WAI AR INFORMATION SERIES No. 20- October, 1918 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY Hf T 1 th UNIVERSITY OF CALIPORNI^ L. i B iS IS. ISSUED BY THE COMMITTEE ON JPUBLIC INFORMATION GEORGE CREEL, Chairman CONTENTS PAOB Introduction 3 PART I. THE GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY: A REPORT BY EDGAR SISSON, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN RUSSIA. Chapter I. The Basic Conspiracy 5 Chapter II. Role of the Reichsbank 9 Chapter III. The Cerman-Bolshevik Plot Against the Allies. . 11 Chapter l\ . The Plot for a Shameful Peace — The Ukraini.\n Double-Cross 15 Chapter V. Trotsky and Roumania — Espionage and Assassination 17 Chapter VI. The Complete Surrender — Varied Activities 24 Appendix I. Documents Circulated by Anti-Bolsheviki in Russia . . 26 Appendix II. A Conversation by Telegraph between Chicherin at Petrograd (who is Speaking) and Trotsky at Brest-Litovsk 2° PART II I. Letter of Mr. Creel to the National Board for Historical Service (October 18, 1918) 29 II. Report of the Special Committee on the Genuineness of the * Documents (October 26, 1918) 29 The German-Bolshevik Conspiracy SRLF YRL INTRODUCTION The Committee on Public Information publishes herewith a series of communica- tions between the German Imperial Gov- ernment and the Russian Bolshevik Gov- ernment, and between the Bolsheviks themselves, and also the report thereon made to George Creel by Edgar Sisson, the committee's special representative in Rus- sia during the winter of 1917-18. There is also included, in Part II, a report by a committee appointed by the National Board for Historical Service to examine into the genuineness of these docimients. The documents show that the present heads of the Bolshevik Government — Lenin and Trotsky and their associates — are German agents. They show that the Bolshevik revolu- tion was arranged for by the German Great General Staff, and financed by the German Imperial Bank and other Ger- man financial institutions. They show that the treaty of Brest- Litovtk was a betrayal of the Rusiiian people by the German agents, Lenin and Trotsky; that a German-picked com- mander was chosen to "defend" Petrograd against the Germans; that German officers have been secretly received by the Bol- shevik Government as military advisers, as spies upon the embassies of Russia's allies, as officers in the Russian army, and as directors of the Bolshevik military, for- eign, and domestic policy. They show, in short, that the present Bolshevik Govern- ment is not a Russian government at all, but a German government acting solely in the interests of Germany and betraying the Russian people, as it betrays Russia's natural allies, for the benefit of the Im- perial German Government alone. Russian Workmen Betrayed And they show also that the Bolshevik leaders, for the same German Imperial ends, have equally betrayed the working classes of Russia whom they pretend to represent. The documents are some 70 in number. Many are originals, annotated by Bolshe- vik officials. The balance of the others are photograplis of originals, showing an- notations. And they corroborate a third set of typewritten circulars (see Appendix later) of which only two originals are possessed in any form, but all of which fit into the whole pattern of German in- trigue and German guilt. The first document is a photograph of a report made to the Bolshevik leaders by two of their assistants, informing them that, in accordance with their instructions. there had been removed from the archives of the Russian Ministry of Justice, the order of the German Imperial Bank "al- lowing money to Comrades Lenin, Trotsky, 'and others' for the propaganda of peace in Russia"; and that, at the same time, "all the books" of a bank in Stockholm had been "audited" to conceal the payment of money to Lenin, Trotsky, and their associates, by order of the Ger- man Imperial Bank. This report is indorsed, in Lenin's initials, "V. U." [Vladimir Ulianoff, his real name], for deposit in "the secret department" of the Bolshevik files. And the authenticity of the report is supported by Document No. 2, which is the original of a report sent by a German General Staff representative to the Bolshevik lead- ers, warning them that he has just ar- rested an agent who had in his possession the original order of the German Imperial Bank referred to in Document No. 1, and pointing out that evidently ' at the proper time steps were not taken to destroy the above-mentioned documents." Protocol Signed by Leaders Document No. 3 is the original proto- col signed by several Bolshevik leaders and dated November 2, 1917 (Russian cal- endar), showing that "on instructions of the representatives of the German General Staff in Petrograd" and "with the consent of the Council of People's Commissars,'' of which Trotsky and Lenin were the heads, two incriminating German circulars had also been "taken from the Department of Counter Espionage of the Petrograd dis- trict" and given to the Intelligence Bureau of the German General Staff in Petrograd. On the bottom of the protocol the German adjutant acknowledges receipt of the two incriminating circulars with his cipher sig- nature. These two circulars apparently had been obtained earh- in the war by some Russian agent in Germany and transmitted to Russia. The German General Staff evi- dently wished to get them back in order to remove evidence. By the order of the German General Staff and with the "con- sent" of Lenin and Trotsky they are turned over to the Germans. WTiy? Be- cause they fit in with other information of Germany's war plans and preparations before August, 1914. Indeed, several weeks before the assassination of the Aus- trian Archduke, which was made the pre- text for war. And Lenin and Trotsky surrender them in conformity with a working agreement between the Bolshevik leaders and the German General Staff, of which agreement a photograph is included in the series as Document No. 5. This is dated October 25, 1917. It is from a division of the German General Staff. It is addressed to the Government of the People's Commissars, of which Lenin and Trotsky were the heads. It be- gins: "In accordance with the agreement which took place in Kronstadt, in Julj' of the present year, between officials of our General Staff and leaders of the Russian revolutionary army and democracy, Messrs. Lenin and Trotsky, Raskolnikov, and Dybenko, the Russian Division of our General Staff operating in Fin- land is ordering to Petrograd officers for the disposal of the Intelligence Bureau of the staff." Among the officers namei': are Maj. Luberts and Lieut. Hartwig. whose cipher signature, Henrich, is given as it appears on the receipt for the Iw circulars accompanying Ducuiiient No. 3 And an indorsement on this letter (No. .-.' from the German General Staff recoils that the German officers assigned to Petro- grad had appeared "before the military revolutionary committee" and had "agreed on conditions with regard to their mutual activities." Mutual Activities Shown What their "mutual activities" were to be is sufficiently indicated by Document No. 7, which is a photograph of a letter signed in cipher by this Maj. Luberts and his adjutant, Lieut. Hartwig. They notify the Bolshevik leaders, on Januarj- 12, 1918 (Russian calendar), that "by order of the German General Staff" the German Intelli- gence Bureau "has reported the names and the characteristics of the main can- didates for reelection" to the Russian Bol- shevik "Central Executive Committee," and "the General Staff orders us to insist on the election of the following persons." They add a list of Russian leaders satis- factory to the German General Staff. The list is headed by Trotsky and Lenin. They were elected, and the rest of the present Bolshevik executive committee were chosen from the same German list. Document No. 8 gives evidence of the quid pro quo. It is a photograph of a letter from the representative of the Ger- man Imperial Bank to the Bolsherik Commissar of Foreign Affairs. It is marked "Verj- secret" and dated January 8, 1918. It says: "Notification has to- day been received by me from Stockholm The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY that'"50,O0O,OOO roubles of gold has been transferred to be put at the disposal of the People's Commissars," which is the title of the Bolshevik leaders. "This credit," the letter continues, "has been supplied to the Russian Government in order to cover the cost of the keep of the Red Guards [the Bolshevik revolutionary' troops] and agitators in the country. The Imperial Government considers it appro- priate to remind the Council of People's Commissars of the necessity of increasing their propaganda in the country, as the an- tagonistic attitude of the south of Russia and Siberia to the existing Government in Russia is troubling the German Govern- ment." War Materials at Vladivostok Four days later the same representative of the German Imperial Bank sent another 5,000,000 roubles to the same address to provide for the sending of a Russian revo- lutionary leader to Vladivostok, to get possession of the "Japanese and Ameri- can war materials" at that port, and if necessary to destroy them. A photograph of his letter is given as Document No. 9. There were earlier payments, but probably none later than these. None was necessary. By this time the loot of an empire lay open to the Bolshe- ks — and to the Germans. Most significant of al! are two photo- .■*\Taphs of further communications from tl e German Imperial Bank, given as Documents Nos. 10 and 11. One is a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, and the other is the "resolution of a conference of representatives of the German commer- cial banks" rcceivetl by the Chairman of the Bolshevik Central Executive Commit- tee and indorsed by his secretary. To- gether they give a complete .synopsis of the terms on which Germany intends to have control of all Russian industries. For five years from the signing of peace, English, French, and American capital in Russia is to be "banished" and "not to be allowed in the following industries: coal, metallurgical, machine building, oil, chemical, and pharmaceutical." These in- dustrie.s are to be developed under the control of a "supreme advisory organ con- sisting of 10 Russian specialists, 10 from the German industrial organizations ami the German and Austrian banks." Germany and Au.stria are to "enjoy the unlimited privilege of .sending into Russia mechanics and qualified workmen." "Other foreign mechanics and workmen . . . are not to be allowed to enter at all" for five year.f after the conclusion of peace between Russia and Germany. "Private Vjanks in Rus-sia arise only with the con.sent" of the Union of German and Austrian banks. And so forth. Conspiracy is Indorsed .\nd I Ins fonspiracy between German Imperial capitalism and the pretended Russian Reds is indorsf^d by a nnlshcvik leader, with the recommendation that it should be "taken under advisement" and "the ground prepared in the Council of the Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies, in case the Council of People's Commissars will not accept these requests." Various details of the conspiracy be- tween the Bolshevik leaders and the Ger- man General Staff are exposed in docu- ments Nos. 16 to 29. These are photographs of letters which passed between the Bol- shevik leaders and the German General Staff, or the German officers in Russia. Document No. 21 shows that on Novem- ber 1, 1917, when Russia was still re- garded as an ally of Great Britain, France, and America, the German General Staff was having "the honor to request" the Bolshevik leaders to inform it "at the earliest possible moment" concerning "the quantity and storage place of the supplies which have been received from America, England, and France, and also the units which are keeping guard over the military stores." Document 18 shows the German Gen- eral Staff requiring the Bolshevik lead- ers to send "agitators to the camps of the Russian prisoners of war in Germany." in order that they might procure spies to work among the English and French troops and to further "peace propaganda." .\nd this is proposed by the Gernian Gen- eral Staff as being "according to the ne- gotiations between the Russian and Ger- man peace delegations at Brest-Litovsk." In Document 22 the Bolshevik leaders and the Germans are arranging to send "agents-agitators, and agents-destructors" out of Vladivostok "to ports of the United States, Japan, and British colonies in East- cm Asia." Passports for Germans In Document 16 Trotsky is providing fraudulent passports for German officers who are going to England, France, and America, as spies and enemy agents. And Document 17 shows Trotsky indorsing a similar proposal : "To be urgently exe- cuted. L. T." Three German submarines are to bo sent to the Pacific on the trans-Siberian railway by orders of the German High Command in Document No. 23. Lists of German and Ru.ssian spies watching the British, French, and American embassies in Petrograd arc given in Docimient No. 25. And, finally, in Docvnnent No. 15 the Bolshevik leaders are warned that infor- mation concerning "the connection of the German Government with the Bolshevik workers" ha.s leaked out and that Rus- sian troops are hearing of it. Letters are given to show how the I!oi- shcvik leaders and the German officers arranged for the assassination of Rus- sian Nationali.st leaders (Documents 35, 39. and 52), for the destruction of the Polish legionaries in the Russian army (Documents 10 to 42), for the disorgani- zfition of till.' Roinnanian armv and the de- posing of the Roumanian king (Docu- ment No. 37), for the substitution of offi- cers satisfactory to Germany in command of Russian troops instead of patriotic Rus- sian generals (Documents 31 and 32), for the suppression of patriotic agitation among the Russian soldiers (Documents 13 and 14), for an attack upon the Italian ambassador in Petrograd and the theft of his papers (Documents 26 and 27), and for the employment of German soldiers in Russian uniforms against the Russian national armies in the South (Docu- ment 35). Several of the letters are indorsed by Trotsky. Even standing alone, they are complete proof that the Bolshevik lead- ers were ruling as German agents in Rus- sia, and obeying German orders to act against all Germany's enemies and even against Russia itself. Acted as German Agents Moreover, these Bolshevik leaders acted as German agents by suppressing their own socialist revolution in the Russian provinces where their doctrines interfered with German plans of annexation. Docu- ment 46 is the original letter from the Petrograd Intelligence Biu'eau of the Ger- man General Staff addressed to the Bolshe- vik Commissar of Foreign Affairs. It reads : "According to instructions of the repre- seu/tative of our General Staff, I ha'e the honor once more to insist that you recall from Esthonia, Lithuania, and Courland all agitators of the Central Executive Committee of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies." And in Docu- ment 47 the General Staff orders the Bol- she\'iki to cease the agitation in Esthonia which had "finally led to the local German lanillords being declared outlawed," and to "take immediate steps for tlie restor- ing of the rights of the above-mentioned German landlords." Another group of letters (Nos. 33 to 36) shows how the Germans cheated the Bolshevik leaders in their dealings with the Ukraine and made a separate Ger- man peace with the anti-Bolshevik lead- ers in that Russian province. And an- other group shows the Germans assisting both sides of the civil war in Finland (Documents 38, 43, and 53). The documents, as thej' follow, are given in the main in the report form in which they were transmitted by Mr. Sisson to Mr. Creel, chairman of the committee, with some later data added and carefully indicated. For instance, Mr. Sisson did not learn until several weeks after he had left Russia that the German order (which he po.sses.sed) naming the Russian who was to "defen<l" I'etrograd had been obeyed. In pre])aring this material for ))ublica- tion as a pamphlet advantage has been taken of the opporttinity to improve in .some mooted points the form in xvliicli the documents and triiiisjatidii.-i arc )ire- sented. PART I The German-Bolshevik Conspiracy A REPORT BY EDGAR SISSON Special Representative in Russia of the Committee on Public Information in the Winter of 1917-18 CHAPTER I. THE BASIC CONSPIRACY Three groups of documents are sub- jected to internal analysis in the material that follows. One group consists of origi- nals, one group consists of photographs of documents believed still to be in the file rooms of the Russian Bolsheviki, and the third (Appendix I) of typewritten circulars that have not been traced to their origi- nals except perhaps in the case of two of the number. The chief importance of the third group is that its appearance in- spired the efforts that led to the uncover- ing of the other groups. And they fit into the fabric of the whole. The first set of these appendix circulars came into my hands on February 2, in Petrograd. An additional set appeared the following day at an office where I fre- quently called. A third appeared in an- other quarter a day afterwards. One set was in Russian and two in English. On February 5 I held all three sets. A pos- sible explanation for their appearance at this time and their intent is given in Ap- pendix I. By themselves they were plausible but not substantiated. Having first performed the obvious duty of analyzing them for surface values and transmitting them and the analyses to Washington, I turned, therefore, to the task of further investi- gations. It isf not yet possible to name those who helped, but in three weeks' time the judgment of facts became apparent. The text of the documents discloses both the methods and the effects of the Ger- man conspiracy not alone against Russia, but the world. With each document is the indication of whether it is an original or photograph. With each document is an interpretati\e note. DOCUMENT NO. 1 People's Commissary for Foreign Affairs. {Very Secret) Petrograd, November 16, 1917. To THE Chairman of the Cottncil of People's Commissars: In accordance with the resolution passed by the conference of People's Commissars, Comrades Lenin, Trot- sky, Podvoi.sky, Dybenko, and Volo- darsky, the following has been exe- cuted by us: 1. In the archives of the Ministry of Justice from the dossier re "trea- son" of Comrades Lenin, ZinoviefT, Koslovsky, Kollontai and others, has been removed the order of the Ger- man Imperial Bank, No. 7433, of the second of March, 1917, for allowing rnoney to Comrades Lenin, ZinoviefT, Kameneff, Trotsky, Sumenson, Kos- lovsky and others for the propaganda of peace in Russia. 