the reprint 
of the flysheet (or pamphlet) ‘Zur Warnung' (a warning) in the German 
paper 'Das Volk', published at London by Mr. Fidelio Hollinger, 3 Litch- 
fieldstreet, Soho. The flysheet appeared in N. 7, d.d. 18 June, 1859 
of 'Das Volk'. | 

15) I saw Mr. Hollinger give to Mr. William Liebknecht, of 14, Church- 
street, Soho, London, the proofsheet of the pamphlet ‘Zur War- 
nung', on which proofsheet Mr. Charles Blind with his own hand had 
corrected 4 or 5 mistakes. Mr. Hollinger hesitated at first giving the 
proofsheet to Mr. Liebknecht, and when Mr. Liebknecht had withdrawn, 
he, F. Hollinger, expressed to me and my fellow-workman Voegele his 
regret for having given the proofsheet out of his Hands. 

Johann Friedrich Wiehe. 
Declared and signed by the said 
Johann Friedrich Wiehe 
at the Police Court Bowstreet, 
London this 8" day of February 1860 
before me J. Henry. 

Police Court 

Englisches Wappen 
Bow Street 

Magistrate of the said Court." 

Ich ersuche Dich einstweilen diese Copie des Affidavit's Niemand mit- 
zutheilen. Die kriminalgerichtlichen Consequenzen desselben hier in Eng- 
land werden Dir nicht entgehn. |