A letter from Peter Mühlen where he talks about the response of the so-called democratic government to the Ruhr Uprising, and critiques the moderate leaders of the KPD and USPD for their overly polite and restrained response. Apart from this, it also has clandestine instructions for a meeting in Barmen, with contingencies to evade Reichswehr occupation. It is to be notes that Mühlen is described in a police report as having played "a significant role during the recent unrest [Ruhr Uprising] in the Recklinghausen district", which was under the control of Council Communists. The original document can be found here.
Buchenschachen, April 19, 1920.
My Dear Ones!
I have just come into possession of your dear letter. Everything in me rebels against these abstract measures of the administration and their backers, which represent the worst kind of perversion of justice. Well, as the facts teach us, "Might is Right" is now the principle from which every legal question is resolved in the era of democratic government. And we, fools that we were, were the epitome of politeness, and it never occurred to us to make it clear to these counterrevolutionary Kapp people that, in the opposite case, corresponding actions would also be explicable, i.e., justified. Well, it is not yet the end of all days, and one can rightly give room to hope that this injustice will once again be steered back onto the path of justice. The circumstances in Germany will give rise to a state that will restore our rights and before which the current rulers, our tormentors, will turn their faces in shuddering anticipation of what is to come. I am traveling to Barmen on Wednesday. If you wish to share anything with me, I would be grateful in advance. You can meet me in Barmen – at Fritz Eromberg’s restaurant, Fischerthalerstr. 6, not far from Barmen station. Opposite the bank building of the Barmer Bankverein. I lived there for a while. Stay there if I am not yet present. Herwig is there too. Ask the innkeeper; he knows the details. However, if Barmen is occupied by the Reichswehr in the meantime, go one station further to Vohwinkel, to the Jägerhof inn. If that is also occupied by the Reichswehr, walk about 10–15 minutes along the tram tracks in the direction of Solingen until you see English soldiers on the street. About 20 meters before that, there is a tavern on the left side of the street where we can meet. In this case, it would be best if you had a personal ID with a photograph. You can get one at Room 9, Recklinghausen Office, but do not mention the reason or destination of your trip there. So far, Elberfeld-Barmen is still free of Reichswehr; hopefully, we can meet at the specified address. I am leaving Saarbrücken at 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 1920, and will arrive in Barmen around 9–10 p.m., that is, if there is no train service between Cologne and Barmen, as was the case when I left Barmen. If I can take the train to Barmen, I will arrive much earlier. If you are already there on Wednesday evening, you can stay overnight, in case circumstances prevent me from arriving on Wednesday, which I do not expect. I will definitely leave here at 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday and expect you as indicated. Please check whether the letter was opened and whether the police are trying to observe or follow you. How is Bernhard doing? Is he healthy again? I hope so.
Everything else in person. I will compensate you for the journey upon my arrival in Barmen.
With the best greetings to your family, especially to Bernhard and you,
Peter Mühlen.
Greetings to Strahlmeyer. However, if you do not arrive in Barmen by Friday, I will leave Barmen again. —
Until we meet!
Signed, Peter Mühlen
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