2. There have been audited all the books of the Nia Bank at Stockholm containing the accounts of Com- rades Lenin, Trotsky, Zinovieff, and others, which were opened by the order of the German Imperial Bank No. 2754. These books have been dehvered to Comrade MuUer, who was sent from Berlin. Authorized by the Commi.ssar for Foreign Affairs. E. Polivanofp. F. Zalkind. Note.' — The Russian Council of Peo- ple's Co7Hmissars was dominated by the president, Vladimir Ulianov {Lenin); the then foreign minister, Leon Trotsky, now var minister; and the ambassador to Ger- mmiy, A. Jofje. The marginal indorse- 7nent in writing is: "To the secret department . B. U." This is the fashion in ivkich Lenin is accustomed to initial himself. The English equivalent would be V. U ., for Vladimir Ulianov. So, even if there existed no further record of German Imperial Bank order No. 7433, here woidd be the proof of its contents, and here is the link connecting Lenin directly with his action and his guilt. The content matter of the circular exists, however, ami herewith follows: Order of the 2d of March, 1917, of the Imperial Bank for the representatives of all German banks in Sweden: Notice is hereby given that requisition for money for the purpose of peace propaganda in Russia will be received through Finland. These requisitions will emanate from the following: Lenin, Zinovieff, Kameneff, Trotsky, Smnenson, Koslovsky, Kollontai, Sivers, and Merkalin, accounts for whom have been opened in accordance with our order No. 2754 in the agencies of private German businesses in Sweden, Norway, and Switzei'land. All these requests should bear one of the two following signatures: Dirshau or Milkenberg. With either ot these signatures th<! requests of the above- mentioned persons should be complied with without delay. — 7453, Imperial Bank. / have not a copy of this circular nor a photograph of it, but Document No. 2, next in order, proves its authenticity at once curiously and absolutely. Particular interest attaches to this circular because of Bolsheirik public denial of its existence. It was one of several German circulars published in Paris in the "Petit Parisien" last v.nnter. The Petrograd Bolshevik papers proclaimed it a falsehood. Zalkind, whose signature appears not only here but on the protocol {Document No. 3), was an assistaiU foreign minister. He was sent in February on a mission outside of R-ussia. He was in Christiania in April when I was there. Hare photograph of the letter. DOCUMENT NO. 2 G[reat) Gleneral] S[tafl], Intelligence [Nachrichten] Bureau, Section A, No. 292. {Secret) February 12, 1918. To THE Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars: The Intelligence Bureau has th" honor to inform you that there MCHRICHTENBUREAU. BecUoB ^V. ^ ihSL icpeTHO. r. • IlpeflctflaTejuo CoEtTa HapoaHHXj KoMHccapoBS-j.^ y^. Senpejra I9I8 ^- y / (/ /j/(,r PasB^floqHoe Oifl^eHle HuieTi. wecTB coo5mKTL, .std J/MHaSfleHHhJe y apecTOBaaliaro Kan. KoHmnHa ;iBa repuaB- OKHxi fiOKyveHTa ci nouiTKaMU k mTeune.iiflHH rieTepffypr- 2J<iaro OxpajiHaro OTst.neHlH, npeflCTaB;iflH)Tt coSoio nofl- HHs npHKasH HktnepcKara BaHKa sa 11° 7433 ots 2 Map- Ta I8I7 rofla o8i OfKpHiia cseTOBi. r.r.' JleHHHyiCyMeH- coHt, KosjiOBOKOMy, 'TpouKOuy b flpyrnMs fltaTe.iSMs ae. nponaraHfly MHpa.j no opflepy HunepcKaro BaHKa 8ft C 2'&4. Sto OTKpHTie jOKasuBaeis, isto H9 i%!fn cBoeBpeueH- HO npBHHTH Mips fl.rta yHiiyioaeHia OBHaijeHHHXs flOKyueH- TOBivv -y A. Ha5aJi£HHKS OTfllneHia AfliWTaH Vb ^ Facsimile of Document Number 2 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY II' P T :< X 3 CeH nioTOHOJit cocT-aBjioH-!, HaMPi ^ HofSj? IV 17 ro,-a B'!. nnyx-h 3K39Mn;i;»paXT, B» TOMS, HTO HOvJI CI. corjiB-ci' "OB^Tft !a?o;iHuxi <OMHCcapoB'B Bat ;\f-JiT> KoHTpi-Paasf.- aoMHaro OTa^;:eBi>' raToorpaflcxaro OKpyra m 6ubi. i;e- naoTaueHTB Ilo^iirniK, no nopyHeHiio "?eflCTaBHTe;iei: Veo- uaHCKaro r9Hepa;ibHaro '^Ta6a bs HeTporpaE* HsiRTa: 1 ,';iiipKy;iffpt reOMaSCKiPO refrepajiiaaro TTaSa .Ta V. A,ll OTt t IioHj" itll r. o Heusa;i9HH0*i uo6ii;iyi3ati» BC*-xt n )OMa'i:naHHbixi n lannpi^T i'fi bi repMBHiii h ^.^Hp^yjisp* renepajiiHaro "iTafia 5;ioTa OTKpirraro •'oofl 3a ■" ^3 OT* 25 Bo«(Jp;j ii 14 r. o nocujiK* "lo Bpax-* i96hu;i CTpaii-' cnoTiaAiasxj. Araajoas aJKi i!CTp96jieai>' eoe-iuxt 3anacoBi> h NaTepIa;iOBt . C3HaHeHHbi9 'iupKyjii'pu napaflaHH noffi pocnncKj S7. ""a^B'^oHHoe 0T,",*-J:9Hie fopvaHCKaro ^xaOa Bi HaTporpafll^ ;no;moMO«0HHN9 CoBtra Ha>oBHuxi, Somhccpjobi' 't£*^l^fc<^ ^^ OsKe.HfHHb'e Bi H^ -ofiLieMi npoTOKOJit UJipKy;iflF'» IC IC 421 ■ 93, a WKae Qz::«t r-Kseuanxp* stcpo HpoTOKora ooflyiieHa 3 HoaCpji 1917 r. PasiiflovHUKi. CTr:t.'iCMi r.r.III. Bi nerepSyprt. AnilOTaHTi- 7Z^ were found on the arrested Capt. Konshin two German documents witli notations and stamps of tlio Pctirs- burg secret police [Oklirana] which nhow themselves to be the orininal orders of the Imperial Bank, No. 7433, March 2, 1017, concerning the open- ing of accounts for Messrs. Lenin, Sumonson, Ko.'<lovsky, Trotsky, and other active workers on the peace propaganda, by order No. 2754 of the Impi-riul iJank. 'i"he.'ic diHcoveries show that at the proper time steps were not taken to destroy the above-mentioned docu- mrnt.s. For the head of the Bureau: R. BAfKlt. Adjutant: Bukhoi.m. Note.— Obscnie Ihe Ihnughlfulnciis with which Bauer, a careful man, scl down ex- Document Number 3 — Facsimile of Protocol acdij U'liai was in ike document, then-hy pir- viilling the contents to rise again from the ashes to which perhaps he commiUed the damaging paper. He admits that the dorii- 7nents found were truthful originals. Tin- world will thank him and Germany will not. I hare the original letter. 11 hears mar- ginal indorsements: "Referred to the Com- mission for Combating Counter Revolution. Demanded documents. M . Skripnilc"; and an illegible comment by N . Clorbunoff, Lenin's other Government secretary. The letter is directed to Lenin. Did Skripnik get the documents? I do not know. The letter is remarkable otherwise, for the arrested Capt. Konshin mentioned is a German officer, Lieut. Otto, n'ho appears clse- vihere as an agent in the German doutile- crnssing intrigue in the Ukraine. What was behind the mystery of his arrest? What was his fate? Note (Oct. 1, 1918).— T/ie order oj the second oj March, lt)I7, a? pointed out in the note to Document 1, has had publicity since lent winter, and nalurally has been sxibject to the attack oj the defenders oj Lenin and Trotsky. The effort at con- jusion, however, is oj the straw-man variety. Ij this date were in the Western European calendar, it would precede the March Revolution. So the dejcnders oj Lenin and. Trotsky have argued against the letter that ii mtist have been written by a Counter-Revolutionary Russian who forgot the 13 days' difference in time between the Ritssian and the European calendar. Curiously, ihe persona who make this contention overlook the re- verse oj such an argument — that the or- der was written by a German leho knew AND rsED the Russian calendar. He ought in common sense to have used it, as the letter was written to state when orders jor money jrom Russians would be honored. The Germans who maneuvered in Rus- sia were letter perject in Russian jorm (See Document 6, "who use the Riwisian language perjeetly and who are acquainted with Rtissian conditions.") But the date, March 2, may he either German or Russian, jor any important bearing it has on the documents. If German, it was written hejore the March Revolution, but in preparation jor getting into it as sooti as it started. Many per- son.?, both in Russia and in Germany, knew oj an impending effort at Revolu- tion. What more natural on Berlin's part than to desire to get its "agents -dis- lurbers" there? And ij they were at that moment widely scattered over the world, the more reason to begin quickly to call them in. DOCUMENT NO. 3 V. K. [Military Commissariat] D. 323 — two inclosures. No. PROTOCOL This protocol, drawn up by us on the 2d of November, 1917, in duplicate, declares that wo have taken with the consent of the Coimcil of People's Commissars from the papcns of the Department of C-ovmtcr Espionage of the Petrograd district and the former Departnu-nt of Police |Okhrana], on instruction.s of the representatives of the German General Staff in Petro- grad: 1. Circular of the German General Staff No. 421, dated June 9, 1914, concerning the inuiiediale mobiliza- tion of all industrial enterprises in Germany, and 2. Circular No. 9.1, dated November 2S, 1914, of the General Staff of the High Sea Fleet , eoiiceriiing the sending into enemy countries of special agents fur the destruct ion of war supplies and materials. The above noted circulars were given over under signed receipt into the Inlelligeive Bureau of the German Staff in Petrograd. Authorized by the Council of Peo- l)le's Commissars. F. Zalkind. E. POLIVANOFP. (Illegible, but may be Mekhano.shin.) A. ,I(lFI-E. The Circulars No. 421 and No. 93 mentioned in this protocol and also one coi>y of this protocol were re- ceived on the :kl of November, 1917, by the Intelligence Bureau of the (!(reatl Glen<Tull S[laff] in Petersburg. Adjutant: Hbnrich, The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY GR. GENERALSTHB. CEHTRHL nBTHEILUNQ. / Section M. 1*- M CIRC XJ Z, A R vcm 9 JuDi i<ii4 an Bezirkscommendanten. Nacli 24 Sliindcn >oin l-'iiipraiig des vorliegenden Circulars alio Besilzer der Industrie- uuternclinuingen tcltgrApliiscIi zn benachriclitieen die Harkele mil mobilisatioas— gewerbli- clii-n ;;riijjhischen I^aislelliijigcn und Pluncn zu «roMcnen. die Im Circular dcr Komiisioo von r.r.if \V.il.iir!.re <ind Captirl voM 27 Jual 1837 angewiesen sloj. jVj 421 Dm MobilisilionsabtheltuDg. Document No. 3 — Facsimile of June 9 Circular Funds required for the hiring and bribing of jx-rsonH neeessary for the designated purpose will be jjlaced at your disposal at your refjuest. Intelligence Bureau of the General Staff of the High Sea Fleet. KOENIQ. Note. — Both the circulars hear the pen- ciled notation thai "one copy has been given to the German Intelligence Bureau" at Petrograd. The Germau intent here was to remove from the records of the old Russian Government the evidence, first, that Germany was beginning in June, 1014, H^ active preparations for the vxir that surprised the world in August, 191 4, and second, to re- move the evidence of its responsibility for incendiarism and explosions in the United States, a country mth which Germany was then at peace. The restdt was to give new evidence of the truth of the charges. The evident mixture of bad and good German in these circulars seems to mc evidence of an attempt to provide an alibi again.H the almost inevitable day when the circulars would be revealed. (Sec also page 30.) Have original of protocol and have the printed circulars. DOCUMENT NO. 4 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 35. January 17, 1918. to the c0mm1ssari.\t op foreign Affairs: The Bureau has Tvcclved exact in- formation that the leaders of th^'' socialist party now ruling in Russia, Note. — The circulars inclosed ar: printed in German , and are as follows: Gr[eat] General Staff, Central Division, Section M, No. — , Berlin. CiRCOLAR OF June 9, 1914, to District COMM.^NDERS: Within 24 hours of the receipt of this circular you are to inform all industrial concerns by wire that the documents with industrial mobilization plans and with registration forms be opened, such as are referred to in the circular of the Commission of Count Waldersee and Caprivi, of June 27, 1887. _ No. 421, Mobilization Divi.sion. Gtcneral] S[taff] of the High Sea Fleet, No. 93. Circular of November 28, 1914, to Marine Agencies and Naval Societies: You are ordered to mobilize imme- diately all destruction agents and ob.servers in those commercial and military ports where munitions are being loaded on ships going to England, France, Canada, the United States of North America, and Rassia, where there are storehouses of such mvuii- tions, and where fighting units are sta- tioned. It is necessary to hire through third parties who stand in no relation to the official representatives of Ger- many agents for arranging explosions on ships bound for enemy countries, and for arranging delays, embroilments, and difficulties during the loading, dis- patching, and unloading of ships. For this purpose we are especially recom- mending to your attention loaders' gangs, among whom there are many anarchLsts and escaped criminals, and that you get in touch with German and neutral shipping offices as a means of observing agents of enemy countries who are receiving and shipping the munitions. Q. S. der BOCHSEEFLOTTL CIRCTJJjAR vom 28 November 1914 den Marineagenturen und den Flottenvereinen, Es wird Ihnen vorgesohribea soforl alle Agentcn-Beobachter und Agenten— Vertilger iu' diesen Handels und MiliUlr-Hafen zu mobilisierea, wo Schiffe zur LieferungderKriegsam- munition nach England, Frankreich, Kanada, Vercinigle Staaten der Nord-Ameriks und Eussland aufgeladen stin kOnnen, »o NieJerlageu fur solche Ammiinition sicb YorllDdeiinnd auch wo Marine-Krtegseinheiten stehen. Es 1st durchaus nothwendig durch dritte in keiiiet Verbinjung zu offlcielen Vertreteo beutschlands stehende Personen Agenten zu erwcrbfii, urn Explosionen aaf in feindlicho Liuider sich begebendcu SchiiVen zu veransulten. um Verspatigungen, Verwiernngen eowie MissverstanJnisse bei Beladung, Absendung und Ausladung der SchilTe zu bewirken.. Zu diesen Zweck emptehlen »ii- Ihrer Aufmerksamkeit (janz besonders Ladungs-Verei- jiigungen (Artelen), unter welchen viele Anarchislen und entlaufene Verbrecher sich fin- ieu, ferner dcutsche und nculrale Transporl-Comptoirs und »ach Agenten feindlicher Under bei Emtan^g und Absendung des Kriegsmaterials. Die dazu nothigi:Q Geldsummen wcrden laut Ihrer Aufforderung 2ur Verfugttng gfr >tellt. um das unenlbehrliche Personal zut Eneichung des angegebenen Zweekes lu iaielEeil uu4 tu bc-stechen. jisdtfictltea Bureau des Geo. Stabes der Hochseeflott:. Efienlg. Document No. 3 — Facsimile of November 28 Circular The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY through Messrs. Fuerstenberg and Radek, are in correspondence with Messrs. Scheidemann and Par^nis re- garding the destruction of the traces of the business relations of the party- wit h the Imperial Government. We also know that this correspondence was caused by the demand of leading groups of German socialists, who saw in the said communications a danger to the caase of world socialism. By order of the staff, I have the honor to request the submitting of this ques- tion to special discussion in the pres- ence of the representative of our staff and Mr. von Schoenemann. For the head of the department: R. BArER. Adjutant: [Illegible.] Note. — The world penalty, therefore, was apparent to some Germans. Of the per- sonalities named in the letter, Sche-idemaiin, the leader of the German Governmenl-sup' porting wing of the Socialist party is the most notable. Once before he has been named in relation to the "business relations" of the Russian Bolsheriki with the Imperial Government, writing a letter from Copen- hagen in 1917, to a "Mr. Olherg" in ivhich he slated that 150,000 kroners had been placed at Olberg's disposal at Fuerstenberg' s office through the N'ia Bank. {See Appendix, later.) Now Fuerstenberg by this time, Janiuiry, in Petrograd at Smolny, is trying to help Scheidemann in covering vp old trails. Radek is a clever Polish-Austrian Jew xcho came from Switzerland xcith Lenin. He and Trotsky between them staged the public play-acting at Brest-Litovsk. Von Schoenemann was the accredited German representative to the Bolshevik foreign office. He is nameil later i,n. Documeul No. S. Parvus ts a handler of German propaganda money, with headquarters at Copenhagen, and is credited with being tlie directing force behind Joffe. (For Parvus, see "Neio Europe," January SI, 191S, pp. 94-96.) Have phutograph :/ this letter. DOCUMENT NO. 5 Gr[eat] General Staff, Central Division. Section M, No. (blank), Berlin. October 2.3, 1917. To THE GOVER.VMENT OF PeOPLE's COM.MISSAUS: In accordance with the agrcoment. wliich took place in Kron.stadt, in July of the present year, bet woon officials of our General StafT and leaders of the l{.u.s.sian revolutionary army and do niocracy, Me.s.srs. Lenin, Trotsky, Raskolnikov, and Dybinko, the Rus- sian Division of our General Staff op<'r- ating in Finland in ordering to Petro- grad ofTicers for the disposal of the IntelliKenco Bureau of the utafT. At the head of the Petrograd Bureau will be the following ofFictirs, who use the Ra^sian language perfectly and who are acquainted \vith Ras-sian conditions: Maj. I..ubert.s, cipher signature Agasfer. Maj. von Boelkc, cipher signa- ture Schott. Maj. Bayermei.stcr, cipher signa- ture Ber. Lieut.. Hartwig, cipher .signatures Henrich . The Intelligence Bureau, in ac- cordance with the agreement with JkleRsr.'f. Lenin, Trotsky, and Zinovioff, will have the surveillance of the foreign embassies and military missions and of the counter revolutionary movement, and also will perform the espionage and counter espionage work on the in- ternal fronts, for which purpose agents vrill be assigned to the various cities . Coincidently, it is annomiced that at the disposal of the Government of People's Commissars are assigned con- sultants to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. von Schoenemann, and to the Ministrv of Finance, Mr. von ToU. Chief of the Russian Division, Ger- man General Staff: O. Rausch. Adjutant: U. Wolff. (And below on the same letter:) To THE Commissariat of Foreign Affairs: The officers indicated in this paper have been before the military revolu- tionary committee and have agreed on conditions with Mui'avieff, Boie, and Danishevski with regard to their mutual activities. They have all come under the direction of the committee. The consultants wiU appear as called for. Chairman Military Revolutionary Committee, Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies: A. Joffe, Secretary: P. Krushavitch. October 27, 1917. Note. — Here is the working compact. If Rausch was then in Berlin he presumably came immediately afterwards to Petrograd. It is more probable that the letter ivas UYitten in Finland than Berlin. In some other letterheads on which Berlin is printed 'the U'ord is run through with a pen. Stationery was hard to get in Petrograd. Maj. Luberls became the head of the Intelligence Bureau (Nachnchten Bureau). Kronstadt loas the midsummer headquarters of Lenin. Rask'il- niknff will be referred to in connection with the project to sell the Russian fleet to Ger- many. Dybenko was the commissar of the fleet, the naval minister, a. driving man and keen wittcd. Zinovieff is the president of the Petrograd Soviet, during the winter tite most poxverful of tlie local bodies of the Rus- sian Soviets. He is Jewish and well edu- cated. Joffe, in the letter of Bolshevik ac- ceptance of the German compact, again sta7ids forth for what he is, the spokcsmaii, after Lenin, in all matters of supreme importance to Germany. Have photograph of the joint letter. DOCUMENT NO. 6 Crlcatl General Start, Central Division, No. 813. November 19, 1917. To the C'ouncil op People's Com- Mi.ssAn.s: This is to advise you that the follow- ing persons have been put at the dis- posal of the Rassiaii Government as military advi.sers: Maj. Erich, Maj. Bode, Maj. Sa.ss, Maj. Zimiuernian, Maj. Anders, Lieut. Haa.se, Lieut. Klein, Lieut. Breitz. These officers will choose a cadre of the most Huitable oflicrTs from the list of our prisoners, who will likewise be at the disposal of the Ru.ssian Government, as was agreed at the conference in Stockholm when Lenin, Zinovieff, and others were traveling through to Russia. Head of the Rus.siau Section, German General Staff: O. Rausch. Adjutant: U. Wolff. Note. — Maj. Anders took the Russian name Rubakov and Maj. Erich the Rxissian name Egorov. Lenin and Zinovieff passed through Germany and Stockholm together. