Ernst Thalmann Speeches and articles about history German labor movement Volume 3 Selection ...

377 Pages·2016·1.73 MB·English

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Ernst Thalmann
Speeches and articles
about history
German
labor movement
Volume 3
Selection from the years
September 1930 to February 1932
After edition, Volume 1
Publisher Red Flag
1975
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CONTENT
foreword ......................................................................................................................................4
Vorbemerkung............................................................................................................................5
The Road to Freedom (14 September 1930) ........................................ .................................... 11
The KPD after the parliamentary elections (September 1930) ......................................... ............... 18
Unfolded the red banner of the world October! (November 7, 1930) .......................................... 28
We lead the people to victory over the fascist dictatorship! (December 12, 1930) ........... 31
Comrade Thalmann about Ruhrkampf (January 6, 1931) ....................................... ............... 42
People's Revolution on Germany (15 to 17 January 1931) ...................................... ................. 44
A. Analysis of the situation and prospects of development ................................. 44
I. The Weltwirtschaftskrise...............................................................................................45
II. The position of Sowjetunion...........................................................................................48
III. The economic situation in Germany .............................................. .......................... 50
IV. The position of the German working class and the working people .................................... 52
V. The specific characteristics of the current crisis .......................................... ........ 53
VI. The perspective of the development of the crisis ............................................ ................... 56
VII. The political impact of the crisis in Germany ......................................... 59
VIII. The problem of the fascist dictatorship ........................................... ..................... 62
B. Our policy and the tasks of the Party ......................................... ........................... 64
I. Our mass struggle against fascism ........................................... ...................... 65
II. United Front and the struggle for the recovery of the working ................................... 67
III. The teachings of the strike struggles and the tasks of the RGO ........................................ 73
IV. Progress and shortcomings in the party work .......................................... ..................... 76
The KPD in advance (15 to 17 January 1931) ..................................... ................................... 88
Thalmann battle cry against fascism (February 3, 1931) ....................................... .... 101
Thalmann settlement with the Nazis (28 February 1931) ....................................... ............ 103
Comrade Thalmann revolutionary prosecution (22 March 1931) ........................................ ........ 104
Thalmann Reputation: Into the RGO! (April 5, 1931) ............................................ ................ 105
Ernst Thalmann shows the toiling peasants of Germany the way (april 1931) ...... 108
Thalmann fight greeting to the youth (April 5, 1931) ....................................... .................... 111
The situation in Germany and the tasks of the KPD (April / May 1931) ............................... 112
Thalmann May Fight greeting to the workers and peasants of the USSR (April 30, 1931) .......... 150
Ernst Thalmann May campaign speech (May 1, 1931) ....................................... ............................ 151
Kampfmai for Soviet Germany (May 1, 1931) ....................................... .......................... 156
Forward under the banner of the Communist International (May 14, 1931) ...................................... ............ 159
Thalmann calls: Battle of Bauernnot! (22 May 1931) ............................................ .............. 184
The SPD-workers the brother hand (11 June 1931) ...................................... ....................... 199
On the offensive against the class enemy! (July 24, 1931) ............................................ ...... 203
The SPD-workers and the "lesser evil" (September 18, 1931) .................................. ...... 209
About the red victory in Hamburg (September 30, 1931) ...................................... .......... 211
Some errors in our theoretical and practical work and the way to her
Overcoming (Dec. 1931).............................................................................................214
Forge the red united front! (29 November 1931) ............................................ ........... 237
The center, the leading party of the German bourgeoisie (Jan 1932) ........................ 241
Some remarks on the work of the youth organization (Feb 1932) ................................. 257
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The revolutionary way and the KPD (February 19, 1932) ...................................... .......... 262
I. The international Lage...................................................................................................262
II. The situation in Germany ............................................ .................................................. .274
III. Our revolutionary mass struggle ............................................... .............................. 302
IV. Our ideological offensive and the Bolshevik criticism of shortcomings, weaknesses
and failure of Parteiarbeit.................................................................................................311
V. Decisive turn on the field of our agitation and propaganda .............. 325
conclusion .........................................................................................................................330
ANHANG...............................................................................................................................341
Bauer utility of the KPD (Mai 1931) ........................................... ........................... 341
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Preliminary remarks
I
The present edition of the speeches and essays of Ernst Thalmann from 1930 to
1933 appear on decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD). It was compiled by a working collective of the publishing Red Flag.
With this issue for the first time is a nearly complete collection of speeches
and essays of Ernst Thalmann, this outstanding leader of the German working class,
from the decisive struggle years before the seizure of Hitlerism
made available. The output includes the Thalmann writings from the period between
September 1930 and March 1933 the date of the arrest of Ernst Thalmann by
Fascists.
