Excerpts from the Article "Blum" Published in Meyers Conversations-Lexicon

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These excerpts were made by Marx when working on the article "Blum" for The New American Cyclopaedia (see this volume, pp. 80-82 and Note 95). They are from the article of the same tide published in Meyer’s Conversations-Lexicon, second Supplement Volume, Hildburghausen, 1853, pp. 240-46. As can be seen from Marx’s notes he compared the text of this article with that of “Robert Blum” in Fr. Steger’s Ergänzungs-Conversationslexicon, Vol. 1, Leipzig, 1846, pp. 153-60. In the latter source Blum’s biography, up to 1845, is set forth in greater detail, but in the main the texts of the two articles coincide. This gives grounds for assuming either that both articles were written by the same author or that Robert Blum’s own autobiographical material was used in both cases.

Marx chose Meyer’s Conversations-Lexicon, where Blum’s biography is given up to his death, as the main source for his own article on this revolutionary leader. Direct quotations and summaries of the text from Meyer’s ConversationsLexicon are given in this volume in small type, in the case of direct quotations the text is printed in editorial quotation marks. Marx’s own notes are in ordinary type. p. 391

Mr. (Meyer)—Popular (i.e. pulpit) eloquence. Steger.

Blum (Robert) born in Cologne, November 10, 1807. His father (unsuccessful budding theologian) [became a] journeyman cooper. “Mother, a servant from the country, earned additional income by sewing.” Father t 1815: “entire responsibility for supporting the 3 children fell to the mother”. In 1816 she married an absolutely brutal bargee (first smuggler, later a soldier in the service of Spain and Portugal). Unhappy marriage. Appalling peak of distress in the famine year of 1816-17. 1817 [Robert Blum] sent to elementary school. 1819 communion; then employed as acolyte, “which entailed free tuition in the church school” as well as bringing in money. Clash with the priests because of embezzlement and over transubstantiation. Breach of the sacred seal of confession. End of his religious activity. Artisan first as goldsmith, then girdler; journeyman’s travels; “finally had to return to Cologne. There found work in a lantern factory”. “The boss, F. W. Schmitz, [...] transferred him to the office”, took him on trips to London, Württemberg, Bavaria; lived for six months in Munich. Then to Berlin; studied there diligently (1829-30). Self-taught.

Military service in the meantime. “In April 1830 Blum had to join the fusilier battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment in Prenzlau, [...] only for 6 weeks, [...] was placed on the reserve.” Meanwhile Schmitz to Belgium and France. Blum had to return to Cologne, where his father ill and unable to earn. Becomes a theatre employee (to help the family^a ) under director Ringelhardt. “As such he had to handle all the dealings between director and actors, [...] to deliver parts and money, to announce performances and rehearsals.” “In addition” Blum “was a poet, and was in touch with several respected editorial boards.[...] The then precarious times allowed him to be less sensitive at times to this [injcongruity, earned him a standing in the social life of Cologne far exceeding his material circumstances at the time”. Blum one of those who set the tone for the politicising circles of Cologne. Writes for freedom “in the face of the ‘tremendous’ obstacles raised by censorship”....

“His own studies at this time included nothing less than the entire dramatic literature insofar as it was available at the Cologne Theatre Library.” In 1831 Ringelhardt left Cologne. Blum a bailiff’s clerk. In the winter again a theatre employee. Became theatre secretary and assistant cashier for Ringelhardt in Leipzig; after a few years head cashier. Writes contributions to Komet, Abend-Zeitung and Elegante Zeitung. The Theaterlexikon with Herlossohn and Marggraff, Verfassungsfreund with Steger (3rd issue confiscated, and that was the end of that), the pocket book Vorwärts.

Blum’s political activity began in 1837, when, as spokesman of the deputation at the Leipzig citizens’ celebration for deputies Todt and Dieskau, he presented them with cups of honour. In 1840 among the first founders of the Schiller Association, from 1841 its president, promoter of this “fine annual celebration”. “In 1840 takes part in the initial preparations for the Writers’ Association, its co-president from 1841.” Sächsische Vaterlands-Blätter. “Buys himself a property which, according to the stipulations of the Constitution, makes him eligible to the town council and the Provincial Diet.” Ronge’s letter calling for a reform of the Catholic Church; Blum supported it in the Vaterlands-Blätter; from 1845 heads a community of the German-Catholic Society.

(Up to here Blum’s own biography both in Meyer and Steger.)

On August 12, 1845 a detachment of riflemen (Leipzig) fired on a crowd in the midst of which excesses against a prince of the royal house had earlier been committed, 7 people killed, not one of them a rioter; the civil guard partly not summoned, partly held aside on the square itself. Terrible unrest in the morning meetings of citizens and students to storm the riflemen’s barracks.

“Blum [...] spoke in favour of observing the legal procedures. Everyone followed him to the riflemen’s house, where for several days orderly discussions took place on how to exact atonement for the blood that had been shed.” Blum taken to court for various speeches. The Sächsische Vaterlands-Blätter suppressed. In 1847 Blum also prosecuted for a protest of the Leipzig citizens against the extraordinary assembly of the estates of 1847 as being unconstitutional. Blum gives up his job as theatre cashier and founds a bookseller’s. Writes Weihnachtsbaum (biographies of free-thinking Germans) and a Staatslexikon für das deutsche Volk. “In autumn 1847 elected an unpaid member of the municipal council by the Leipzig city councilmen. The district board withheld its confirmation”; written appeal by Blum. “His political activity in Leipzig now devoted to the ‘Oratory Society’, which he founded with men of like mind.” February 1848 worked [“to overthrow the government”]. “Central figure of his party for all Saxony.” Founds the Fatherland Association, soon more than 40,000 members; resumes publication of the Vaterlands-Blätter. Blum vice-president in the Preliminary Parliament, averts the threatening breach between north and south. “Opposed to the mass withdrawal of the Left.” Member of the Committee of Fifty. Elected to the Frankfurt Parliament. Blum’s “coquetry in all directions” and vacillation. In his report on his activity in parliament [he wrote]:

“We want, then, the republic at the head of the whole state. But while we want this, we decidedly reject the idea of ever laying a hand on the transformation of conditions in the individual states—we would consider that a misfortune and a piece of folly. Our fatherland is constructed in such a way that its tribes must remain independent; on this rests its most beautiful life. And there is not a man in Germany who would commit the folly, if he could, of intervening in the conditions of the individual states in favour of republican forms.... No, my fellow citizens! It is a lie that has made us think of the creation of individual republics; we would be the first to oppose efforts of an entirely republican National Assembly to intervene in the individual states.”

“When the news of the Vienna rising reached Frankfurt, Blum was the first to propose issuing an address. [...] Extreme Left and Left came together. [...] Blum, Fröbel, Dr. Trampusch and Moritz Hartmann were chosen to deliver the address.

On October 13 they left Frankfurt, [...] 17th October in Vienna. The City Council received them at a plenary meeting. Blum acts as spokesman. [...] From his reports in the Reichstagszeitung one sees that the movement completely captivated him.” Glowing admiration for the Viennese; enters the hall armed. “Commands a barricade in the days of the fighting. [...] After the storming of Vienna Blum stays calmly in his hotel when it is surrounded by soldiers”, he is taken prisoner. “Blum denied not a single speech or action” in front of his judges. On November 8 death by the rope, the bullet substituted out of mercy. Early on November 9 shot in the Brigittenau. Leaves a widow and 4 children. Solemn memorial ceremony.

Collection of 40,000 talers for them. “Stormy meeting of the National Assembly on November 14”; von Schmerling: “Those who venture into peril perish in it.” “Stern features.”