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 27. (Confidential) January 12, 191S. To THE Commissar of Foreign Affairs: By the order of the local department of the German General Staff, the In- teUigence Department has reported the names atid the characteristics of the main candidates for the reelection of the Central Executive Committee. The General Staff orders us to insist on the election of the following persons: Trotsky, Lenin, Zinovieff, Kameneff, Joffe, f>verdlov, Lunacharsky, KoUon- tai, Fabrizius, Martov, Steklov, Gol- man, J>unze, Lander, Milk, Preobra- jen.ski, SoUers, Studer, Golberg, Avanesov, Volodarsky, Raskolnikov, Stuchka, Peters^ and Neubut. Please inform the president of the council of the General Staff's wish . Head of the Bureau: Agasfer. Adjutant: Henrich. Note. — The indorsements are: "Copy handed to chairinan Council Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies, A'o. 936." "Deliver to Comrade Zinovieff and to secret department. M . Ov (?) " January l~(Russiancalendar) fell in the week of the All-Russian Soviet convention in Petrograd, the ivcek after the forcible dissolution of the Constituent Asse7n- lily. The election come at the end of the week and was a perfunctory re-election of practically the whole former executive com- mittee of commissars. Lacking the exact list, I 7ievertheless can state that the present executive committee was drafted from this group. The name there surpri.'ting to me is that of Martov, the head of a supposedly separate fcuiion. Martov is an able writer, was associated with Trotsky in his Paris journali.'itic venture, liut was supposed to have split with him in Russia. The evidence that he is still agree- alile to Germany is pertinent. Madame Kiilloulai, the only woman on this list, ivas the Commissar of Public Welfare. She was sent atiroad for foreign irropaganda in February, but did not get beyond Scandi7iavi<i and later returned to Russia. Ka7ncneff, who weid out of Russia with Kollontai, also sought to return, but 7vas a/rested bi/ the Finnish White Guards (not the Germans) on the Aland Islands, anil his release 7vas the sidiject of negotiations. He is Trotsky's liro!her-in-law. Svcrdlov was te7nporary eh<iirnutn of the AU-Russian Soviet. Lu- narharsky is Co7n7nissar of Education. Steklov is editor of the official paper "Livestia." Volodarsky, who has lived in the ihiited States, was in close confidence tviih Lenin. lie teas killed in Moscom the Insl vcck i/i June, .\gasfer, who delivered the order in behalf of Rausch, is Maj. Luberts. Have photograph of letter. The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY CHAPTER II. ROLE OF THE REICHSBANK The following documents show in de- tail how the German Government financed the Russian Bolshevik revolution through the German Imperial Bank. They show what rewards the German financial and industrial interests demanded in return for the German support of the Bolsheviki. And they show how the Bol- shevik leaders betrayed their own fol- lowers and abandoned the preaching of their social revolution wherever the Ger- mans ordered that it should be abandoned. DOCUMENT NO. 8 Imperial Bank [Reichsbank], No. 2. {Very Secret) January 8, 1918. To THE People's Commissar of For- eign Afi'Wirs: Notification has to-dav been received by me from Stockholm that 50,000,000 roubles of gold has been transferred to be put at the disposal of the repre- sentatives of the People's Commissars. This credit has been supplied to the Russian Government in order to cover the cost of the keep of the Red Guards and agitators in the country. The Imperial Government considers it ap- propriate to remind the Council of People's Commissars of the necessity of increasing their propaganda in thi; country, as the antagonistic attitude of the south of Russia and Siberia to the existing Government in Russia is troubhng the German Government. It is of great importance to send ex- perienced men everywhere in order to set up a uniform government. Representative of the Imperial Bank: G . VON ScHANZ. Note. — Members of the Red Guard tccre paid, frorrfi 12 to IG roubles a day, whereas soldiers were paid hardly that number of kopecks. This letter shoios where the money came from.. The Bolshenk Government also required factory owners to pay regular wages to their workers lohile the latter served in the Red Guard. The notation on letter indicates that it was referred to Menshinski, the financial minister, whose expert councillor was the German, von Toll. Menshinski personally conducted the wrecking of the Russian banks, a maneuver that deprived all opponents of Bolshemkism of their financial jneans of warfare. It ivas a classic job of destruction, done in the name of reconstruc- tion. Have photograph cf this letter. DOCUMENT NO. 9 Imperial Bank, No. S, Berlin. {Very Secret) January 12, 1918. To THE Commissar of Foreign Af- fairs: I am instructed to convey the agreement of the Imperial Bank to the issue out of the credit of the General Staff of 5,000,000 roubles for the dis- patch of the a-ssistant naval commissar, KudriasholT, to.the Far East. On arrival at Vladivostok he should visit the retired officer of the Russian Fleet, Mr. Panoff, and instruct Butten- hoff and Staufachcr, who are known to I'anolT, to come to ace him. Both the mentioned agents will bring with them Messrs. Etlward Shindler, William Kebcrlcin, and Paul Diese [or Dczc]. With these persons it is necessary to think out a plan for carrying out the Japanese and American war materials from Vladivostok to the west. If this is not possible then they must instruct- Diese [or Deze) and his agents to destroy the stores. Sliindler must acquaint Kudriashoff with the Chincsi; agents at Nikolsk. These persons should receive the agreed amounts and should bo dispatched to China to carry on an agitation against Japan. Representative of the Imperial Bank: G. VON ScHANZ. Note. — If this plan was developed to a climaj: it was not by Kudriashoff. He was killed on his passage through Siberia two or three weeks later arid it was reported that a great sum of money was taken from his body by his murderers, who were said to be two Cossacks. Most of the German agents named in this letter were still active in Siberia in the spring, as shown by Document No. 29. Have photograph of this letter. DOCUMENT NO. 10 Imperial Bank, No. 5. January 11, 1918. To THE Chairman of the Council, of People's Commissars: My Dear Mr. Chan-man: The_ in- dustrial and commercial organizations in tierraany interested in trade rela- tions with Russia have addressed them- selves to me in a letter, including several guiding indications. Permit me to bring them to your attention. 1 . The conflict of the Russian revolu- tion with the Russian capitalists abso- lutely does not interest Gei-man manu- facturing ciroles, in so far as the ques- tion does not concern industry as such. You can destroy the Russian capitahsts as far as you please, but it would by no means be possible to permit the destruction of Russian enterprises. Such a situation would produce a con- stant ferment in the country, sup- ported by famine of materials and, in consequence of that, of products also. The English, American, and French capitahsts take advantage of this dis- order and understand how to establish here corps of their commercial agents. It is necessary to remember that German industry in the first years after the general peace will not be in a position to satisfy the purchasing demand of the Russian market, having broad similar parallel tasks in the Near East, in Persia, in China, and in Africa. 2. It is essential, therefore, to con- duct a canvass and gather statistical information with regard to the condi- tion of industry, and, in view of the absence of money in Russia, to ad- dress in business conversations which- ever is desired of the groups of Ger- man commercial banks. 3. Trade with Germany may be in the first period almost exclusively exchange for wheat and for any re- niaming products to receive house- hold necessities. Everything which exceeds the limits of such trade should be paid for in advance to the amoimt of 75 per cent of the market value, with the payment of the remaining quarter in a six months' period. In place of such an arrangement, prob- ably, it would .sccin to be possible to permit, privatel}', the taking of German dividend shares on the Russian financial market, or solidly guaranteed indus- trial and railroad loans. In view of the indicated interest of German manufacturers and mer- chants to trade relations in Russia, I cordially beg you, Mr. Chairman, to inform me of the views of the Gov- ernment regarding the questions touched upon, and to receive the as- surances of my sincere respect. Representative of the Imperial Bank and Stock Exchange in Berlin: G. VON Schantz. Note. — The engaging attitude of the German manufacturers toward Russian capitalists is the feature of this letter, apart from the cordial and evidently un- derstanding expressions of the ' repre- sentative of the German Imperial Bank to that opposed enemy of the capitalists of all nations, Lenin. The letter was sent to the secret department by Secre- tary Skripnih. Perhaps some day von Schanz will disclose Lenin's answer. Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 11 Imperial Bank. No. 123TS. [Printed circular in Russian] RESOLUTION of a conference of representatives of the German commercial banks cotir- vened on proposal oj the German delegation at Petrograd by the man/- agement of the Imperial Bank, to dis- cuss the resolutions oj the Rhine- Westphalian Industrial Syndicate and Handelstag. Berlin, December 28, 1917. 1. All loans are canceled the bonds of which are in the hands of German, Austrian, Bulgarian, and Turkish holders, but payment must be real- ized by the Russian treasury in the course of a 12-months' term after the conclusion of .separate peace. 2. The purchase is permitted of all Russian securities and dividend- bearing paper by the representatives of the German banks at the rate of the day on the open market. 3. After the conclusion of separate peace, on the expiration of 90 days, there are reestablished all the shares of private railway companies, metal- lurgical industries, oil companies, and chemical pharmaceutical works. Note. — The rating of such papers will be made by the German and Aus- trian stock exchanges. 4. There are banished and for five years from date of signing peace are not to be allowed English, French, and American capitals in the follow- ing industries: Coal, metallurgical, machine building, oil, chemical, and pharmaceutical. 5. In the question of development in Russia of coal, oil, and metallurgical branches of industrj' there is to be established a supreme advison,' organ consisting of 10 Russian specialists, 10 from the German industrial or- ganizations and the German and Aus- trian banks. 6. The Russian Government must not interfere in the region of ques- tions connected with the transfer to the benefit of Germany of two mining districts in Poland — Dombroski and 10 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY KACHRICHTEN-BUREAU. 8ectioii,_;i^L . '25 SsBpaJia I9I8 r- rocnoAsiHy ripeflciiiaTejiis CoBtra HapoflHsxi KOMHcca CekbeTHO. lynow the jatr oj the resolution on this, I its early wniter appearance. Have besides the notated photograph a printed copy oj this circular. POBS- DOCUMENT NO. 12 i ipoflanCi Koj4i6fc^ous r.Tpou- POWHO lI8|iCTIITi pyKQBOflH- PasBiflKir'npii CTaBKi-KoMHCca.pOBX *e8ep- KajiBuaHOBHia, mtoCh ohh pafioiajiH no-npea- «euy B£ nojiHofi HesaBHCHuocTH a Tafini oti 0(f:$imia-nB- Haro niraSa CTasKit h TeHepajiBHaro ffliafia bi> IlaTepCyp- rt B ocotfeHRo rsH- BoHqi-BpyesHia e KoHxps-PasBiflKH Cisepnaro SpoHia, chocacb jih'ul ct HapoaniatB Kohhc- capous npan. KpHJieHKO- vyr^ Facsimile Document Number 12 OTflSjieHis /il^^^tCLMy Olkishski — and to Austria of the oil region ia Calicia. The transfer of the latter will be only in the form of limitations of the right of making claims, land allotments, and applica- tion of capital for the production and refining of oil. 7. Germany and Austria enjoy tlie unlimited privilege of sending into Russia mechanics and qualified work- men. 8. Other foreign mechanics and workmen during five years after the conchl^ion of poar-e between Russia and Germany are not to be allowed to enter at all. 9. The statistical department of pro- ducing and manufacturing industries with the corresponding Government organ must be controlled by German specialists. 10. Private banks in Russia arise only with the consent and according to the plan of the Union of German and Austrian Banks, whereVjy the rating of tlie stocks of the banks on all exchanges of the Now and Old World will be handled by the group of the Deutsche Bank. 11. At the port.s of Petrograd, Arch- angel, Odessa, Vladivostok, and Ba- tum will be established, under the leadership of specialists from Ger- many, special stati.stical economic committees. As regards the tariff, railway aii<l shipping rate policies to regulate the Russo-German-Austrian trade rela- tions, this part of the economical treaty will be discussed by the spe- cial Tariff Council of the Handels- tag. Signed : Chairman: von Ghen.ver. Secretary : Berbnbixet. XoTK. — The, penned indijrsemenl on the photographed copy oj the resolution is: "Chairman oj the Central Executive Com- mittee: Commissar Menshinsky requests that thi.'i resolution should be taken under adi-'iseme7it, and to prepare tlie ground in the Council oj the Workmen's and Sol- diers' Deputies, in case the Council oj People's Commissars will not accept these requests. Secretary D. Khaskin." Menshinsky is Minister oj Finance. All oj these terms, wholly punitive to American, English, and French capital, could lurk in the secret section in the present German-Russian treaty. I do not G. G.'S, NACHRICHTENBUREAU. BecllJn ^... 25 *9Bpajifl I9I8 p. Gtreat] Gteneral] S[taff]. Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 7S0. Feb. 25, 1918. (Secret) To THE Chairman of the Council OF People's Commissars: After conferring with the People's Commissar Trotsky, I have the honor to ask you urgently to inform the directors of the Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters [Stafka], Commis- sars Feierabend and Kalmanovicb, that they should work as formerly in complete independence and without the knowledge of the official staff at Army Headquarters and the General Staff in Petersburg, and particularly Gen. Bonch-Bruevich and the secret service of the northern front, com- municating only with the People's Commissar Lieut. Krilenko. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant: Bukholm. Note. — Across the letter is written: "Injorm Mosholov. N. G." (Gorbunojj's initials). In the margin is written: ''Passed on to the Commissar oj War. M. Skripnik." The significance oj this let- ter is that^ it is to Lenin; that the two ehiej secretaries oj himselj and the coun- cil passed it on jor action; and that Trotsky and. Lenin on February 27 were continuing to hamper the Russian com- mander at a vioment ichen the German army was threatening Petrograd. Mo- tiholov was one oj the commissars on the stajj oj Krilenko, the comnmsar repre- senting the Council oj Commissars in the command oj the Riussian military jorces. His achievements as a disorganizer were notable. This letter indicates that he had the conjidence oj Germany. Have original letter. B.CeKpeTHO. r. ITpeficiflaTeJiw CoBira HapoflHuxi, KouHccapoBi. "^ To jOHeceHlflMi Hamefl taflHol nreHTypH, Bi-OTpsjjaJCs, fltBcTByioiaHxi npoTBBi repuaHCKaA BOflcKt a npoTHst As- ct^jo-yKpatiHCKiiro Kopnyca, BaCmoflaeTcfl nponaranfla Ha- HloHajifcBaPo BOBOTaHlK h tfopitfu ci HtimaaH h ar* eoioe- HHKft*!H-7KpaHH^allH. flponiy cQotfmBTt, sto pp eAnpiBSTo npaBHTGJiMTBOire BJifl npe_KpaqeHl« stoB speflHoB ariiTsni^#» IftyejiBiTHKi OxfllneRla lAuoTaHTl ''^^^«*^, /'K^^^?Uc£^ Facsimile Document Number 13 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 11 G[reat] GronoralJ S[tafTl, Inti-lligcnce BurAu, Section R, No. TiZ. February 2o, 1018. (Very Secret) To THE Chairman of the Council OF People's Commissars: According to reports of our secret agency in the detachments operating against the German troops and against the Austrian Ukrainian corps, there has been observed propaganda for a national rising and a struggle with the Germans and their alhes, the Ukrainians. I ask you to inform me what has been done by the Gov- ernment to stop this harmful agita- tion. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant: Henbich. Note.- — Across the top is written: "Ur- gent. To the Cojnmissars of War and Special Staff. M. Skripnik." The last sentence is underscored, and in the inargin appears a question mark, initialed "L. T." The first is Lenin's order through the sec- retary, and the second may possibly be taken as Trotsky's opposition to any ac- tion. The loss of the Ukraine by counter German intrigue was a sore point in pres- tige with him. ■ But his essential obedience to Germany was not lessened. Have original letter. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R. No. 278/611. To THE People's Foreign Affairs: CoMMiss.w of February 7, 1918. According to information of the Intelligence Bin-eau it has been ascer- tained that the promise given per- sonally by you, Mr. Commissar, in Brest-Litovsk, not to circulate so- cialistic agitational literature among the German troops is not being ful- filled. I ask you to inform me what steps will be taker in this matter. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant: Henrich. Note. — Brusque words to the foreign minister of the Soviet Government of Workmen, Soldiers, and Sailors of the Russian Republic, delivered not by an equal in official rank, but by the deputy of a German major at the head of an in- telligence department of the German Government. Did Trotsky resent or deny the imputation? Instead he wrote with his own hand in the margin: "I ask to discuss it. L. T." Thus he admits that he did give the promise at Brest-Litovsk. The question raised concerns only the measure of obedience to be required. Have original letter. DOCUMENT NO. 15 Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters [Stavlta], No. 311, special section. To the Chairman of the Council op People's Commissars: January 29, 1918. The Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters advices that at the front is being spread by unknown agitators tlie following counter revo- lutionary literature : 1. The text of circulars of various Gorman Government institutions with proofs of the connection of the Ger- man Government with the Bolshevik workers before the passing of the Gov- ernment into their hands. The.se leaflets have reached also the German commanders. The Supreme Commander has re- ceived a demand from Gen. Hoffman to stop this dangerous agitation by all means possible. 2. A stenographic report of the con- versation of Gen. Hoffman with Com- rade Trotsky, whereby it was sup- ovsk. The news of it did, not reach even Pctrograd until the next day. Yet on that day printed circulars were being dis- tributed at the front .stating that Trotsky had agreed to do the very thing he did do, and giving an augury of events that did lake place a week later when Ger- many did begin its advance and when the Bolsheviks did fulfill all demands. The fact is that simple truth was being 'told. Nor is the means by which it was secured at all obscure. A few daring and skillful Russians had found a ?neans to get infor- mation from Brest-Litovsk. The circulars referred to in the first (.0- c//fc2..^. NACHRICHTEN-BUREAU. TocnonnRy Hapo;iH0ny HOMHOcaoy no rHOorpaR HUMt JiTlJiaMt. Section 'l, 7 .Sespajis 1913 r. .Xf,: r 1T0 ;iaiiHoe BaMK ;iimHO. rocnofliiHi, KoMuccapi, B7. BpecTi-JlHTORCK^ o6t,riRHie HO pacnpopTpft- HflTb B7> repMaHCKnx7> ToKcxax-b coiiiajiHOTima- CKOS arHTauionHoB jinTepaTypu He HcncnHreTCH. Hpomy c6o6nnTb, ;<aKlH 6jAyTi> no STOiiy-noBOfly '^Hayn.ThHHK's 0T;\*ji9;ii Facsimile Document Number 14 posedly proposed to the latter to make peace on conditions of considerable concessions on the part of the Cen- tral Empires, but on the obligation of the Russian delegation to stop the socialization of the life of the state. Comrade Trotsky supposedly offered the termination of war without peace and the demobilization of our army. When Gen. Hoffman announced that the Germans would continue the ad- ^•ance, Trotsky supposedly replied: '"Tiien under the pressure of force we shall be forced to make peace and ful- fill all demands." This document has created indigna- tion among the troops. Against the Council of People's Commissars are heard cruel accusations. Commissar: S. Kalmanovich. Note. — This letter is a warning of the slow ri-iing but coming storm that will sweep these boldest pirates of history from the country they have temporarily stolen. To get a real understanding of the meaning of the second, and important, section of the letter, it must be pointed out that until February 1, the Russian calendar was 13 days behind the Western European calendar. The real date of this Utter, therefore, is February 10. This is the date Trotsktj's "No peace; no war' pronouncement was made at Bresl-Lit- paragraph are of course those already familiar to Washington from February dispatches. The following naive comment adds to the attractiveness of the letter: "The Committee for Combating the Counter Revolution stales that these circulars were sent from the Don, and the stenographic report was seized in transmission from Kieff. Its origin is undoubtedly Austrian or from the Rada. — M. Skripnik." Have photograph of letter. CHAPTER HI. THE GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK PLOT AGAINST THE ALLIES The following documents, with Mr. Sisson's interpretati\-e notes, expose the German-Bolshevik plot against the Allies. DOCUMENT NO. 16 Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters, No. 215. January 21, 1918. To the Commiss.