763.72119/2772: Telegram
Manifesto of the Government of the Bavarian Republic
[Received via Naval Radio at Belmar, N. J.,
November 12 (?), 3:41 p.m.]
The just founded Bavarian Republic directs following manifesto to Swiss Federal Council with request to send it to Wilson, to Governments of France, England, and Italy and to spread it abroad among Swiss people:
“To Governments and people of America, France, England, and Italy, to proletarians of all countries! Bavarian people were first in Germany, who under guidance of men who since beginning of war have carried on an urgent struggle against frivolous policy of German Governments and princes, to set aside in a stormy revolutionary uprising crowned by definitive success all and everything which was guilty or contributed to guilt of great war. Bavaria has proclaimed itself a people’s state. Whole people welcome with joy its liberation. The other states of Germany have followed by a not to be resisted impulse our example and by this founded for first time an actual internal unity of Germany. At this moment bursts upon the young Bavaria publication of armistice conditions of the Allied Powers.
All hopes which we cherished by success of revolution can by these be destroyed. New Republic will, if these terrible terms should remain unchanged, in a short time be a waste and chaos. We understand indeed the feelings which have occasioned Allied Powers to make such conditions if they by this would strike at the guilty. German autocrats and militarists deserve no pity. Now however people has freed itself and conditions which are now laid upon it mean its destruction. If the demands are maintained we come into a condition which no human imagination can represent. An anarchistic dissolution of all relations, which Bavarian revolution by creation of a [Page 17] people’s state complete in itself wishes to prevent, would be the necessary consequence and the rulership of an army of millions of disbanded soldiers without discipline would introduce a moral brutalisation and a political, social diabolical possession which would pass over and have a destructive effect also in the territory of the conquerors. That must not take place! Democratic people must not allow that revolutionary creation of German democratic state be destroyed by the unpityingness of the victors. The hour has now come when by an act of farseeing magnanimity reconciliation of the nations can be brought about. Forget in the creation of the new world the hate which has been produced in the old. League of Nations, which has become common ideal of humanity, can never come into existence if it begins with rooting out of youngest member of democratic culture. We conjure you, the governments as well as people, to undertake in a sublime conquest of self the settlement which is fateful for all of the great war in common work of conqueror and conquered. This difficult work would be the first action of new League of Nations and would be its beginning work. Allied democrats must not forget how many sacrifices have been silently borne by innumerable nameless Germans who have been brought since beginning of war into clear recognition of the guilt, and governments of Allied Powers must not assume responsibility before the proletarian masses of again destroying the international at the moment when it has been inwardly brought together. Fate of mankind lies in hands of men who are [now] responsible for bringing it peace and new organization of the destructed [sic] nations.