Thus, the output connects to where the collection of speeches and articles Thalmann
the Dietz Verlag in East Berlin breaks with its second volume. The other issue
This originally planned three-volume edition of the Dietz publishing house was of the
SED Revisionists late fifties set without any explanation. The already
printed second volume was not fully delivered. The first band was in
the GDR not reissued by 1958th The third volume was never published.
Given the fact that the first two volumes of the old Dietz edition in
Templates Federal Republic until recently in photomechanical reprinting, while the
Texts from the period from 1930 to the assassination of Ernst Thalmann 18 August 1944
majority of them are not tangible, decided the publisher Red Flag, first the speeches
and Essays 1930-1933 issue in two half volumes. These present two
Half volumes to be later in the multi-volume collection of speeches and articles Ernst
Thalmann queuing that will issue the publisher Red Flag in the coming years.
The publication of the writings of Ernst Thalmann encounters major difficulties. The
Originals of most documents are either lost, destroyed by the fascists
been or will be by the SED Revisionists in their specialized institutes under lock
kept. Most of the old brochure editions are only a few copies
receive.
The publisher Red Flag has all the him speeches and essays of Ernst Thalmann, the
in the form of brochures, magazine articles, printed reports, calling and
Articles in the 'Red Flag' be summarized in this issue. The templates
reprinted unchanged and unabridged. Only the punctuation and unique
Set errors were corrected gently.
Even if the issue can not claim, already a scientific
to be critical business issue, so is their appearance but a great political and
editorial success represents.
Because it turns out: neither the Nazis nor the SED revisionists succeeded
or able to destroy the revolutionary legacy of Ernst Thalmann or permanently
to suppress.
In 1974 we wrote:
"On August 18, 1944, thirty years ago, Ernst Thalmann was murdered by the fascists. He
died, like thousands of his comrades, as a revolutionary, unbroken, unwavering in
Relying on the masses of the people and the victory of the proletarian revolution.
The fascists could Ernst Thalmann murder. But his image and his revolutionary work as
Communist and outstanding labor leaders they could not extinguish. His legacy lives on,
will continue and will be fulfilled! " [Forward in the spirit of Ernst Thalmann !, brochure the KPD to 30th
Anniversary of the assassination of Ernst Thalmann on 08/18/1944]
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The SED / DKP revisionists try to be executor of revolutionary
Legacy of Ernst Thalmann represent. But even the suppression of speech and
Writings Thalmann by the revisionists shows: Ernst Thalmann is for them a
indigestible chunks.
You must suppress the revolutionary content of his legacy, must be
Recesses and counterfeit knock together a hollow Thälmann image to the bill
her claim to be fulfiller of the heritage of Ernst Thalmann, ever
maintain. The SED / DKP revisionists, these governors and henchmen
Soviet social-imperialism on German soil, to the real, the
revolutionary legacy of Ernst Thalmann fear.
Because accept and fulfill Thalmann revolutionary legacy seriously
ie: the implacable fight against all forms of opportunism and revisionism
to lead,
ie: be sure to hold on proletarian internationalism,
means enter the building and strengthening of the Bolshevik Party,
ie: the masses under the leadership of the working class and its Communist Party
in the struggle for socialism, for the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat
unite,
ie: the struggle for national and social liberation of the German people to end
to lead.
The revolutionary work and the legacy of Ernst Thalmann is in irreconcilable
Contrary to the policy of the SED / DKP revisionists. Although the SED / DKP try
Revisionists, as well as their social-imperialist authority, with socialist '
Camouflage phrases. Although dare these people, suppress the Thalmann writings to
decorate with the name of Ernst Thalmann.
But the more we in the creative realization of the legacy of Ernst Thalmann
will progress, the clearer will be the Soviet social-imperialists and their
5. columns, the revisionist parties, as successors of the Nazis and as
Main enemies not only of the German working class and the German people, but of all
Peoples of Europe and the world appear.
To more clearly will be seen: also in pursuit of Ernst Thalmann and
Suppression of his work are the revisionists - albeit in more subtle way - to
become the successors of the Nazis.
This edition is in spite of the suppression of manuscripts and printed
Ernst Thalmann writings come by the revisionists about. This itself is already
a success. But it is also a commitment that excellent ideological weapon in
this issue is to recognize and fight for the strengthening of international
and national united front against the imperialist superpowers, in the fight against
Social-imperialism and modern revisionism and the struggle for an independent,
to use united socialist Germany.