«!I,\t of Foreign Af- fairs : We hereby advise you of the ar- rival in Mogilev of the following Ger- 12 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY man officers, who are being ordered to England. France, and America : Zanwald, von Weine, Pabst, Mayer, Gruenwaldt, and Baron Schilling. They have been granted passports, sent here by Commissar Trotsky. Von Weine, with a Danish pass- port in the name of Hansen, a mer- chant of Copenhagen, is to proceed to England. Baron Schilling is ordered to the United States of America with a Nor- wegian passport in the name of Dr. Joseph Brun. Gruenwaldt has instructions to pro- ceed to France with a Russian pass- port in the name of the Lett, Ivan Kalnin. The remaining persons are to make a journey through Finland and Swe- den, supplied with papers from the German staff, in order to follow up the counter revolutionary work of countries allied to us. Chief of Counter Espionage: Feierabend. Commissar: Vuznetorff. Note. — A young German who said he was a deserting officer and that his name was Mayer, sought the aid oj the Embassy, the military mission, and myselj in get- tiny to America. He was a good-looking young Prussian, had lived in New York, fpoke English with very little accent, and dhimed to have been converted to the h-esident's views on peace requisites. He ■laid he had walked across the lines as a deserter because he could stand no more of German war, and that he wanted to go 'n the United States to talk and write against Germany. I was not receptive. He said he was a lieutenant. There is no record at our military control office in Christiania oj a passport to Dr. Joseph Brun. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 17 Commissar for Combating the Counter Revolution and Pogroms. No. 32. Petrograd. January 5, 1918. To THE People's CoMMissAnwT for Foreign Affairs: The plenipotentiary Commissar for Combating the Counter. Revolution, Comrade Antonoff, requests the com- missariat for foreign affairs to issue passports for going to Denmark to the following conirade.s. who are go- ing to the allied countries to conduct peace propaganda: To England are going: Comrades Adolf Pavlovich Ribba, Ilia Juliovich Uritski, Vladi.slav Antonovich Dash- kevich. To France: Rimrna Lvovna Or- lova, Vladimir Konatantinovich Schneur. To America: l.'^ai Bori.iovich Kahn, Mark Vla.-»ievich Orit-fker, Sofia Ar- lurovna Mack. All the named conirude.s will visit at Copenhagen the premi.ses of thf .Htaff. where they will receive neutral pa.-«ports for the trip to the named countries. At the rlisposal of the dis- patched will be plii<c<! the necessary means for combatinu in the picss with the iriiperiiilists of Kn^rland, France, and the United State.-i. Their confi- dential addrcwes will be transmitted to you later on the arrival of the named comrades at the places of their destination. Authorized commissars : A. Shilinski. F. ZuBFJtT. Note. — Trotsky indorsed this note: "To be urgently executed. L. T." The plan oj peace propaganda campaign in the allied countries is plainly outlined. These Bolshevik-German agents will preach international Bolshevism and will charge the countries at war with Germany with the very imperialistic offenses oj which Germany is guilty. This also was the method used in Russia by the Bolshe- vik-German press in attacking the United States, England, and France. In the for- mula of the propaganda, imperialism re- lates not only to territory but to business enterprise. The agents listed above likely sought entrance under different 7iames. They and the centers from which they work should be recognized, however, by their words and their works. The com- missars who sign are members of the com- mission jor Combating the Counter Revo- lution. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 18 G[reat] General Staff. Central Division, Section M, No. 961. December 20, 1917. to the commiss.wiat of foreign Affairs : According to the negotiations be- tween the Russian and German peace delegations at Brest-Litovsk, the Rus- sian Division of the German Gen- eral Staff have the honor to request the hastening of the departure of agi- tators to the camps of Russian pris- oners of war in Germany, for the re- cruiting of volunteers who will be .sent to the English and French troops for the purpo.se of observation and peace propaganda. Simultaneously, the staff requests tlif following .sailors to be sent to Germany: Shishko. Kirshu, Matviev, and Dratchuk. They will receive special instructions when traveling through Brest-Litovsk. Chief of the Ru.ssian Division, Ger- man General Staff: O. Rausch. Adjutant: U. Wolff. Note. — This request was rejerrcd to the Commissariats on Military and Naval Aj- jairs. A marginal question asked by E. P. (probably Polivanoff): "f/s] Dratchuk at Black Sea'/" He was al Sevastopol and may not have been sent. The others went, visited the camps jor war prisoners in Germany, and then returned to Russia. Shishko in February was Comniis.far <ij the Naval College in Petrograd. Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 19 Counter Espionage at Army Headquartem, No. — . January 16, 1918. To THE Council of People's Com- missars: I Iierebv bring to the notice of the Council of People's Comnii.ssarics that through our front, on the per- .-^onal permission of the Supreme Commander, have pa.s.sed 100 Ger- man odicers, 2.50 non-commissioned oflicers, who proceeded to our inter- nal fronts; part of the German officers have gone to the front in the Don region, part to the front against Dutoff, and part to Eastern Siberia and the Trans-Baikal for the surveillance, and if it shall be possible, to oppose the Japanese oc- cupationary detachment and the counter revolutionary Trans-Baikal Cossack officers. Counter Espionage Official: P. Arkhipov. Note. — An odd comment gives interest to this letter. H is this: "An accusation or a silly accusal jor personal benefit? Communicate [<o] Comrade Krdenko,'' signed "N. G." Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 20 Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters, No. 52. Jan. 8, 1918. To the Council of People's Com- MISS.\RS : The Supreme Commander Krilenko has recei%'ed an offer from the Supreme Commander of the German army to send to the disposal of the German staff ten reliable officers of the revo- lutionary army. The said persons must arrive at Warsaw, -where they will receive their further instructions. The aim of the trip is to visit the camps of our prisoners of war on the propaganda of peace ideas. The staff points out the desirability of sending Dz'evaltovsky, Simaj^hko, Saharoff, and Volodarsky. For the Chief of the Counter Espionage: S. Kalmanovrh. For the Commissar: Alexjeff. Note. — Dzevaltovsky was an officer oj the Lije Guards Grenadier Regiment, and on agitator who aroused the soldiers at the time oj the ill-jated June advance. Volodarsky has been rejerred to pre- I'iously. He was assassinated in late June at Moscow. Kalnianovich was a Com- missar on the staff oj Krilenko, the talk- ing man who was assigned to disorganize the army. In actual army rank Krilenko was a sublieutenant. Have pholoi/raph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 21 C.r. General Staff, Central Division, Sec- tion M, No. 7B0. Berlin, November 1, 1917. To THE Council of People's Com- missars: In accordance with an inquiry from the German General Headquarters. I have the honor to request you to in- form me at the earliest possible ino- incnl the exact quantity of amrauni- tidii at the following places; Petro- nr.id. Aichangel, Kazan, Tiflis. It, is necessary also to state the <|Uanlity and storage plac'o of the supjilies which have been received from .\Micricu, ICiigland, and France. .■iiid also the units which are keeping t^uard over the military stores. Head of Division: O. Rausch. Adjutant : U. Wolff. ■^riTE.—This is a request made upon a rnuntry which America. Englnnd, and France still regarded nl that date ns an ally. Have photograph oj letter. I he UllKMA.iN-tJUL5>Htl VIK CUiN Sr IK A.1^ I U DOCUMENT NO. 22 G[eneral] S[tafr] of the High Sea Fleet, No. 79. Jan. 10, 1918. (Very Secret) To THE Council ov People's Com- Mi.ss.ws: Thn Pptersburg representative of the Supreme Sea Command has re- ceived by \virele.«s from Kiel orders to propose to the Council of People's Commissars to place at the disposal of our agents at Vladivostok — But- tenhof, Staufacher, and Franz Wal- den — several steamships. On these ships must be loaded the goods indi- cated b\- fiin- named agents and also NACHRICHTEN-BUREAU. Stction ^ rocnoBHHy HUM* Jll^.nei.M'i 33 «9BpaJi/i 19 18 I*. ted to-day to me by radio A, I apply to the Russian Government with a proposal to take measures to deliver to the Pacific by railway three of our submarines, disa.ssemblcd. On the conclusion of peace negotiations and the conclusion of peace between Ru.s- sia and Germany this transporting must be begun immediately, whereby on the conclusion of the war the transpoi'ted vessels will remain at tlu' disposal of the Russian Government . Capt. Lieut.: RuD. Miller. Note. — The letter j.s indorsed: "Report- ed. Seeretary Skripuik." The transportin,/, aecordiiifi to the e.ut<<iorl.eal demand, ya.i tn begin immediately after peace wii?: signed. These are the only two eom- viunicalions oj Capt. Miller that app< ar. Have photograph oj letter. JiBHHO , HfiponROHy KoMHCcapy no V.HOcipaH- TJlSBeCT y ofmeHi CorflacHO jtR<iHux« nsperoBoposs uokxi qt, r.npeflc*.fleTeji8u» COB*tft HaponHuxi KoMncoapoBi, Chjio p^meBO aanopmaTB OTi^ant KTa;ii>HHCKaPO no- co.n5>CTBa Ksi neTepflypra h, no BoauosHOCTH.npo- JisBecTH oCiiCKi nooo.nfiCKRro 6araaa.06* btomi ji ciHTaw flonroMi k8b*.cthtb' BRc-i. OTR%neHi„(^%^jUu>{ AAl>HTaHT» Facsimile Document Number 26 persons indicated by them, and be sent as directed to ports of the United States, Japan, and British colonies in Eastern Asia. In case of absence of free tonnage in Pacific ports, it is nec- essar.v to ch,arter ships sailing under a foreign flag. The object of sending the ships is to cany to enemy countries agents-agitators, and agents-destruc- tors. .\11 the expenses and risk the Petrograd agency of the Supreme Naval Command takes for account of the naval operations fimd. Capt. Lieut. Rudolph Miller. Note. — The hidorsement oj Lenin's sec- retary Skripnik is: "Reported." The ac- tive Vladivostok agents have been rejerred to previously. The threat oj the arrival oj German agents through Pacijic ports is apparent. Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 23 G[eneral] S[tatt] of the High Sea Fleet, No. 85. Jan. 14, 191S. (Very Secret) To the Council of People's Com- missars; According to instructions of the Ger- man High Sea Command, transmit- DOCUMENT NO. 24 Commissar for Combating the Counter Revolution and Progroms, No. 445/63. Petrograd, Jan. 21, 1918. To THE COMMISS.\R OF WaR, SklIAN- sky: Our agency on the Furhstatskaya informs us that two people not seen before ha\e been noticed to visit the American Embassy three times. Maj. Luberts begs to point out to Commissioner Podvoisky the neces- sity of keeping a watch over the movements of these two persons. I ask your instructions. Commissar: A. Kozmin. Note. — Maj. Liiberts believed in identi- fying visitors to the American Embassy. Podvoisky was the Minister oj War. Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 25 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R. No. 16S. Dec. 17, 1917. (Very Secret) To THE Commissar on Foreign Af- fairs : At the request of the Commission on Combating the Counter Revolution of December 17, the Intelligence Bvi- reau has the honor to forward a ILsfc of men watching the missions of the countries allied to Russia: The British Embassy is watched by German scouts Luze, Telman, Possel, Franz, and Gezel; Russian agents Ovisannikov, Gluschenko, and Balia- sin. The French Embas.sy is watched by German scouts Silvester, Butz, Fol- hagen; Russian agents Bala-shev, Turin, Gavrilov, Sadavnokov, and Shilo. The U. S. A. Embassy is watched by German scouts Strom, Buchholtz, Fasnacht, Todner; Russian agents Spitzberg, Sokolnizky, Turasov, and Vavilov. The Roumanian mission is watched by German scouts Suttner, Baider, Wolf; Russian agents Kuhl, Nikitin, Zolotov, and Arkipov. The Italian Emba.ssy is watched by Austrian scouts Kuhlder. von Geze, Coin, and BurmeLster; Russian agents Salov, Alekseievsky, and Kuzmin. These agents must fulfill all in- structions of the Commission for Combating the Counter Revolution, Sabotage, Looting, etc. Head of Bureau : Agasfer. Adjutant; E. Rantz. Note, — The German Maj. Luberts (Agasjer, see Document A'o, 6), therejore was the keeper oj Ambas.-tadorial hostages nj the allied countries in Russia through- out the winter. The names listed above leere unidentifiable in the establishments oj at least the Brili.^h and the American Embassies. All may have been outside ^catchers. The mcthwl oj outside sur- veillance is shown in Document No. 27. Have photograph oj letter. DOCUMENT NO. 26 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 715. (Perso?ial) Feb. 23, 1918. To the Commissar of Foreign Af- fairs: According to my personal conversa- tion with the chairman of the Coun- cil of People's Commi.'sars, it has been decided to delay the departure of the Italian Embassy from Peters- burg and, as far as po.ssible, to search the Emba.ssy baggage. Of this de- cision I count it my duty to inform you. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant : Henrich. Note. — Across the top oj letter is writ- ten by Trotsky. "Instruct," and signed u'ith the i7iitiats, L. T. H is here set jorth laconically that a German officer oj the General Stafj and Lenin in conjerence ordered the search oj the baggage oj the ambassador oj a country jriendly to Rus- sia and at war with Germany; and that Trotsky gave the insti^ctions jor carry- ing out the order. A clerk's note at the bottom is additionally specific: "To be {/iven to Blagonravofj ." The last named was the Cotnmissar oj Martial Law in Petrograd. The Halian Embassy train teas delayed for more than 24 hours when it sought to depart, some days later. Petroff, assistant foreign minister, told me on March 2 with a great show of in- dignation, that "The halians had given a diplomatic passport to the embassy cook." So, he said, it was right to search 14 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY T^ACHRICKTEN-BUREAU. Section — O. . tl^ipTa I9I6 rona B.CeKpetKO. BiKOMPcriio no ''opbi* fh KOHTpt-pesojiwuieU 1 W i '■'■ JjJiZl 0>iur;<^ HarTOHJiiiMl. rooSn^ae* TH , mto Ha(im)neHieMi> h ET. rji/waS HeoSxoanMOCTH HananeHieMt Ha ;inoH- cKiixi, auapaKaHCKHXt h pyccKHXi o(})nuepoB-b,KO- MaHi7i.iuHXi> OKK/nauiOHHaii'b KopnycoMT) btj Boctoh- Ho8 CnS«pii, saBSjiywTt HaiuH areHTti nray^axept, KpHrepi, THse, BaJibHeRHi, ByTTeHrcnirE7~;;;atTaHi= H fKpHOaHOBvmi, KT. KOHMT> H HaaJies-HTT) oCpaiiaTb- CH KaKt KOMHccapy KoSosesy. Tarn, h KOMannHpo- BaHHUMt KOMMCcien jiHuawt. Aapeca ar.eHTOBij yKa- aaHu Bt cnzcKt f? 3. HayantKHKi A-JllOTSHTt O^^^***"^^ *-^^!(*AMp\ - ^^) iXAH^u, ^ y^uKMj^^Ms lished in the Marble Palace — Lieut. Beklier and a member of the central executive committee of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies, Frunze. On the French Embassy, on the French Quay, house No. 8, Comrade Peters, member of the central execu- tive committee of the council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies, supplementary. On the North American Embassy observation has been established at Furhstatskaya Street, house No. 23, apartments Nos. 1 and 4. In the lat- ter Comrades Goldberg and Spitzberg are carrjang on the observation very successfully. Telephones have been installed in the above-mentioned places. General management of the surveillance has been intrusted to AKred von Geigendorf. Commissar: Mitopovich. For Secretary: R . Baetski. Note. — Most of the names in this letter, including the signatures at end, are un- familiar. Peters, placed in charge of French observation, is a Lettish sailor, active and able, a former resident of England. The robbery of the Italian ambassador took place late in the evening on a lighted frequented central street and was a day's sensation. The observation point on the American Embassy was a yellow apartment house al- most opposite the entrance. After I got this information I tested the ^vatch and always saw a head or hand retreating from a window. But I doubt if the xvalchers profited 7mick by studying the visitors to the embassy. Have photograph of letter. Facsimile Document Number 29 the train. If they had belter luck than they did when they held up and searched the Italian ambassador in hi.i automobde almost in jront oj the Hotel Europe, I dM not hear oj it. Document 27 tells oj that robbery. Have original letter, A'o. S6. DOCUMENT NO. 27 n Commissar on Combating the Counter Eevolution and Pogroms, No. 71. Petrograd, Feb. 24, 1918. (Specially Secret— Personal) To THE People's Commissar on Fcm- EiGN Affairs: Our agent.? investigating the Italian Embassy, I. E. Maerov. Imenit^ki, and Urov, followed up the ambassador and conducted a search of him in the street, with a confiscation. Docu- iiient.s regarding relations \yith Ger- man diplomats and the special papers of the ambass'idor to the allied am- bassadors, mentioned by you. were not found In order to mask the attack several articles li.stcd in the protocol furnished by Comrade Imenitski were taken from the aiiibaHsador. The watch on the British and ,\merican ambassadors and the Ser- bian minister ha.s been intensified. The supplementary observation point on the British Embassy has been estab- 6R. 6ENERALSTAB. tENTSIL HBTBEILDHl Section M. 24 ieapajta 1913. r.x. rocnoA: J\ls;iaMS. JOBipHTejIJiHO. my HapoflHOMy KoMHCceipy .no.~KHocTjPdHHNM£ V<' /j)^*^ My no nopytieHiw HMnepfKaro HpaBiiTe;ii>cTBa HMtw msctb npocnTS Bt cpo4HOMi nopflflKi npoHSBecTH aHKSTy KaKlo ToproBHfl cyfla, BcnoMoraTQjibHHe KpeKcepa ii TpaHcnopTU Moryii. (5uTb oTtrpasJieHa Bi Bcjiu TMXaro OKeaHa, Tffi. PepMaHCKoa HpaBiiTO/.bCTBO naMtpeuo co3flaTb fl.'ifl rtopbflu CI aMepHKaHo-anoHCKoii ToproB.ieR cnjibHtJtt KOMMepuecKiil iJuiOTt, n.r!aBaKimiR noAi pyccKinii (|i;ioroui. BwicTt ci TftMt flOBomy flo Baniero CBtAiwiS, mto bi EeLiTlB- CKOMb t.iioTfe Baam MaTpoca pacnpoAanyrt cb BoeHHaxi nopa(5neR KaTepa, Me;iKle uenaHiiaMu, Minniw h (Spohsobmh MacTH mpiimhi h npoM. He flano-jiH fiu nocemy CBoeapeMeHHHwi noRHHTb Bonpoc* npoAa«ii repwaHlM sthxi pacxHutaouuxi h paesopflCMuxt Boew- Huxi Kopa(5;ietl. PtmeHie npaadTOjibCTBa (5.iaroBo;iiiTe «Ht cooOmHTb. Ha>»a.nbHiiKi PyccKaro OrntJia TepMaHCKaro rdHOi<a.nbHaro DiTaO Facsimile Document Number 28 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 15 DOCUMENT NO. 28 Gr. General Staff. Central Division, Sec- tion M, No. 389. (Confidential) February 24, 1918. To THE People's Commissar of For- eign Affairs: According to instruction.'