Trials of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung

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Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 5 December 1848


First published in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 161, December 6, 1848
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 8
Collection(s): Neue Rheinische Zeitung
Keywords : Censorship, Trial

Cologne, December 5. A few days ago the rédacteur en chef of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, Karl Marx, was once more summoned to the examining magistrate’s court. Four articles induced the Central Authority to sue for libel: 1. Schnapphahnski; 2. an article from Breslau on Lichnowski; 3. an article in which there is talk about a “falsifying” report by a certain “comical Stedtmann”; 4. the publication of the “declaration of treason against the people”, adopted in the Eiser Hall, against the Frankfurt majority on the Schleswig-Holstein question.[1]

The Neue Rheinische Zeitung is now most eagerly awaiting further libel charges from Berlin, Petersburg, Vienna, Brussels and Naples.

The first case of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung versus the prosecuting magistrates and the police will be heard on December 20.[2]

We have so far not heard that any Rhenish prosecuting magistrate has found any article of the Code pĂŠnal applicable to the crude, obvious violations of the law by all the Rhenish authorities.

“ Distinguendum estF’ “ Il faut distinguer”[3] is the motto of the brave Rhenish prosecuting magistrates.

  1. ↑ Marx, Korff and others were accused by the Imperial Ministry of having libelled deputies of the Frankfurt National Assembly in: 1) Georg Weerth’s series of feuilletons Leben und Taten des ber�hmten Ritters Schnapphahnski directed against Lichnowski, a Right-wing deputy, and published anonymously in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung in August, September and December 1848 and January 1849; 2) a report from Breslau in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 95 for September 6, 1848, about Prince Lichnowski’s machinations in the electoral campaign; 3) a report from Frankfurt am Main in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 102 for September 14, 1848, exposing false information in the report by Stedtmann, deputy to the Frankfurt National Assembly, concerning the vote on the armistice with Denmark; 4) a resolution of a public meeting in Cologne published in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 1 10 for September 23, 1848, in which the deputies of the Frankfurt ‘ National Assembly who had voted for the armistice with Denmark were accused of having betrayed the nation (see present edition, Vol. 7, pp. 588-89).
  2. ↑ The trial of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung fixed for December 20, 1848, was postponed and was heard on February 7, 1849 (see this volume, pp. 304-22 and Note 284).
  3. ↑ One must distinguish.—Ed.
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