Frederick Lessner - Sixty Years in the Social-Democratic Movement

FREDERICK LESSNER.

Some years ago (in the Social-Democrat) I expressedthe hope that the autobiography of that old war-horse ofthe Socialist Party, Friedrich Lessner, probably the oldestliving Social-Democrat, which had then just been publishedin German, in the Deutsche Worte, of Vienna, shouldappear in an English form. This hope has now beenrealised in the following excellent translation. The presentlittle book speaks for itself. It is for all Socialists of anabsorbing interest, dealing, as it does, with the first beginningsof Modern Socialism, the period of the old International,and the early days of the present British movement,and written, as it is, by one who was himself throughoutan actor in the events he describes.

Speaking from personal knowledge, as a frequent guestat the old house in Regents Park Road, I can testify to thehigh opinion his old friend Friedrich Engels had of Lessnersservices to the party.

To all but the youngest members of the Socialist movementin London, Friedrich Lessner will be a familiar figure,with his long white beard, which of late years hasemphasised more than ever an already existing suggestion,in appearance, of the earth-spirit or gnome (Rbezahl) of oldGerman folk-lore. To such of those who have known him, thepersonal element will, of course, give an added interest tothese memoirs; but, as already indicated, their interest isfar more than merely personal. They are bound to constitutein the future a valuable first-hand source to the historianof the Modern Socialist movement, when he shall arise.Meanwhile, I may venture to predict that they will bewelcome to many readers for their own intrinsic merits.

E. BELFORT BAX.

DEDICATED TO MY WIFE.

I never had any intention of writing my recollections, butwhen I attended the Cologne Congress, in October, 1893, Iwas requested by so many comrades to publish my reminiscencesof the many phases of the working-class movementin which I had taken part, that I at last consented to doso. The sorrow caused by the death of Frederick Engels(my friend for so many years) and continued ill-health haveretarded me in my task.

Born on February 27th, 1825, in Saxe-Weimar, Germany,I was apprenticed to the tailoring trade, in which I havebeen employed for nearly seventy years. At the age ofseventeen, having finished my apprenticeship, I went on mytravels, according to German custom. During this period Ipassed all over the northern part of Germany, and finallysettled down to work at Hamburg, where I became a memberof the Working Mens Education Society. Here, at Hamburg,I became acquainted with Democrats and even Socialists.In March, 1847, in order to escape from compulsorymilitary service, I came to London, where I at once joinedthe Arbeiter-Verein (Workmens Educational Society), whichis now the Communist Workmens Club, 107, CharlotteStreet, Fitzroy Square, W.

It is not easy to describe ones own life; moreover, a lifefull of sorrow and distress, full of struggling and suffering,which unfortunately so often falls to revolutionary proletarians,is not always a pleasant one. Out of the eightyyears of my life, sixty belong to the revolutionary Labourmovement.

I witnessed the storms of the second half of the fortiesof the last century, being then a convinced Communist and apassionate champion of Socialism. Then came years ofexile from Germany, followed by bitter persecutions, causedby the agitation of the Association of the Communists.Later came the International Workingmens Association,the Paris Commune, the German Socialist Coercion Law, theinauguration of the international celebration ofMay-Dayall helping to form the history of Socialism, making thefuture more and more promising and hopeful.

One of the first works dealing with the social questionwhich attracted my attention was the famous booklet ofWeitlings, called Guarantees of Harmony and Freedom.This excited my imagination, and when in 1846, as a youngjourneyman tailor, I heard a very pronounced Communisticspeech in Hamburg, it caused me to imagine that Communismwould be realised in a few years. If anybody then hadtold me that in the next century we should be under the dominationof capitalism I should have considered him stupid.The first flash of the idea of Communism dazzled me.

When, however, in 1847, I had the opportunity of hearingKarl Marx and had read and understood the Manifestoof the Communist Party, it became clear to me that theenthusiasm and good intentions of individuals were not sufficientto effect a transformation of human society. I had toacknowledge economic development as the decisive factor inthe history of human society.

What I lost in enthusiasm and sentiment, however, Igained in clear thinking; much to my joy, for, coming intocontact with men of great understanding, my deficiencies soonbecame apparent to me. At this time I was only 22.

My father died early, and I only remember my stepfather,who treated me with such severity that I avoided him asmuch as possible. My mother was not allowed to keep mefor long, she having to send me to distant relations in thecountry, where I grew up. In this new home I had to startwork at an early age, and went to school very seldom. Istill remember very vividly, though, a lesson in naturalscience, which was characteristic of the whole teaching atthat time. Why is it, asked the teacher, that AlmightyGod lets day and night only come on slowly? Answer:In order that people shall not get blind. That was what wehad to answer; and woe to the boy that could not answerquickly.

Religion governed the whole teaching in the schools.The explanation of natural phenomena was only a continuationof the catechism. My education at home and at schoolwas throughout a uniformly religious one. My first experiencesin the world soon led me to see that there was aconflict between religion and knowledge which was onlyremoved when later on in life I became a Socialist and then aMaterialist.

After having left school I was apprenticed to a master-tailorat Weimar, where I remained as apprentice for fouryears. It is not necessary to describe in detail the pleasuresand sufferings of the life of an apprentice; most of my readerswill know them from their own experience. I passed the examinationthen necessary to qualify as a journeyman andstarted tramping, as was then the custom with a Germanjourneyman. My first stop was at Jena, the birth-place of myparents. Here I was offered work, which I did not accept,because my ardour for travelling was too strong. I stayed,however, at Jena for some months, and went tramping againin the summer. I rambled about Saxony, Silesia, and theRiesengebirge, the natural beauty of which often promptedme to utter cries of admiration, and arrived at Breslau, whereI would have liked to have stayed, but I could not find work.Then I started for Berlin, where I was again unsuccessfulin getting work. Only in Mecklenburg did I succeed, andwhen my job ended I went to Hamburg. This was in theautumn of 1843. Hamburg was still in ruins, caused by thegreat fire which had been raging there the year before. HereI found good and profitable work, and remained for threeyears. In the autumn of 1846 I had to leave Hamburg tofulfil my compulsory military service in my own little fatherland.At Weimar I presented myself to the military authorities,and was found fit for service; but as I had not presentedmyself the year before, according to law, double servicewas imposed upon me as punishment. However, theygave me leave till the spring of 1847, which induced me togo back to Hamburg for the time. It was here that a crisisin my life took placeinstead of becoming a soldier ofAbsolutism I became a soldier of Freedom.