II
Life Ernst Thalmann is inseparable from the great revolutionary
Traditions of the German proletariat, the struggle of revolutionary Marxism against
all opportunistic distortions and falsifications: born in 1886, he has performed as
Seventeen of the SPD in and was from the beginning on the side of the revolutionaries in the
SPD. He lashed out with Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht, the policy of supporting
bloody German imperialism by the SPD and trade union leaders. Since 1917
He was a member of the Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD), fought during
the November revolution as a member of the Workers 'and Soldiers' Council at the barricades
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Hamburg and organized the march of the Hamburg workers to Bremen to
Support of the Soviet Republic. He advocated the union of USPD and KPD, was
1920 elected to the Central Committee of the KPD and quickly grew to become one of the sharpest
Opponents of the Right opportunists in the KPD to Brandler and Thalheimer zoom, the 1923
Organizing the German Revolution prevented. On the barricades of Hamburg
Uprising of 1923 Ernst Thalmann became the personification of the revolutionary
Struggle will of the German proletariat. In 1924 he became deputy in 1925
Chairman of the Communist Party and remained the leader of the German Communist Party to up
his assassination in 1944 by the fascists.
Ernst Thalmann was with the masses of closely related tribune and labor leader, he
stood with exemplary courage in the forefront of the revolutionary struggles of
German proletariat. He united in his person - contrary to all bourgeois lies
Scribblers - deep excellently knowledge of scientific socialism
with the practical experience of the proletarian class fighter. He was a great strategist
and standing in a row with the great leaders of the German workers' movement, with August
Bebel, Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht.
Of this place especially the speeches and articles from 1930 to 1933, living
Witness: steadfastly held Ernst Thalmann firmly on proletarian internationalism
and fought for the fact that the German working class in the spirit of proletarian
Internationalism was brought up; He castigated the aggressive nature of imperialism and
stated long as there is imperialism, as long as there will be wars. He joined the
Union of communist parties in the Communist International, for
the alliance with the Soviet Union a. Under his leadership the KPD felt Campaign
"Hands off the Soviet Union" and "Hands off China". At his suggestion,
developed the KPD the groundbreaking "program for national and social liberation of
German people "in 1930. This program exposed the bourgeois
Nationalism as a pure hoax: a real national liberation of the German
People there can only enter with the defeat of the imperialist system. At the same time
and here was this program an innovator program used the KPD contradictions
between a weak imperialist country (Germany) and the imperialist
Victors of l. World war by already under the conditions of the ruling
Imperialism in Germany against all forms of imperialist oppression of the
Versailles victors entered:
"Only we Communists fight both against the Young Plan and against the Versailles
Predatory peace, the starting point of the enslavement of all working people in Germany, as well as against
all international treaties, agreements and plans ... from the Versailles Peace Treaty
emerge. We communists are against any power of reparation, against any
Paying international debts ...
We Communists declare that we no forcible annexation of a people or a
People part to other national political structure that we recognize not only limit that without
Approval of the working people and the real majority of the population is taken. We
Communists are against the carried out due to the Versailles peace territorial violence
Laceration and plundering Germany ...
We lead and organize the fight against tax and customs, against the rise in rents
and community fares against wage cuts, unemployment and all attempts to the burdens of Young-
Planes (reparations) shift on the working people in town and country. "
The "program for national and social liberation of the German people" so union
fighting against the oppression of a weak (imperialist!) by country
other imperialist countries with the struggle for social liberation - no wonder that
this program since Trotsky attacked by all those who the the proletariat
Deny leadership in the fight for national liberation, of the dialectic national
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and social liberation can not understand the Leninist sense. These critics of
"Program for national and social liberation", still stand on the side
those Marxist-Leninist the policy of the preparation of the international
United front against the two imperialist superpowers attack.
The special merit Thalmann it is, the KPD set off a Bolshevik
Party out to have. Against the rights in the Communist Party, to the party a
Social Democratic Party members tried herunterzuwirtschaften, and against
Ultra-leftists that the KPD separated from the masses, sat Thalmann the principles of
democratic centralist, by the masses related party in Germany. He
fought against liberalism, which defied any party discipline, and closed
all Fraktionisten from the party. Simultaneously, under his leadership,
Operating cell to the very foundation of the party. Thalmann recognized the need
the leadership of the revolutionary movement by the Communist Party:
"Today we can say with certainty that the working class (Russia) on November 7, 1917
no power had conquered, if not a factor would have been present, whose engagement the
Decision brought about and thus the history of the world gave a new direction. This factor
was the Russian Communist Party, the Bolshevik Party, the party of Lenin ... The. 7
November 1917 is the most powerful incarnation of the Leninist doctrine of the leading role of
Bolshevik Party in the proletarian revolution. "
With all clarity the party Thalmann fought against the policy of the SPD and
Union leaders also and especially in the Antifascist Action. Thalmann recognized
early that the SPD and trade union leaders actively and terroristic the
bourgeois state would defend, even if the bourgeois class dictatorship
not in the deep economic and political crisis since 1929 more by the means of
let maintained parliamentary bourgeois democracy. As social fascists would
they every progressive movement of the proletariat with terror and the abolition of bourgeois
democratic rights in the bud looking to suffocate, and if they do not the dictatorship
would build, they still would be accomplices of fascism. Given the
Later policies of the SPD and especially the union leaders that the first
Bourgeoisie offered the dictatorship and then finally made ​​a pact with the fascists, was
this assessment of 1929 almost prophetic. Thalmann it was himself who
sectarian errors in the preparation of united action against fascism with
Social Democratic and nonparty workers in 1932 with the help of the Communist
International sought to correct. It was especially the 1932 "Anti-Fascist
Action "encouraged and organized, having already as a leader of the" Red
Front Fighters' League ", the military organization of the KPD, the fascists with the means
Class violence combated.
