ON THE GRAVE OF KARL MARX FROM THE RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS

ON THE GRAVE OF KARL MARX
FROM THE RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS



"In the name of all Russian socialists I send a last farewell greeting to the outstanding Master
among all the socialists of our times. One of the greatest minds has passed away, one of the most
energetic fighters against the exploiters of the proletariat has died.
"The Russian socialists bow before the grave of the man who sympathised with their strivings in
all the fluctuations of their terrible struggle, a struggle which they shall continue until the final
victory of the principles of the social revolution. The Russian language was the first to have a
translation of Capital that gospel of contemporary socialism. The students of the Russian
universities were the first to whose lot it fell to hear a sympathetic exposition of the theories of the
mighty thinker whom we have now lost. Even those who were opposed to the founder of the
International Working Men's Association in respect of practical questions of organisation were
obliged always to bow before his comprehensive knowledge and lofty power of thought which
penetrated the substance of modern capital, the development of the economic forms of society and
the dependence of the whole history of mankind on those forms of development. Even the most
vehement opponents that he found in the ranks of the revolutionary socialists could not but obey
the call that he and his lifelong friend sent into the world 35 years ago:
"'Proletarians of All Countries, Unite!'
"The death of Karl Marx is mourned by all who have been able to grasp his thought and appreciate
his influence upon our time.
"I allow myself to add that it will be still more deeply mourned by those who associated closely
with Marx, especially by those who loved him as a friend.


TELEGRAM


"The Paris branch of the French Workers' Party expresses its grief at the loss of the thinker whose
materialist conception of history and analysis of capitalist production founded scientific socialism
and the present revolutionary communist movement. It also expresses its respect for Marx as a
man and its complete agreement with his doctrines.
"The Secretary, Lipine."
Paris, March 16, 1883