? of the Imperial Government, I have the honor to ask you to make in the short- est po.ssible time an investigation as to what commercial boats, auxiliary cruis- ers, and transports may bo sent into the waters of the Pacific Ocean, where the German Government intends to form, for tlie purpose of opposing the American-.Japanese trade, a powerful commercial fleet flying the Russian flag. graph as indicating the use against America to which Gertnany intends to put Russia is self-evident. The ludicrous picture painted in the second paragraph at once intensifies the sliame o/ tlic ending of the fine new Russian Navy and discloses the German hope of securing and refitting the vessels. Have original letter. DOCUMENT NO. 29 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, No. 883. Section R, (Very Secret) March 9, 1918. To THE Commission for Combating THE Counter Revolution: It is herewith communicated that for watching, and if neces.sary attack- ing, the Japanese, American, and Rus- COKpeTHO. 6fl. GENEnuSTiiB. UITHI IITHEIIiDXt. SeeUon li./ii^ i£6.*eBpajifl..l9J8_c- jtJ'-f:?.,, pOBi. i^^f^d.^, •^ «^ OiAiJieHle flbafia KftieTi nee** npocjiTb CB^RiHitl o HacTEoeHitt HanpaB.tfleuBxi> Kh HcKOBy OTp/qjoBi h npe- flocTpperaeTi oTt BosMoaHhixi neqajiBHaxi floMcflCTBiK, ec;i)i Bi sTMXi oTpHflaxii SyfleTi BecTMCb naipioTiiMe- tfK&g nponaranfla h erHTauiJi npoTHBS FepMaKCKoH Ap- ulx. HttMajitHHKi PyccKaro OTfli.na repuaiiCKaro rcH^ajibHaro JliflUa.^/^ Facsimile Document Number 30 At the same time I call to j-our at- tention the data that in your Baltic fleet your sailors are selling from the war ships the launches, small fittings, copper, and bronze p.'irts of machines, etc. Would it not be the proper time to raise the question of selling to Germany these war vessels which are being stripped and disarmed? Be so kind as to communicate the decision of the Government. Head of the Ru.ssian Division of the German General Staff: O. Rausch. Adjutant: U. Wolff. Note. — Opposite first paragraph is the notation: ^'Ask Lomof. Markin." Latter was one of Trotsky's secretaries. Opposite paragraph second, Markin makes notation. Refer to Raskolnikoff." Latter is a com- missar on this Naval General Staff , who con- ducted conferences with German officers in Kronstadt in March, April, and July, 1917 , and an active aid to Dybenko in stirring up the Russian fleet to revolt. Do not know who Lomof is. The importance of the fi,rst para- sian officers who may command the ex- peditionary forces in eastern Siberia, our agents Staufacher, Ivrieger, Geze, Walden, Buttenhoff, Dattan, and Skribanovich take charge, and to whom it is necessary that either Commissar Kobozeff or any of those named by the commission must apply. The ad- dresses of the agents are shown in list No. 3 Head: R. Bauer. Adjutant: M. K .(?) Note. — Comments to "Telegraph Kobo- zeff" and "Telegraph Streaberg," ivith an illegible signature, appear on letter, and below it is the order: "Give the list," initialed "D. Z.," corresponding ivith the signing habit of Dzerzhinski, chairman of the Com- mission for Combating the Counter Revolu- tion. Beloiv this order appears the list of addresses, as follows. Report according to list No. 3. 1. Staufacher Vladivostok, Panoff's house. 2. R. Krieger, Nikolsk, Ussurisky. 'i. A. Geze, Irkutsk, drug store, ZhinzherofT. 4. F. Walden, Vladivostok, his own house. a. Buttenhoff, lvhabarov.sk, firm Kun.st & Albers. 6. Dattan, Tomsk, Nechayevskaya Street (Initial A.) 7. [Brothers or Baron] Kuzberg, Harbin, offices of the Chine.se-Eastem Railway . 8. Skribanovich (initial G.), Blago- vcschensk, house of Kunst & Albers. 9. Panoff, Vladivostok, his own house. This letter was sent me after I left Petro- grad and reached me A pril 5 . It is important not only for content, indicating as it does the names and addresses of agents-destructors who are called upon for increasing activity against the United States and Japan to make the Pacific Ocean a new area of terror, but shcnmng tliat the German General Staff was contimdng after the Brest-Litovsk "peace" to work actively with the Russiart, Bolshevik Government. Have original letter. CHAPTER rV. THE PLOT FOR A SHAMEFUL PEACE Germany made its Russian peace with its own puppet government, the mis- named Council of People's Commissars, (he president of which is Vladimir Uli- uuov (Lenin), the foreign minister of which was Leoir Trotsky, and the ambas- .sador of whicli to Germany is A. Joffe. Germany made this peace harder upon the Russian people as punishment to the am- bition of its tools in seeking to become too powerful, and in hoping for a little while not only that Russia would be de- li\-ered over to them, but that they could double-cross their masters by turning a simulated German revolution into a real one. But their craftiness was a toy in the hands of rough German force. Germany was actually double-crossing them by ne- gotiating with the Ukranian Rada at the moment they dreamed they were tricking Germany. Germany, however, did not discard the Bolshevik leaders, recognizing their fur- ther use in the German world campaign for internal disorganizations in the nations with which it wars, but confined them to the limited inland province which Great Russia proper has now become. Lenin, according to statements made public as soon as Trotsky's spectacular device of "No peace — No war" failed, alwaj's was for peace on any German terms. He dominated the situation there- after and conceded everj-thing that Ger- many a.sked. Nor did Trotskj- cease to continue to obey the German orders de- livered to him both by Gen. Hoffman at Brest-Litovsk, and at Petrograd directly by the Russian Division of the German General Staff, which was seated in Pet- rograd itself from November. 1917, and which was still there in full operation 16 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY when I left, Monday, March 4, the day that Petrograd received notification that peace had been signed at Brest-Lit ovsk by the Russian and German delegations. Trotsky, therefore, rests rightly under the accusation of having staged his the- atrical scene as a climax to the Russian disorganization desired by Germany. The actual order he gave was for the immedi- ate demobilization of the Russian army, leaving the German army unopposed. The actual effect of the work of the Bolshevik leaders, moreover, was to en- able Germany to combine its former army of the Russian front with its western army, for the launching of its March of- fensive in France. Such has been the fruition of Russia's German-directed Bol- shevikism. The following documents tell the story of the betrayal of Russia to a shameful and ruinous peace. DOCUMENT NO. 30 G[reat] General Staff. Central Divisior Section M/R, No. 408. 'Secret) February 26, 1918. To THE Chairman of the Council op People's Commissars: This Division of the Staff has the honor to request data of the attitude of the detachments teing sent to Pskoff and to guard against all possible disastrous results if in these detach- ments any will carry on patriotic propaganda and agitations against the German army. Head of the Russian Division Ger- man General Staff: O. Rausch. Adjutant: U. Wolff. Note. — The chairman oj the Council of People's Commissars is Lenin. At the top of this letter is the written comment: "Urgent. Chairman of the Council of People's Com- missars asks Vohdarsky to communicate this to the agitation dcpartmMt. Secretary Skripnik." Skrijmik is the first secretary of the Government, personally reporting to Lenin. A second notation in viargin is: "Central Executive Committee No. 823 to report," signed with illegible initials. The detachments being nerd to Pskoff at this time were composed of Red Guards and of the recrints of the new Red Army. Pskoff luas taken by the Germans without a fight. Have original letter. DOCUMENT NO. 31 G. G.-.S., Inttlliucnco FJureau, Section R, No. 7o0. (.Very Secret) February 27, 1018. To THE PnESIDF.NT OF THE CoUNCIL OF People's Commwsar.s: Not having received an exact nn.swer to my que.stion of the 2.'ith of February, I now have the honor a scfond time to request you 1o inform me in the shorts est possiole time the numbers and kind of forces sent to Pskoff and Narva. At the sarno time, at the orders of the representative of our General Staff, I once more remind you of the deoimbilitv of nnTninp' 0<n>. Pnrski to the post of commander in chief of the Russian armed forces, in place of Gen. Bonch-Bruevich, whose actions do not meet the approval of the German High Command. Since the attacks on the lives and property of the German landowners in Esthonia and Livonia, which, accordmg to our information, were carried out with the knowledge of Gen. Bonch-Bruevich, and his nation- alistic actions in Orel, his continuance in the position of general is no longer desirable . Head of the Bureau: Agasfer. Note. — Across the letter is loritten "Send to Trotsky and Podvoisky. N. G." {Gor- hunov's initials, chief secretary of the Council of People's Cominissars.) Obseruc the man- datory nature of the whole letter and particularly of the first paragraph , Agasfer, as lias been shown, is tlie cipher sigyiature of Maj. Liiberts, head of the Petrograd Intelligence Bureau of the German General Staff, the chief branch of the Russian Division, of the German General Staff, the head of which is Maj. Rausch, referred to in this letter as the representative of "our General Staff." .4;> ■parenihj both Luberts and Rausch wrote a warning against sending any patriots to the defending forces, and seemingly the Bolshevik effort at obedience as indicated in document No. SO was 7iotfast enough to suit the German martinets. Podvoisky ivas minister of war. Gen. Parski was appointed to the com- mand of the Petrograd district, and as late as June 14 still held the post. He formerly rcas in command of the city of Riga, which was surrendered to the Germans tvithout adequate defense in the early autumn of 1917 . Have original letter. DOCUMENT NO. 32 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 272/600. {Very Secret) February G, 191S. To THE People's Commissar of For- eign Affairs: I ask you to immediately give the Turldsh subject, Carp C. ^lissirof, a Russian passport m place of the one taken from him, which was given him in 1912 on the basis of the inclosed national passport. Agent C. Missirof is to be sent to the staff of the Russian High Com- mand, where, according to the previous discussion between Gen. Hoffman and Commissars Trotsky and Joffe, he will keep watch on the activity of the head of the staff, Gen. Bonch-Bruevich, in the capacity of assistant to the Com- missars Kalmanovich and Feierabend. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant: Bukholm. /(7 <"«^;^K-J^. G» Gm''S» NACHRICHTEN-BUREAU. Section . '^'^ Z'l $e?.Dajrs I9I8 r. ^.CeKpetHO. r'.npe/t.Qtflo.Tejifo Jo.^lTc HapoflHii.\i, KoMjfccapoBl. HacTomumas^ He no;iy»jHai voiHavo OTstTa wa uoll sairpoci OTi 25 (J-espaJia, ■ iiuiro lecaB BTOpir-mo npocHti at cpo^ovii ^IflOMUXl KI. riCKOBV *'WapBt- OfiHOBpeuea ■pqjiiHaro ElTa^ Ha^jeHlfl rtfi. rifi p-yf^iK UpeRCTaBHTQJta Hanero rsHO- anouHHaw o jtejiareJiBHOcTH nas- ,H(ffnocTi BepxoBHaro r.naBHOK0aaH- BQoBjawiHiiuH cttHeaiH, Bviicjo reH«BoHi«b- y iMiyBHtMP'T^feaTejm/icTii KOT^paro He scTptsaeTi co<iyBCTBln .'repiMWKar'o BepxosHaro KouaMflOBaHlH. TenepL-ze, aocxi noKymeHlft Ha aasHi. k HyymecTBO HiwetiKaxt eeji^neBJiaRiJiB- *K^eBt Bi 3cT;iHHfiia a JIiKjuiaHflla, iio , no HaiDHMi cstfli- HlHMi, npoHBonuio ci Blfloiia reu. EoHyt-BpyeBtma h Haulo-«' HajjHOTBTiecKoE fltHTcntpooim ero b» Opni, npefiuBauie r^w Kepajia fie. ero nocTy HexejiaTonBHO. HawojiLiiHKi. OTfli;ieHl;! r^ Facsimile Document Number 31 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 17 Note. — litre we have the bMnd-lhc-scenc disclosure of llie rcid rclnlions belioeai Trotsky and Gen. Hoffman at Bresl-LUovsk , slripping the mask from the public pose. Trolsky got his orders in tliis case and he carried them out. Across the top of this letter, too, he has written his own conviction, "Ask Joffe. L. T.," while Joffe, whone rdle seems to be that of the mouthpiece of Germany, has written in the 7nnrgin, "According to agreement this must be done. A. Joffe." Thereby he becomes a witness for the agree- ment itself — that pledge between himself, Trotsky, and the military chief of the German Government at the Brest-Litovsk conference, to betray the commander of the Russian army when he should attempt to defend Russia against Germany. A further marginal note states that the passport was given February 7, under the Russian name, P.L. Ilin. Have original letter and the surrendered passport. Kalmanovich and Feierabend were Commissars of Counter Espionage, THE UKRAINIAN DOUBLE-CROSS How the Bolsheviki themselves were double-crossed in the Uki-aine; how the Germans toyed with their puppets to dis- organize Russia, with disclosures of plans for assassination of loyal Russian leaders, are shown in the following documents and Mr. Sisson's accompanying notes. DOCUMENT NO. 33 ^ Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters, No. 63. January 10, 1918. To THE Commission for Comb.vtino THE Counter Revolution: The Commissar on Combating the Counter Revolution in a cijjhcr tele- gram, No. 235, demanded the sending of special agents to Kiefl and Novocher- kask. There have been sent Conu-ades Vlasenko, Gavrilchuk, and Korablev, who have more than once very suc- cessfully performed information ser- vice. The commissar in his cipher telegram indicates that the German and Austrian ag nts assigned from Petrograd, Lieuts. Otto, Krcmer, Blum, and Vasilko, are playing a double role, reporting on what is hap- pening at Petrogi-ad, and they carry on an intensive agitation in favor of a separate peace of the Ukraine with the Central Powers, and for the restoring of order. Their work is having suc- cess. To Siberia have been ordered Com- rades Trefilev and Shepshelevich, in connection with your report of the pm-chase and export of gold by Austrian prisoners in Siberia. Director of Counter Espionage: Feierabend. Secretary: N. Dracheff. Note. — So stands disclosed the manner in which Germany set about to double-cross the Bolshevik servants who in success had be- come at times uppish in bargaining with their 7nasters. It icas not a part of the German program to create in Russia a power wliich it could not at any time control, or, if need be, overturn. Its plan licre had the additional advantage of not only disciplining the Petrograd Bolsheviks but also of disunify- ing Russia still further. It worked out to a separate peace with Ukraine and a separate peace with Great Russia. Lieut. Otto is the Konsldn aftenvards arrested for some unknown betrayal. See Document No. S. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 34 Counter Espionage at Army Head<iuartei-ri, No. 511. January 30, 1918. To THE Commission for Combating Counter Revolution: You are informed that the German and Austrian officers located at Kiefl now have private meetings with mem- bers of the deposed Rada. They in- sistently inform us of the inevitable siffiiing and ratification of peace treaties both between the Ukraine and the Central Powers and between Roumania and Austria and Germany. Director of Counter Espionage: Feierabend. Commissar: O. Kalmanovich. Note. — Corroborative of the preceding document. The separate peace with the Ukraine already had been signed. Have photograph of letter. officer referred to in Document So. cipher signature is Schott. Have photograph of letter. His DOCUMENT NO. 35 G. G.-S. Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 181. {Very Urgent) December 9, 1917. To the People's Commissar of For- eign Affairs: In accordance with your request, the Intelligence Bureau on November 29 sent to Rostof Maj. von Boehlke, who arranged there a survey over the forces of the Don Troop Government. The major also organized a detachment of prisoners of war, who took part in the battles. In this case, the prisoners of war, in accordance with the direc- tions given by the July conference at Kronstadt, participated in by Messrs. Lenin, Zinovieff, Kameneff, Raskolni- koff , Dybenko, Shisko, Antonoff, Kril- enko, Volodarsky, and Podvoisky, were dressed in Russian army and navy uniforms. Maj. von Boehlke took part in commanding, but the conflicting orders of the official commander Arnautoff, and the talentless activity of the scout Tulak, paralyzed the plans of our officer. The agents sent by order from Petro- grad to kill Gens. Kaledin, Bogaevsky, and Alexieff were cowardly and non- enterprising people. Agents passed through to Karauloff. The communi- cations of Gen. Kaledin with the Americans and English are beyond doubt, but they limit themselves en- tirely to financial assistance. Maj. von Boehlke, with the passport of the Finn, Uno Muuri, retui'ned to Petro- grad and will make a report today at the office of the chairman of the council at 10 p. m. For the head of the Bureau: R. Bauer. Adjutant: M. K.- -(?). Note. — This is a cold-blooded disclosure of a German-Bolshevik plan for the assassitm- tion of Kaledin and Alexieff, as well as proof of a condition often denied by Smolny during the winter — that German prisoners were being ai-med as Russian soldiers in the struggle against the Russian nationalists on the Don. The letter also contains the most complete list of the participants in the July conspiracy conference at Kronstadt. The marginal comment opposite the assass-ination para- graph, "Who sent them?" is in an unknown handwriting. Maj. von Boehlke is a German DOCUMENT NO. 36 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 136. (Very Secret) November 28, 1917. To the Council of People's Com- missars: In accordance with your request, the Intelligence Bureau of the General Staff informs the Council of People's Commissars that the LTkrainian Com- mission at the Austrian High Com- mand, in which participate the em- powered representatives of the German Staff, has worked out a plan of the activities of the revolutionaries known to the Council of People's Commis.sars and the Central Executive Committee of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies — Chudovsky, Boyar- sky, Gubarsky, and Piatakov — who are under the full direction of the Austro- Hungarian High Command. The commander in chief of the Rus- sian army has been made acquainted by Schott with plans of the Austro- German High Command and will co- operate with him. Head of Bureau: Agasfer. Note. — At this early time there was har- mony all around on the Ukraine program, Germans, Austrians, and the Commissars in complete brotherhood. Schott is Maj. von Boehlke and Agasfer is Maj. Luberts. Have photogrCTph of letter. CHAPTER V. TROTSKY AND ROUMANIA The machinations of Trotsky, inspired by the German Gen. Hoffman, for the disruption of Eoumania are disclosed in the following: DOCUMENT NO. 37 Counter Espionage at Army Headquarters, No. 20. January 2, 1918. To THE Commission on Combating Counter Revolution : Commander in chief Ivrilenlco has re- quested the Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters to inform you that it is necessary to order the following persons to the Roumanian front im- mediately: From Petrograd, Commis-sar Kuhl, "Socialist Rakovsky, Sailor Gnieshin; and from the front the chief of staff of the Red Guard, Durasov. These persons should be suppUed with literature and with financial resources for agitation. To them is committed the task of taking all measures for the deposing of the Roumanian king and the removal of counter revolutionary Roumanian officers. Director of Coimter Espionage: Feierabend. Secretarj': N. Drachev. Note. — This marks the continuance of large-scale work to disorganize the Roumanian army. That it advances disappointingly to Germany is evidenced by vengeful steps taken by Gen. Hoffman and Trotsky from Brest-Litovsk, when in the middle of January IS The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY Y' -nim-ir---rf-r-, .5> <' «v<,-N T.V ■\^ P r«»Sr-.v..