About the "Antifascist Action" wrote Ernst Thalmann 1932:
You should "all forms of mass proletarian resistance against fascism, war and famine
summarized and the active mass struggle unfold. You want us to solid organization a
Allow movement of millions of warring Red united front. It also seeks the
Facilitating party, the masses to struggle against every capitalist way out of crisis
collect and to fight for the revolutionary way out for proletarian revolution
to prepare."
In the fight for the realization of the united front policy, the KPD 1923-1933 to
develop sought to Socialist, Communist and non-party workers and
advanced anti-fascists from the ranks of the other sections of the people against the
Nazism unite, Ernst Thalmann stood in the front row.
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And finally, the name Ernst Thalmann for the Leninist policy in union
the KPD. With great clarity, he developed the communist unionists the
Strategy that the revolutionary trade unionists not to conquer
Could go central apparatus of the trade unions, but the conquest of the majority
of the members.
"We may also in our own ranks no illusion on the question of the conquest
Give rise to unions. There are some parties (the Communist International)
Tendencies that the question of the seizure of the trade unions as a matter of conquering the
Trade union apparatus provide. But who the question of the conquest of the trade union apparatus'
provides misunderstands completely the fascist takeover of the apparatus ... is for us to be the question
the conquest of the trade union masses. "
"Not to the extent that the means of bourgeois democracy to oppression and exploitation
longer sufficient to the extent that the dictatorial and social fascist methods the
Exacerbate bourgeoisie, in the same measure is also at the same time, the process for
Elimination of industrial democracy of the union movement take place ... The stronger the
Union apparatus with the state apparatus of power fuses, the more the revolutionary
Union opposition, this system attacks ..., the sharper is the attack of
His social fascism to the revolutionary front. "
Therefore Thalmann developed the strategy of "self-struggle leadership" regardless
of and against the Social Democratic union leaders. And he fought for that
this union strategy built on the company party cells and operational
Fighting organizations (such as independent strike committees and committees of struggle). As Ernst
Thalmann excluded after 27 years membership of the Transport Workers' Federation
was, he called the bigwigs to:
"We go forward! You go back! We are the army of dawn! You are the
last declining protecting their capital. The tremendous power of millions of proletarian
Fighters, together with the exploiters even you, their lackeys, sweep! "
Again and again propagated Ernst Thalmann, the dictatorship of the proletariat as the only
lasting way out of crisis economic and political oppression. In view of the
Anniversary of the Paris Commune of 1870-71 declared Ernst Thalmann:
"What are the main lessons that the international proletariat with the help of the writings of Marx
and Lenin drew from the struggle of the Communards? Firstly, that the proletariat to
not take over bourgeois state apparatus and in a democratic way in the proletarian
State apparatus can transform, but that the proletarian revolution the bourgeois state
battered and must be replaced by the proletarian apparatus of power, by the councils, the
resolved and leading organs of the working class.
Secondly, that the proletariat ruthlessly, brutally crush the bourgeoisie, their troops
disarm, must raise its own armed force, because the bourgeoisie, if you only
a few days can be to collect, organize, arm, their power ruthlessly
Used on the working class, which registers its claim as a class, cruel bloody revenge
takes. "
Also, under the leadership of Ernst Thalmann failed the KPD, the most ruthless
Troops of the bourgeoisie, fascism, in the class battles 1930-1932
repulse. He was already on 3 March 1933, a few weeks after
Establishment of the Hitler dictatorship arrested. Eleven years of torture and solitary confinement could Ernst
Thalmann not break. Without him ever being able to make a process, the shot
Fascists him on 18 August 1944th
But his legacy lives on in theory and practice of all Marxist-Leninist parties,
lives on in the heart of the German working class. Forward in the spirit of Ernst Thalmann!
Forward with the KPD!