Expulsion of Wilhelm Wolff
Petits Carmes. 5 foreigners and 24 Belgians.
Wolff’s right eye smashed, will hardly recover its sight.
Sunday 27 February, evening between 10 and 11 o’clock
Actual maltreatment in the Hôtel de Ville, punches from all sides. The actual maltreatment only in the police room, where a crowd of drunk civic guards. Policeman strikes W. with clenched fist in the right eye, so that he the s
They tore his glasses off, spat in his face, kicked him, punched him, insulted him, etc. One of the civic guards proved his bravery by joining in these manifestations. They tortured him.
In the meantime Hody arrived, chef de la sûreté publique, infamous philanthropist, hypocritical scoundrel.
Wolff half an hour’s conversation with him in the presence of the scoundrel who arrested him under terrible maltreatment.
Hody’s fury on account of Wolff’s visit to him. Expressed himself furiously against the German workers’ association. “I bet, said he among other things, that among those who will be arrested tonight there will be nearly two-thirds Germans.” Wolff said: “oui, if, that is, they have already been designated beforehand to be arrested” with the dagger.
From the Permanence taken to the Amigo. Wolff passport arrested that evening.
The whole affair that evening a provocation organised by the police. The ministry needed prisoners at any price, especially Germans too.
At the Amigo: other arrested persons soon arrive; those joined to Wolff: Belgians. One so maltreated and wounded by the police that he lost at least 1 quart of blood. A third see p. 2.
Monday, etc., taken to the Petits Carmes.
Wednesday the 6 arrested foreigners receive their expulsion passport.
But Wolff’s is dated 27 February, Sunday, still before his arrest. Abominably treated in prison.
Karl Marx: Notes on the Arrest and Expulsion of Wilhelm Wolff.
First page of the manuscript