- i o rt 2 t4-t o t-i o a a E t/i rt o. W) (A l-i I I:: ^ ' U J= ° O °" .- ui •5 CO ? a 0) o E "5 ■£ 'm S " Co*" 0) tn o .2 n 3 o H -2 3 a CO u 03 y (0 3 C I a I .A I O I \ « * s (5 5 ■;^.'v^ dsiit O J<! E SS .a ^ "1 „ V E > 3 ° 'i. •SO « fs "O o 4-> J3 a c '^ •«-' m ni ^- ♦^ « J3 n1 e C o O « > O c E o ap iroff, -Bru CO ■*-• Wl J2 o o t ^2 § 1— > c c o C ■o o u . T3 ^ O ^ ■20 Jf 3 c 0) < 44 3 .5H o XI E The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 19 K^:-'^ .^ ''^\f > K A .V. ^ £ ^ ^ t s**^- J^ ■ s ^ >f% %. u v^ > \ T' c. ^ - xV V. r' ,\ A vV t ^^ c c ^• V • V. -V <-- V 1'. ^ < - ( ■ V V <* '^. s 1^ V . -.l' (• > V. V i V. •'■•k-'. ,\ ■<r^'i> e '.-. i^i ts^;,:^-.. V -«'• , ^O ^^ ^.A')^ r-'- «i!t 1^ ( '^■ ^■^ r;' #' H tr;. ^BBiib Facsimile of face of Turkish passport surrendered by Missiroff. Notice that the passport was given him by Turkey in 1911. Letter No. 32 indicates that he had a previous Russian passport delivered to him in 1912, on basis of Turkish passport. 20 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY (western calendar) Trotsky, at the request of Gen. Hoffman, ordered the arrest in Petro- grad of the Roumanian minister Diamandi. (See Document 37 A .) At about the same thrie the Roumanian public gold reserves in custody mthin the Kremlin walls at Moscow were seized by the Russian Goi'ernmenl. Diamandi was re- leased from arrest at the demand of the united diplomatic delegations at Pelrograd, but his humiliations continued, and on January 28 he was ordered from Pelrograd, being given less than 10 hours to prepare for the departure of a party that contained many women and children. Ambassador Francis sought in vain of Zalkind, who was acting as Foreign Minister in the absence of Trotsky again at Brest, for an extension of the time of departures. The Roumanian parly was thrown pell-mell on a train at midnight. It was delayed in Finland on one excuse and another, not immediately apparent, but in three weeks the minister, leaving behind a large part of his people, was allowed to pro- ceed to Torneo. By good luck he reached there the day after the Red Guard lost Torneo to the While Guard. Tliat day saved his life, for on the person of Svetlitzsky, a Russian commissar who joined him in mid-Finland and accompanied him to Torneo, was found an order to Timofcyeff, the commissar at Torneo, to shoot him. Svellilzsky ivas shot instead. When I passed through Torneo the control officer talked frankly about the details, expressing the opinion that the shoot- ing might have been a mistake, as it was not shoum that Svetlilzsky was aware of the con- tents of the letter. Svetlitzsky, however, was an important person in Pelrograd, close to Trotsky. Our American party brought Gtir- anesco, the first secretary of Ihe Roumanian delegation, oid of Finland through the lines with IIS. He had been in Red Finland seven v.w'«. Behind us at Bjerrteburg we left several families of Roumanians who had de- parted from Pelrograd with the minister. We would have liked to hove In-oughl them through the lines of the two armies, but our venture was loo desperate to permit unauthorized addi- tion.tto the party. The marginal notation on this letter is "Execute," initialed "Ch," the sign manual of Chicherin, the relumed exile from England, at that lime Assistant Commissar of Foreign Affairs, now Minister of Foreign Affairs. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT 37A* • The contents of this letter, written by Joffe, were telegraphed to Washington in Feb- ruary, and photographic copy of letter for- warded by Ambassador FrancLs to State De- partment. No. 771, AITair of Peace Delegation (Gonfidential) Brest-Litov.9k, December 31, 1917. To THE Coi:ncil of People's Com- missars: Comrade L. Trot.«ky ha.s churned ino to bring lo Ihe knowlcdf^n of the Courieil of People's Commis.sars the motive.s for h\^ «e|c({rjij)hifi i)ro|)osul to orreHtthe Roimiuniim diplomatic ropre- sentatives in I'etershurK. flen. HofTiii.'iii, referring lo the ron- ferenee wliieh hml taken pliiee in Brest-Litovsk between (lie liieiiibers of the German and Aiistro-IIuiiKarian delegations on iJeeember 2'.», ijresented totno Rii.s.sian di'lexation in <ho name of theClerrnnri and Aust rian Thief fJom- roand fa deeiphered radio-telegram was exhibited in thi.i (•onn<'etion) a con- fidenlinl diiiiand eoneerniriK the im- mediate ineiUiment of tho floiimanian army to recogui^e the neceaaity of aa armi.stice and adopting the terms of a democratic peace pointed out by the Russian delegates. The implacability of the staff and the whole commanding force of the Roumanian army, witli regard to which the Chief Command of the German army has received the most exact agency information, spoils the ex- cellent impression produced in Ger- many and on all the fronts by the Russian peace propositions, which has made it possible to again stimulate the popular feeling agni7tsl England, France, and America and can bring about an undesirable and dangerous aggravation of the peace question, up to the German army going over lo the attack on our front and an open annexation of lite territories occupied in Russia. The general expressed his opinion that against peace might be the Cos- sacks, some Ukranian regiments, and the Caucasian army, in which case they will also doubtless be joined by the Roumanian armies, which, accord- ing to the information in possession of the German staff, enters into the cal- culations of Kaledin and Alexieff. It is greatly in the interests of the Ger- man and Austrian delegations that complete harmony should prevail on the entire Russian front as regards the conclusion of an armistice and adopt- ing the terms of a separate peace between Russian and Germany, seeing that in this event the German and Austrian Chief Command will propose to Roumania their terms of peace, and will be in a position to take up their operative actions on the western front on a very large scale; at the same time Gen. Hoffman, in the course of a con- versation with Comr. Trotsky, twice hinted at the necessity of immediately beginning these war operations. When Comr. Trotsky declared that at the disposal of the council's power there are no means of influencing the Roumanian staff. Gen. Hoffman pointed out the necessity of sending trustworthy agents to the Roumanian army, and t,he possibility of arresting the Roumanian mission in Petersburg, and repressive measures against the Roumanian king and the Roumanian commanding forces. After this interview Comr. L. Trotsky liy cable proposed to arrest the Roumanian mission in Petersburg with all its members. This report is being sent by special covirier — C!om- rade 1. G. Brossoff, who has lo prrsoii- ally Iraiisinil to Commissar Podniiskii some infornniiion. of a secret characti r regarding tlic semling lo the Roumanian army of those persons whose names Comr. Brossoff will give. All these persons will be paid out of the cash of the "German Naphtha - Industrial Hank," which has bought near Bore- slav the business of the joint-stock company of Fanto & Co. The chief direction of those agents has been intrusted, according to Gen. Hoffman's indication, to a, certain \^dIf Vonigel, who is keeping a watch over the mili- tary agents of the countries allied witli us. As regards the English and American dijtlomatic representatives. Gen. Hiiffmim has expressed the agree- meid of ttir Girnian slaff to the measuns adojitid Ijy Comr. Trotsky and Comr. I.azuuiniff Willi regard lo watching over their activity. Member of the delegation: A. JoKFE. [Marginal Notations] Comr. Shitkevitch: 'i'ake copies and send to the Commiss. for Foreign Affairs, personally to Comr. Zalkind. [Passages printed above in italics marked'^ To Sanders. Reported January 4, regarding the ■ arre.st of Diamandi and others. M. Shitkevitch. January 5, 1918. — To the Chancery: Send an urgent telegram to Trotsky about the arrest of the Roumanian minister. — Savelieff. Note (as cabled Feb. 9).— The date is January 12, western calendar, Ihe eve of the Russian New Year. The Roumanian min- ister was arrested that night in Pelrograd, and only released on the united demand of all onbassies and legations in Pelrograd. Since then he has beett sent out of Russia. The letter shows that Trotsky look Gen. Hoffman's personal demand as an order for action. Most imporlant of all, however, it strips the mask from. Ihe Lenin and Trotsky public proleslations that they have sotight to prevent the peace negotiations with Germany from turning lo the nrililary advantage of Germany against the United Slates, England, and France. The aim here diifctosed is in- stead to aid Germany in stimulating feeling against England, France, and the United Stales, in enabling Germany lo prepare for an offensive on the western front. A German bank is named as paymaster for Bolshevik agilalors among the Roumanian soldiers. Is "Wolf Vonigel," the field director, the Wolf von I gel of American notoriety? The simi- larity in name is striking. Finally, Gen. Hoffman and the German slaff is satisfied unth Trotsky's watch over the American and English diplomats. Joffe, who signs the letter, is a member of the Russian Peace Commission. Since this letter was written Zalkind has gone lo Switzerland on a special 7nission. Note. — (July 6, 1918). He did not reach there, being unable to pass through England, and in April was in. Christiana. DOCUMENT NO. 38 Commission for Combating the Counter Revolution and Pogroms, No. - — . Petrograd, Dec. 14, 1917. Major von Boehlke: E.STEEMED Comrade: I liring to your notice tliat our Finni.sh com- rades, Hakhia, Pukko, and Enrot have advised the Commissar for Combating ihe Counter Revolution of the follow- ing facts: 1. Between the English officers and the Finnish bourgeois organizations there are connections which cause us serious apprehension. 2. In Finland have been installed two wireless stations which are u.sed by unknown persons who communicate in cipher. ;'.. Between Gen. Kaledin and the American mission there is an undoubt- ed communication, of which we have received exact information from your source, and, therefore, a most careful supervision of the American Embassy is necessary. These reports must be established exactly. Our agents are helpless. Please excuse (hat I write on the of- ficial lett(-r heads, but I hasten to do this, sitting here at the commission at ail extraordin.aiy meeting. Ready to .service. F. Zalkind. Note. — The written comment at the top of llic letter is: "Commissar for Foreign Affairs. 1 request exact instructions. Scholt." It is von Boehlke's question, signed with his ci/ihtr name. (See docu- ment 5.) The leltir may imply that von Ike GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 21 Boehlke had, in the opinion of his good friend Zaikind, a means of internal obser- vation at the Ayncrican Embassy. Bavc ■photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 39 Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters. No. 268. (Very Secret) January 2.5, 1918. To THE Commission on Combating THE Counter Kevolution: The 23d of January at the Army Headquarters [Stavka] there took place a conference at which there par- ticipated Maj. von Boehlke, a.ssigned from Petrograd. It was decided, upon the insistence of the German consult- ants, to send to the internal fronts the following persons, furnishing theni all powers for dealing with individual counter revolutionaries: To the Don: Zbikliorcv, Rudnev, Krogultz, and Ernest Delgau. To the Caucasus Front: Vassili Dumbadze, Prince Jlathabelli, Sevas- tianov, and Ter-Baburin. To the 1st Polish Corps of Gen. . Dovhor-Menitsky are assigned Dem- bitski, Stetkus, Zliimiitis, and Gas- man. Be so good as to take all measures for the quick assignment and the ade- quate furnishing of the assigned per- sons with money, reserve passports, and other documents. Senior olhcer : Peter Mironov. Note. — This is an assassination order against individuals. It was not success- ful against the Polish general. Dembadse and Prince Machabetli were German spies implicated in the Sukhomlinoff affair and sentenced to prinon, but afterwards liber- ated by the Bolsheviks. Lieut. Col. Dem- bitski was a Bolshevik Polish officer. Ba- liurin was an assistant chief of staff under Krilenko. The letter is indorsed: "Com- rade Lunacharsky. Go and report to Com- rade Zinovieff," signature illegible. Have photograph of lettei. DOCUMENT NO. 40 Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters, No. 51/573. January 19, 1918. To the Commission for Combatino the Counter Revolution : There have been received two notes addressed to the Supreme Commander from the staffs of the Austrian and German High Commands. These notes inform the Army Headquarters [Stavka] that the organizer of the ^•ohmteer army in the Don region, Gen. Alexieff, is in written communica- tion with the officer personnel of the Polish legions at the front, with the view of getting the help of Polish oth- cers in the counter revolution. This information has been received by the Austrian agents from the Polish Bol- shevik Comrade Zhuk, who pl?yed a large part at Rostov diu-ing the No- vember and December battles. On the other side, the representative of the German Government, Count Lerch- enfeldt, reports of the rapidly grow- ing movement in Poland in favor of the bourgeois estate owners' imperial- istic plan to defend with arms the greatest possible independence of Po- land, with the broadening of its fron- tier.'i at the expense of Lithuania, White Russia, and Galicia. This movement is actively supported by the popular democratic party in Warsaw, as well as Petrograd, by military organizations guided by the counter revolutionary estate owners and the bourgeois Polish clergy. The situation which has arisen was discussed on the 16th of January at the Stavka in the presence of Maj. von Boehlke, sent by the Petrograd branch of the German Intelligence Bureau, and it was there decided: 1. To take the most decisive meas- ures, up to shooting en masse, against the Polish troops which have submit- ted to the counter revolutionary and imperialistic propaganda. 2. To arrest Gen. Dovbor-Menitsky. 3. To arrange a surveillance of the commanding personnel. 4. Send agitators to the Polish le- gions to consult regarding this the Polish revolutionary organizations known to the committee. 5. On learning of the counter revo- lutionary activity of Polish officers to immediately arrest them and send them to the Stavka at the disposal of the Counter Espionage. 6. To arrest the emissaries of Gen. Alexieff, Staff Capt. Shuravsky, and Capt. Rushitsky. 7. To request the Commission for Combating the Counter Revolution, in agreement with the German In- telligence Bureau at Petrograd, to ar- range a surveillance and observation of the following institutions and persons : (a) The military committee. (6) The Society of Friends of the Polish Soldier. (c) Inter-Party Union. (d) The Union of Polish Invalids, (p) IMembers of the Polish Group of the former state Duma and council. (/) The chairman. Lednitsky. and the members of the former Committee for the Liquidation of Affairs of the Kingdom of Poland. ig) Boleslav Jalovtski. ih) Vladislav Grabski. (i) Stanislav Shuritski. (j) Roman Catholic Polish clergy. (k) The Polish Treasury through which, according to agency reports, the governments of countries allied with Russia intend, with the assistance of the New York National City Bank, to supply with monetary resources the counter revolutionary camp. (?) It is necessary to verify the pri- vate reports of several Lithuanian revolutionaries that among the Church Benevolent Funds, which are at the disposal of the Polish clergy, are the capitals of private persons who hid their money from requisition for the benefit of the state. In case of establishment of any connection with the counter revolu- tion, the guilty Polish institutions are to be liquidated, their leaders and also persons connected with the counter revolutionary activity are to be ar- rested, and sent to the disposal of the Stavka. Chief of the Counter Espionage : Commissar: Feierabend. Kalmanovich. 'Note.— Again Oermany, through Count Lcrehcnfcldt, was intriguing on both sides. Chiefly, however, the significance of the let- ter is in the thoroughness of the oictlined German plan to crush the threat of armed opposition from the Polish legions of the Bussian army. The troops were fired upon, as indicated. The preceding document really follou)S this in natural sequence. The next two further elucidate the situation for the benefit of the Poles of the outside world. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 41 Counter Espionase at llie Army Headquarters, No. 461. January 28, 1918. To the Commission for Combating THE Counter Revolution : The Special Constituent Commission on the conflict with the Polish counter revolutionary troops has begun its ac- tivity. All the conduct of its affairs has been located at the Counter Es- pionage at the Army Headquarters [Stavka], where is being collected all information on the counter revolution on the external and internal fronts. At the commission have arrived mem- loers of the Commission for Combating the Counter Revolution, E. Miekono- shin, I. Zenzinov, Zhihnski, and from Sevastopol Comrade Tiurin. To a conferpnce were called agents an- nouncing their wish to be sent for conflict with the bourgeois Polish officers: Lieut. Col. Dcmbitski, Bole- slav Yakimovich, Roman Strievsky, Joseph Yasenovsky, and Mikhail Adamovich. All those agents are un- der obligation to carry the affair to the point of open insubordination of the soldiers against the officers and the arrest of the latter. For emergency the commander in chief ordered to assign Nakhim Sher and Ilj'a Raz}'mo\' for the destruction of the counter revolutionary ringlead- ers among the Polish troops, and the commission recognized the possibility of declaring all Polish troops outside the law, when that measure should present itself as imperative. From Peterburg, obsen-ers an- nounced that the Polish organizations are displaying great reser\"e and cau- tion in mutual relations. There has been established, howe\er, an unques- tionable contact between the High Military Council located in Peter- burg and the Polish officers and sol- diers of the bourgeois estate-owning class with the counter revolutionary Polish troops. On this matter in the Commissariat on Militan.' Affairs, there took place on Januaiy 22 a con- ference of Comrades Podvoisky. Ked- rov, Boretzkov, Dybenko. and Ko\als- ky. The Commissar on Naval Affairs announced that the sailors Trushin, Markin, Peinkaitis, and Schultz de- mand the dismissal of the Polish troops, and threaten, in case it is re- fused, assaults on the Polish legion- aries in Peterburg. The commander- in-chief suggests that it might be pos- sible to direct the rage of the sail- ors mentioned, and of their group, to the front against the counter revolu- tionary Polish troops. At the present time our agitation among the Polish troops is being car- 22 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 2 •*» E <s o _ •a c a CI ft* «a ^ be -a "3; ft 3 ■" 4i « E «i 3 « -5 ^ (3 CO *" 1 = ■s !-s |tl a S :£ f tl ^ M3 <e 1 s^ O -ae b 5 8 5 .2 " = g « *• o _ o §x 5 . s « %% * i = « ^ ^ i § s i r 6 S 6_ : S 2 .t a Ie^I « S g -o ■ tj a o o ^^ .-- : ;~ Si = c i'S '2 '" 2 iJ , ■= .? 5 "^ O M i i 5 I g o a >, a o- § f . ' 5 t 5 S 'to- sses i « a ° u * c '^ ■ * " « gill ? 2 tf p ■^ 3 » H c> I ^ = di« i i 4 c « SI'S 2 £ *» 5 5* c Ef K s EM « = g M O u c 2 = -35 V S 4> > c TJ j: c ass E-5.. 5 ■" S! ^1 I = ■» (/> I ^g = i o 3 i p Sz 3 £ .h o •S S * ■= o -S ■£ o o ^ 2 '^ j; > ^ :S ■"I as iS 13 J sa« £ t a 1 5 S 5 3 o 5 C M 5 » 5 s 2« i s 5 ' ^ 2 S 2 ? t E 2 w o 4/ = * 3 5 o o 3a? z » t f) I S «} bo C ■*-• fc! -«-< d tf) Tl <u U u r: «4H m ffl F ^ P. > a r/l rft a a ■s « c s a tn Ph rn a CI d <1> cS c m M 3 rt « s o o c^ <u 1> u > C! u > o < a >< t-^ a a £ B -■\^-^ •3 J3 &2: te U lU > nj O O Z c fl( i- e !2 e Si -a 5 I 5 e "= § p. <d : i^ = !3 II > V i The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 23 Facsimile of front of Finnish passport surrendered by Nevalainen in order to receive the Russian passport referred to in Document Number 43. 24 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY ried on in very active fashion and there is great hope for the disorgan- ization of the Polish legionaries. Chief of Counter Espionage: FeI EH ABEND. Secretarj-; Iv. Alexieff. Note. — Save photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 42 Counter Espionage at the ,\rmy Headquarters. No. 21. January 28, 1918. To THE Commission for Comb.a.ting THE Counter Kevolution : At the request of the commander in chief, in answer to your inquir>-. I inform you, supplementary to the dispatch, that the funds sent with Maj. Bayermeister have been received here. Among the troops acting on the front against the counter revolu- tionaries have been prepared several battalions for conflict wuth the Poles and Eoumanians. We will pay 12 roubles a day, with an increased food ration. From the hired sections sent against the legionaries have been formed two companies, one from the best shots for the shooting of officer- regiments, the other of Lithuanians and Letts for the spoiling of food re- serves in Vitebsk, Minsk, and Mogilev governments, in the places where the Polish troops are situated. Various local peasants have also agreed to ittaek the regiments and e.tterminaie them. Commissar: G. Mosholov. Secretary: Iv. Alexieff. Note. — These two documents shoiv that the policy against these patriotic soldiers was one of merciless extermination, financed by German money, handed out by a German officer. Bayermeister is named in Document No. 5. Have photograph of letter. CHAPTER VL THE COMPLETE SURRENDER The following documents show the com- plete surrender of the Bolshevik leaders to thf^ir Oerman masters: DOCUMENT NO. M C[reat] General StafT, Central Division, Section M-R, No. 411. February 26, 1918. (Very Secret) To THE Council of Peoii,e's Commis- SAB.S : According to instructions from the High Commanil of the German Army, I have the honor to remind you that the withdrawing and disarming of tlic Russian Red Guard from Finland must be commenced immediately. It is known to the staflf that the chief opponent of this step is the head of the Finnish Red Guard, Yarvo TIaap- alalnen, who has n great influcnic on the Russian trivnrm-hr fcnniradrsl, I refjuost vnii to nHsrgn for this Htrug- gle with Tfsapniainen our nxent, Wal- ter Nevnlalncn (Ncvalaiscllc), lioarcr of Finnish passport 3681, and supply him with a passport and passes. Head of the Division: O. Rausch. Adjutant : U. Wolff. Note. — Written at the top of the let- ter and signed N. G., the initials of Lenin's secretary, Is. Gorbunov, is the or- der : ' ' Send to the Comynissar of Foreign Affairs and execute." In the margin is ■trritten "Passport Sll — No. 393," btit unfortunately the name under which the new passport was given is 7iot mentioned. This order explains the withdrawal of the Uussian Bed Guard from Finland in early March and the abandonment of the Fin- nish Bed Guard to its fate. The latter, however, took care of the disarming both of Btissian soldiers and sailors as thcij left Finland, for the Finns needed guns and ammunition. The Bussians some- times fought but ivere surrounded and disarmed. In Helsingfors while I was there in March the Bed Guard and the sailors were fighting each other nightly with rifles and machine guns. One of two Finnish Bed Guard leaders almost surely is Nevalainen, but under the circum- stances I do not care to speculate. The order to hold all foreign embassies in Bed Finland was given coincidently with the appearance of one of them upon the scene. The excuse offered was that foreigners were carrying injormation to the White Guard. Simultaneously influ- ence was exerted in the White Guard to increase difficulties in passage between the lines. It is reasonable to place the ob- stacles to passage created on both sides of the Finnish line to German effort, for German aid was being given the White Guard openly at the moment it was in- triguing in the inner councils of the Bed Guard. The American party cornered in Finland escaped only by persistence and good fortune. The British Embassy party was passed through the day before the closing order came. The French and Ital- ian Embassies were obliged after a month of vain effort to return to Bussia. Have original letter and the surrend- ered passport. DOCUMENT NO. 44 C. C.-S.. Intelligence Buriau, Section R, No. 283. February 7, 1918. To THE Commissar of Foreign Af- fairs : We are tokl that secret service agents attached to the Army Head- f|uarters [Stavka] are following Maj. Erich, who h.is been ordered to Kiefl'. 1 ask yon to take urgent measures to remove the surveillance of the above- named officer. Head of the Bureau: Agasfer. Adjutant: Bi'kiioi.m. Note. — Chieherin, assistant foreign minister, initials a marginal cowmen'., "Talk it over." This note marks the pe- riod of acute irritation over the Ukraine between Bolsheviks and Germans. Agos- fcr is Maj. Luberts. Have original teller. DOCUMENT NO. 45 ':. '; S., Inlelliijenre lliir.iin, Si-.lion R. No. 22B. February 4, 1918. To THE Commissar or Foreign Af- fairs: By instructions of the reprpsentn- tive of our stalT I have the honor to ask you immediately to recall from the Ukrainian front the agitators Bryansky, Wolf, Drabkiu, and Pitts- ker. Their activity has been recog- nized as dangerous by the German General Staff. Head of the Bureau: Adjutant: Agasfer. Henbich. Note. — An exchange of courtesies of the same period as Document No. 44. Chieherin has notalcd it, "Discuss." Have original letter, and also photo se- cured earlier. DOCUMENT NO. 46 G. G.-S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 238. February 3, 1918. To THE Commissar op Foreign Af- fairs : According to instructions of the representative of our General Staff, I have the honor once more to insist that you recall from Esthonia, Lithu- ania, and Courland all agitators of the Central Executive Committee of the Council of Workmen's and Sol- diers' Deputies. Head of the Bureau : Adjutant: Aqasfer. BUKHOLM. Note. — Another instance of the time when Germany was using an iron hand of discipline, clearing of agitators the Prov- inces it already had announced ffls inten- tion of seizing for its own. The letter was referred by Markin, one oj Trotsky's secretaries, to Volodarsky, xvho scents to have been in chareie of the proletarian agitation in these Provinces. Have original oj letter, and also photo secured earlier. DOCUMENT NO. 47 G. G.-.S., Intelligence Bureau, Section R. No. 317. To THE Council of People's Com- missars : The Intelligence Bureau has re- ceived preci.so information that the agitators of the Potrograd Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Deputies, Volodarski, BrosofT, and Guschin, have completely changed the character of llin Ksthimia socialists' activity, which finally led to the local German landlords being declared outlawed. By order of the General Staff I ask you to take immedinto steps for the restoring of the rights of the above- mentioned German Itindlorda and the recalling of the agitators. For the head of the Buronu: R. Bauek. Ailjutant: E. Ratitz. Note. — 7'/ii.« order for the release of the German landlords was at once obeyed, and the act of stirrender, evidently at the direct order of Lenin, to tohnm this letter is addressed, marked the end of the incipient rebellion of the lintshevik lead- ers against their German masters. Have photograph of lelter. The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 25 VARIED ACTIVITIES The following documents show various miscellaneous activities, including meas- ures for the assassination of counter revo- lutionaries : IJOCUMENT NO. 48 Counter Espionage at tlic Army Heudquartera. No. — January 22, 1918. To THE Council of People's Com- missars: By our agents it has been estab- liished that connections between the Poles, the Don, and French officers, and also probably the diplomatic rep- resentatives of the allied powers, are maintained by means of Russian offi- cers traveling under the guise of sack speculators. In view of this we re- quest you to take measures for the strict surveillance of the latter. Commissar: Kalmanovich. Note. — The indorsement on this is iy GorbunojJ, "Copy to inform Podvoisky and Dzerzhinsky." The jornier was War Minister, the latter chairman oj the Com- mission jar Combating the Counter Revo- lution. Sack speculators were jood ped- dlers who went into the provinces and brought food, to the cities jor profitable sale. Soldiers practically had a monopoly of the trade. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 49 G[reat] General Staff, Intelligence Bureau, Section R, No. 151. December 4, 1917. To THE CoMMISS.Mil.AT OF MILITARY Affairs : Herewith the Intelligence Bureau has the honor to transmit a list of the persons of Russian origin who are in the service of the German Intelligence Department : Sakharoff, officer First Infantry Reser'i-c Regiment ; Ensign Ter-Ary- tiuniantz, Zanko, Yarchuk, Golovin, Zhuk, Ilinsky, Cherniavsky, Capt. Postinkov, Schneier, Sailors Trushin and Gavrilov. All the persons men- tioned are on the permanent staff of the Intelligence Bureau of the German General Staff. Head of the Bureau: AOASPER. Adjutant: Henrich. NoTE.^//ai'c photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 50 G[reat] General Staff, Central Division, Section M, No. 22. January 14, 1918. (Very Confidential) To THE Chairman of the People's CorxciL of Commissars: The Russian Division of the German General Staff has received an urgent report from our agents at Novocher- kash and Rostoff that the friction which has arisen between Gen. Ale.xieff and Gen. Kaledin, after which the vohmteer corps of Gen. Alexicff be- gan the movement to the north, is a tactical step to have a ba.se in the rear. In this way the army of Gen. Alexieff will have a reliable rear ba.so, protected by Cossack troops, foi- supplying the army, and a base in case of an overwhelming movement on the part of the enemy. The communi- cations of Gen. Alexieff with the Polish troops have been proved by new reports of the Polish Bolshevik com- missars, Zhuk and Dembitski. Chief of the Division of General Staff: O. Rausch. Chief Adjutant: R. Krieger. Note. — Important as showing that the German had a real fear of the military possibilities in the Alexieff -Kaledin move- ment. The suicide of Gen. Kaledin at a moment of depression, following betray- als that undoubtedly were carefully plot- ted, teas tragiealhj a part of the great national tragedy. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 51 Counter Espionage at the .\riny Headquarters. No. 263/79. January 23, 1918. To the C0MMISSABI.4T OF FOREIGN Affairs : To your inquiry regarding those agents who might be able to give an exact report of the sentiment of the troops and population in the Provinces, I transmit to you a short list of the Eusso-German agents-in- formers: In Voronezh, S. Sirtzoff; in Rostoff, Globoff and Melikoff; in Tifiis, Enskidze and Gavriloff; in Kazan, Pf altz ; in Samara, Oaipoff and Voenig; in Omsk, Blagoveuschen- sky and Sijiko ; in Tomsk, Dattan, Tarasoff, and Rodionoff; in Irkutsk, Zhinzherova and Geze ; in Vladivos- tok, Buttenhoff, Panuoff, and Erlan- ger. Chief of Counter Espionage: Feier.\bend. Commis.sar : Kalmanovich. Note. — Apart from the list of agents tliis letter has ijilerest from the comment: ' ' To the company of Comrade Boneh- Bruevich and Secret Department." The signature is illegible. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 52 Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters. No. 395. January 21, 1918. To THE Commission for Combating the Counter Revolution : The agents of the Counter Espion- age at the Stavka [Army Headquar- ters] have established that the an- archists Stepan Kriloff, Fedor Kut- zi, and Albert Bremsen, at Helsing- fors, and also Nahim Arshavsky, Euphim Levin, and Mikhail Shatiloff had during the recent days a con- ference with the chief of staff of the Petrograd army district Shpilko. Af- ter Comrade Shpilko transmitted to the anarchists the offer of Comrade • Antonoff and Comrade Bersin to re- cruit agents for the destruction of sev- eral counter revolutionists, the latter e.'ciircssed their willingness and im- mediately begail the recruiting. To Kieff are assigned the following, who have been hired at Helsingfors: S. Smirnoff and Rigamann ; and to Odessa, Brack and Schulkovicli. For the Chief of the Counter Es- jdonage. Commissar: C. Moshlov. Note. — -r7ii.s is an as.iassinaiion com- pact between Bolsheviks and anarchists. Antonoff, if one of the chief Bolshevik military leaders, is credited with the tak- ing of Petrograd, and was in charge of the operations against Alexieff and Kale- din. The list of anarchists include sev- eral notorious characters. Have photograph of letter. DOCUMENT NO. 53 Counter Espionage at the Army Headquarters, No. 471. January 27, 1918. To the Commission foe Combating the Counter Revolution: By us here there has been received a report from Finland, from Grishin and Rakhi, of the counter revolu- tionaiy activity of the lawyer, Jonan Kastren. This Kastren, in the years 1914-15 recruited on German funds Finnish volunteer regiments and sent them to Germany. For facilitating the work of recruiting he represented himself as a Socialist-Maximalist, and jiromised support to the Workers' Red Guard. In his office in Stockholm many of our comrades found a cordial reception and material support. Kas- tren furnished to Russia German money for the propaganda of Bol- shevism in Russia. He had already established in 191G a division of the German General Staff' in Helsingfors. Now he, together with Svinhuvud, Ernroth, and Nandelschtedt, is on the side of the White Guards and is aid- ing them with money, supplies, and arms. We are informed that Kas- tien works both with German and English money. It is necessary im- mediately to cut short the work of Jonas Kastren and his group. The commander in chief advises to call to Petersburg the Finnish comrades, Rakhi and Pukho, or order Grishin to Helsingfors. Commissar; A. SiVKO. Secretarj-: Iv. Alexieff. Note. — Kastren was still alive when I spent a treek in Helsingfors in ilarch, but he added to his chances of longevity by fleeing in early February to the White Guards headquarters at Tasa. The order for his removal came too late. Again we see Germany playing with both sides in Finland at the same time. Have photograph of letter. 26 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY APPENDIXES TO THE REPORT APPENDIX I DOCUMENTS CIRCULATED BY ANTI- BOLSHEVIKI IN RUSSIA This appendix is of circulars of which (except in two cases noted) I have neither originals nor authenticated copies. A number of sets of them were put out in Russian text in Petrograd and in other parts of Russia in the winter (1917-18) by the opponents of the Bolsheviki. The cir- culars were declared to be copies of docu- ments taken from the Counter Espionage Bureau of the Kerensky Government, sup- plemented by some earher material from the same bureau when it was under the Imperial Government. The opportunity for securing them could easily have been afforded to the agents and employees of the Bureau, for most of the employees walked out when the Bolsheviki grasped the Government, and could have taken freely of the contents of their departments. Some of the documents were included in the publication made in Paris, hitherto referred to. I have not relied on them as proof, but they fit to other fabrics of proof, and in the light of it are more valuable for themselves than they were when they stood alone. Two of the documents among those circulars are the circular of industrial mobilization of June 9, 1914, and the "destruction agents" circular of November 28, 1914. (See Document 3 of my Report.) This group of circulars came into my hands "Ete"'flfSt week in February, 1^18, in an English version with the unknown transla- tor's notes and a few days later two other sets, one in English and one in Russian, reached me. I prepared a digest of the set and .\mba.ssador Francis cabled the message in code to the State Department Febru- ary 9. It was nearly four weeks later before I secured the matter referred to in my Report a.s "Originals" and all the photographs listed in my Report. Two of these originals were of circulars I had .seen in copy form four weeks earlier. That summarizes the case of the circulars of the appendix considered as evidence. Edgar Sisson. Analysis of German conspiracy matter, with notes as prepared by me and cabled State Department in Ambassa- dor Francis's code February 9, 1918, and with some added notes, as indi- cated.* DOCUMENT NO. 54 Circular rcbruary IS, lltll. — IVoim the Ministry (of Finance] to all groups of German bunks and, by agree- ment with the AuHtro -Hungarian Government, thf^ Oeaterrcichische-Kre- ditan-stalt:" The managementfl of all German ban ks which are tran.sacting business • Tho U-xt which i» preflentod in thij* pui))ica- tion Ia in tho mnin that of the translation intr> Cnfrlish, by an unl<nown trannlator, which wim cabled to tho Stato Department. For convenience this is called version A. A second translation into English difTerinK in extent and phraseolotfy from the former is styled version B. The mimeonrnphed set of these circulars in Russian, which Mr. .Sisson secured, is referred to as version C ; it agrees in the main with B bo far as the latter extends. Version B does not in- clude Documents 61 to 68 inclusive. Passaifes printed in italics in the text are in version A but not in B and C ; passages in braclteta are 1/1 B and C but are omitted in ventoD A. abroad and, by agreement with the Austro-Hungarian Government, the Oesterreichische - Kreditanstalt Bank, are hereby advised that the Imperial Government has deemed it to be of ex- treme necessity to ask the manage- ment of all institutions of credit to establish with all possible dispatch agencies in Luleo, Haparanda, and Varde, on the frontier of Finland, and in Bergen and .\rasterdam. The estab- lishment of such agencies for a more effective observation of the financial interests of German shareholders of Russian, French, and English con- cerns may become a necessity under certain circumstances, which would alter the situation of the industrial and financial market. Moreover, the managements of bank- ing institutions are urged emphatically to make provisions for very close and absolutely secret relations being estab- lished with Finnish and American banks. In this direction the ministry begs to recommend the [extremely ac- tive] Swedish Nia Banken in Stock- holm, the bankvig office of Furslenberg, the commercial company, Waldemar Hansen, in Copenhagen, as concerns which are maintaining lively relations with Rassia. — (Signature) No. 373. In charge of Division for Foreign Opera- tions. Note. — This is the outline of the basic financial structure begun in February, 191.',, five months before war ivas launched, and still in operation. Notice the reappearance in subsequent Lenin messages of towns Luleo and Varde. Likewise the reference to Ameri- can bonis. Olaf Ashberg, one of the heads of the Nia-Banken, came to Petrograd a month ago (January, 1918) and on the icay boasted that Nia-Banken was the Bolshevik bank. He was overheard by one of our own group. He secured from Smolny permit for export several hundred thousand gallons of oil, opened at Hotel d'Europe headquarters where both Mirbach and Kaiserling of German commissions have been entertained, negotiated urith State bank February 1 contract for buyinij cash roubles ayid establishing foreign credit for Russian Government. Furslenberg is now at Sinolny using the name Ganetzky, is one of tlie inner group, and is likely soon to be placed in charge of Slate bank. Ashberg now in Stockholm, but reluming. DOCUMENT NO. 55 Circular, November 2, 1914. — From the General Staff to all militaiy attaches [agents] in the countries adjacent to Rus.sia, France, Italy, and Nonvay. In all branches of (iernian banks iii Sweden, Norwny, Switzerland, [China,] and the United Stales special wiir credits have been opened for subsid- iary war refjuircmeiitH. The Ciencral Staff is authorizing you to avail j'our- self in unlimited mimhumIs of these credits for tho destruction of the; enemy's factories, plants, and the most important military and civil structures. Simultaneously with the instigation of strikes it is necessary to make provision for the damaging of motors, of mechan- isms, with the destruction of veasels [carrying] military supplies to enemy countrieBJ setting incendiary fires to Blocks 01 raw materials and finished products, deprivation of large towns of their electric energy, stocks of fuel and pi-ovisions. Special agents, detailed to be at your disposal, will dehver to you explosive and incendiary devices, and a list of such persons in the coun- try under your observation who will assume the duty of agents of destruc- tion.— (Signed) Dr. [E.] Fischer, Gen- eral Army Councilor. Note (Oct. 10, 1918).— 0/ the typewritten versions of tliis letter in my possession, one is dated June 9, 191 i, and tivo are dated Nov. 2, 1911,. TIte latter is the more likely date, and the chances are that June 9 is a typographical error. No evidence value has been placed on this circular, as the introduction to this chapter carefully points old. The case of the next circular, however. No. 56, of the date June 9, is different. Here the date is right, and has the corroborative sup- port of Document No. S. DOCUMENT NO. 56 Circular, June 9, 1914.— General Staff to all [district] intendencies: Within 24 hours after receipt of this circular you are to inform all industrial concerns by telegi-aph that the docu- ments with industrial mobilization plans and with registration forms be opened, such as are referred to in the circular of the Conariission of Count A\'aldersee and Count Caprivi, of Jime 27, 1887.— No. 421 re Mobilization. [Versions B and C read: Within 24 hours of receipt of this circular notify by telegraph all owners of industrial enter- prises to open packets with industrial mobilization statistics (or specifications) and plans, as stated in tho circular, etc. Both versions B and C add the note: This circular was seized in the correspond- ence of Major Epeling with Consul Count Lerchenfeldt.] Note. — This is the content of circular of irhich I have original German printed circular in the form, in which it is reproduced in my report in connection with Document N^o, 3. E.S.,JulyG, 1918. DOCUMENT NO. 57 Circular, November 2, 1914. — From the Imperial Hank to tlie representa- tives of tho Nia-Banken and the agents of the Diskonto Gcscllschaft and of the Deutsche-Bank: At the present time there have been concluded conver.salions between tho authorized agents of the Imperinl Bank and the Russian revolutionaries, Messrs. Zinovioff [here anil below ver- sion A has ZenzinofT] and Lunncharsky. Both the mentioned jjorsons addressed themselves to several financial men, who for their part aildresscd them- selves to our representatives. \\c are ready to sujjport the agitation and propaganda projected by them in l{us.sia on the [one] absolute condition t hat the agitation and projjaganda noted [planned] by the above-mentioned Messrs. Zinovioff and Lunacharsky will touch the active armies at the front. In case the agents of the Imperial Bank should address themselves to your banks we beg you to open them the The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY 27 necessary credit which will be covered completely as soon as you make de- mand oil Berlin.— (Signed) Kisser. [Addition as part, of document]: Zinovieff and Lunafharsky got in toucli with Imperial Banlc of Germany through the banlcers, D. Rubenstein, Max Warburg, and Parvus. Zinovieff addressed himself to Rubenstein and Lunacharsky through Altvater to War- burg, through whom he found support in Parvus. NoTK. — Lunacharsky is the present People's Commissioner of Education. Par- vus and Warburg both figure in tlie Lenin and Trotsky documents. Parvus is an agent at Copenhagen (see "New Europe," January SI , 1918, pp. 94-95). Warbitrg is believed to have been lately in Petrograd. DOCUMENT NO. 58 Circular, November 28, 1014. — From Naval General Staff to the naval attache [Version C reads agents]: You are ordered to mobilize immedi- ately all destruction agents and ob- servers [agents-observers and agents- destroyers] in those commercial and military ports where munitions are being loaded [may be loaded] on ships going to England, France, Canada, the United States of North America, and Russia, where there are storehouses of such mmiitions and where [naval] fight- ing units are stationed. It is necessary to hu-e through third parties who stand in no relationship to the official repre- sentatives of Germany, agents for ar- ranging explosives [explosions] on ships bound for enemy countries, and for ar- ranging delays, embroilments, and con- fusions during the loading, dispatching, and unloading of ships. For thi;3 purpose we are specially recommending for your attention loaders' gangs, amongst whom there are many anarchists and escaped criminals [and that you get in touch with*] Gernian and neutral (ship- ping) offices, and [as a means of observ- ing*] agents of enemy countries who are receiving and shipping the munitions. Funds required for the hii-ing and brib- ing of persons necessary for the desig- nated purpose will be placed at your disposal at yom- request.— (Signed) No. 93. Secret Service Division of the Naval Staff. Koenig. [Original translator's comment {as part of document):] The above docu- ment was among the documents seized during the investigation of the fire of the storehouses of the firm of Ivcrsen, and among the documents of Consul Gering and Vice Consul Ceroid. * In the German circular (see Document No. 3) but omitted in versions A, B, and C. Note. — This is an English translation, by an unknown translator, of circular of xMch I have German printed circular in form in which it is reproduced in connection u'ith Document No. 3. See my Report, Docu- ment No. 3.—E. S., July 6, 1918. DOCUMENT NO. 59 Circular, January 15, 1915, from the General Staff to the military attaches (agents] in the United States: Inclosed you wiU find [original translator's vote: or, we are sending you] the circular of November 2, 1914, for your guidance and its application in the territory of the United States. In tliis connection your attention is called to the possibility of hiring destruction agents among members of anarchist (labor) organizations.— (Sign- ed) General Army Councilor, Dr. [K.j Fischer. [Original translator's comment (as part of document):] This circular is re- cited in the letter of Dr. Klassen to the board of the Pan-German League in Stockholm, which was intercepted in Stockholm. Notes (By Edgar Sisson, July 0, 1918).— The date of November 2 appears in typed version as I have seen it, but probably this is error, as instruction is a direct sequel to document of November 28 {No. 3) . (Later.) — Nov. a is right. Nov. 28 was to naval agents. This is to military agents. — E. S. DOCUMENT NO. 60 Circular, February 2:3, 1915.— Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Afi'airs to all ambassadors, ministers, and consular officials in neutral coun- tries: You are hereby advised that in the country to which you are accredited special offices are established for the organization of propaganda in the countries of the coahtion of powers which is in a state of belligerency with Germany. [Versions B and C read: in countries at war with German coalition). The propaganda will be connected with the stirring up of social mirest and strikes resulting from it; of revolutionary outbreaks; of separatism among the component parts of the state; of civil war; and will also comprise agitation against [in favor of) disarmament and the discontinuation of the war butchery. You are requested to cooperate and to favor in every way the managers of said offices. These per- sons will present to you proper certifi- cates [credentials). (Signed) Barthelm. [Original translator's comment (as part of document):] According to reliable information to this category of persons belonged: Prince Hohenlohe, B^ornson, EpeUug [Eveling], Karsberg (Ker- berg), Sukennikoff, Pai'vus, Fursten- bcrg (Ganetsky), Ripke, and probably Kelysiiko (Kolishlco) . Note. — Here is the exact Gcrinan formula for the incitement of war "fro?n the^^rear" — strikes, ejforts at revolution, tlie use of humanitarian appeals to weaken the arm of its foes. DOCUMENT NO. 61 Circular, October 14, 1916.— From president of KirdorlT's Rhenish- Westphalian Industrial Syndicate to the central office of Nia-Banken in Stockholm, to Sevnsen-Baltzer, rep- resentative of the Diskonto-Gesell- schaft in Stockholm, and to Mr. Kirch [Kriek], representative of Deutsche Bank in Switzerland: The Rhenish- Westphalian Indus- trial Coal Syndicate charges you with the management of the account of which you have been apprised for the support of Russian emigrants desir- ous of conducting propaganda amongst Russian prisoners of war and the Russian army. — (Signed) Kirdorff. Note. — This docimicni already figures in the archives of several Governments, hanng been intercepted in the correspondence of Prince von Buelow. It has new and direct pertinency on tlie Lenin-Trotsky data which follows herewith. DOCUMENT NO. 62 Copenhagen, June 18, 1917. Mr. RuFFNER [Rdffer], HeLsingfors. Dear Sir: Please bo advised that from the Disconto-Ge.selLschaft ac- count 315,000 marks have been tran-s- fcrred to Mr. Lenin's account in Kron- stadt, a-s per order of the Syndicate. Kindly acknowledge receipt: Nilande- way 08, Copenhagen, W. Haasen & Co. — Svensen. Note. — Kronstadt, tlie navy base, was the nerve center from which Lenin's activities radiated during the sumirwr, both before and after he fled Petrograd. He vxis Twt always there hut it was the Bolshevik domain. The sailors wei-e ami .still are his first dependence . Hansen & Co. are named in Document No. C/,. DOCUMENT NO. 63 Geneva, June 16, 1917. Mr. Ftrstenberg, Stockholm: Please note that at the request of Mr. Katz, francs 32,000 (82.000J have been paid for the publication of Maximalist- Sociahst pamphlets. Advise by tele- gram addressed to Decker of the receipt of the consignment of pam- phlets, number of bill of lading, and date of arrival. — (Signed) Kriek, Deutsche Bank. Note. — Fursienberg is named in Docw- ment No. 64 and is Ganetsky in Petrograd. DOCUMENT NO. 64 Stockholm, September 21, 1917. Mr. Raphael Scholan [Sch.^ujiakn], Haparanda. Dear Comrade: The office of the banking house M . Warburg has opened in accordance with telegram from presi- dent of Rhenish-Westphalian Syndi- cate an account for the undertaking of Comrade Trotsky. The attorney [agent} purchased arms and has organ- ized their transportation and dehvcry u]) to Luleo and Varde. Name to the office of Essen & Son in Luleo, receivers, and a person authorized to receive the money demanded by Comrade Trot- sky. — J. F\JRSTENT3ERG. Note. — This is the first reference to Trotsky, and connects him with Banker War- burg and Furstenberg. Lideo and Varda are Swedish towns, the former near to Hapar- anda, which is on the border of Sweden and Finland. DOCUMENT NO. 65 Stockholm, September 12, 1917. Mr. Farsen, Kronstadt (via Hel- singfors): Carried out. your commis- sions; passports and the indicated sum of 207,000 marks as per order of your !Mr. Lenin have been handed to per- sons mentioned in your letter. The selection found the approval of his excellency, the ambassador. Confirm the arrival of said persons and the re- ceipt of their counter '■eceipts — Sven- SON. Note. — See Document No. 61 . Lenin had received more than half a million marks at this date. (See also Document No. 68). 28 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY DOCUMENT NO. 66 LuLEO, October 2, 1917 Mr.ANTONOv,Haparanda: Comrade Trotsky's request has been carried out. From the account of the Syndicate and the ministry [Original translator's note: probably Ministry of Foreign Affairs in BerUn, press di%'ision] 400,000 kroners Lave been taken and remitted to Comrade Sonia, who will call on you \\-ith this letter, and will hand you the said sum of money. — J. Fursten- BERG. Note. — Antonov is the chief military leader of the Bolshei'iki. He was in com- mand of the forces that took Petrograd. He now is in the field against Kaledin and Alexieff. At the date of this letter Trotsky already was at the head of the Petrograd Soviet and the Bolsheviki revolutibn was only a month away. DOCUMENT NO. 67 Berlin [Copenhagen], August 25, 1917 . Mr. Olberg: Your desii-e considered together with the intentions of the Party. [Version C reads: Your wish, based on your correspondence with M. Gorky, falls in entirely with the f^ifns of the P^-ftv /* By agreement with the persons known to you 1.50,000 kroners are transferred to be at your disposal at Furstenberg's office, through Nia-Banken. Kindly advise Vorivarts about everj-thing that is being written by the newspaper (of M. Gorky] about present events. — Scheidemann. Note. — This letter from Scheidemann, the German Socialist leader, links him with Furstenberg-Ganetsky, with the Nia-Banken, and with the subsidy of the Russian revolu- tion. "Voru-drts" refers to Scheidemann' s organ at Berlin.. Scheidemann' s roles both as German peace propagandist and as Ger- man strike quelltr are illumined by this letter. Note (Sept. 12, 191SJ. — Gorky did support the BoUheviks before they came into power, but almost immediately afterward turned against them. — E. S. DOCUMENT NO. 68 Berlin, July 14, 1917. Mr. Mir [Mor], Stockholm: We are transferring to vour name through Mr. I. Ruehvergen 180,000 marks [. Of this sum Engineer Steinberg will transmit 140,000 marks to Lrtiin] for the expense of your [his] journey to Finland. The balance will be at your disposal for agitation against England and France. The letters of Malianik and Stocklov, which were sent [by you] were received and will be considered. — Parvus. Note. — Lenin was in hiding in July. Re- port placed him, among other places, in Stockholm. Notice that the agitation is to be against England and France. It took the form from the opening days of the Bolshevik revolution of attacks upon them as "imperial- istic nations." Parvus is the Copenhagen agent already referred to. — E. S., July 6, 1918. APPENDIX 11 ILLUSTRATING THE "OFFENSE TACTICS" OP THE BOLSHEVIK LEADERS AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES. — A CONVERSATION BY TELEGRAPH BE- TWEEN CHICHERIN .\T PETROGRAD (WHO IS SPEAKING) AND TROTSKY AT BBEST- LITOVSK, IN FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY, 1918, A FEW DAYS BEFORE TROTSKY MADE HIS "no PEACE NO WAr" GES- ture, with its practical .aspect of demobilizing the army and opening Russia's unarmed breast to Ger- many. With reference to the allies the sit- uation is evidently favorable. Sepa- rate peace will not cause a rupture. England has reconciled herself to this in advance. The recognition of us is a matter of the near future. England and America are playing up to us sepa- rately. A few days ago there appeared a so-called head of a commercial mis- sion, Lockhart, with a letter from Lit- vinoff stating that the bearer is an honest man who indeed fully sympa- thizes with us. Indeed, he is a subtle, alert Englishman; expresses very Mb- eral views; runs down his Government. He is a type of the diplomat of the new school. At present he is not an official representative, but dc facto he is an envoy, having been sent by the war cabinet. After our recognition he will obtain an official position with us. He promises all kinds of favors from Eng- land. He explained that if we should not spoil the situation our recognition is a question of the near future, but some- thing would have to be ceded on our part. He said that no government could tolerate intervention in its inter- nal affairs. If we are going to raise the British people, if our agents in England will attempt to cause strikes, England will not tolerate this. It proved later that this had reference to Petroff's mission. Concerning the latter spe- cially Lockhart said that his appoint- ment would be difficult for England to swallow, and should he be arrested in England or not be allowed to land we would probably reply by reprisals, and thus the whole business would be spoiled. He begged that we postpone this matter for 10 or 12 days. Simultaneously Ransome tried to persuade Petroif not to go to England. His journey in case of a conflict would put the question of a revolution in England on edge, which would be ex- ceedingly risky. We discussed this question and decided that our strength was in attack, and that whatever would happen it would be the worse for Lloyd George & Co., and the revolu- tion would be the gainer. We sent Petroff's passport to be viseed. Lock- hart came running to us. I arranged for an interview with Petroff. Lock- hart stated that the question had been referred for decision to London. We said that Russia represented a p.art of the world's revolutionary movement and that in this was its strength. We and our comrades in England would proclaim that this is not a concrete organization of strikes. We explained the aini of Petroff's mission — i.e., the clearing up of misunderstandings be- tween two nations. He will appeal to all organs of the British nation. This has also been sent by radio. Lockhart stated that he was very well impressed and promised to tele- graph advising that the vise should be granted. We await fmther tlcvelop- ments. He stated that according to English information the German troops on the eastern front were so badly in- fected by our propaganda that no second course of barrack regime could cure them. He said that our method of fighting militarism was the most effective. We listened to this and laughed up oui- sleeves. Note. — There in the last sentence we liave it. The Bolshevik plot in Russia could be placarded a cynical jarce, ij it were not a world tragedy. Thin appendix is jroni an intercepted di.'<patclt which came into the possession oj Mr. Sisson. PART II I. LETTER OF MR. CREEL TO NA- TIONAL BOARD FOR HISTORI- CAL SERVICE Committee on Public Information, Washington, D. C. October 18, 1918. Professor Joseph Schaefer, Vice— Chair- man National Board for Historical Service, 1133 Woodward Building, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir:— Professor Ford tells me that the Directors of the National Board for Historical Service are meeting this after- noon at four o'clock, and I have asked him to take up with you the matter of consider- ing the documents recently released for publication by the Committee on Public Information for the purpose of showing the intimate and continued connection of Lenin and Trotsky and their immediate associates with the German Government. When only the opening installments of the series of seven had been published, the question of authenticity was raised by the New York Evening Post. The rest of the press of America, virtually without excep- tion, accepted the fact of publication as^ evidence of the genuineness of the docu- ments; and even the continued attempts of the New York Evening Post to rally the forces of doubt failed absolutely, only two men with any pretension of historical knowl- edge joining in any degree with the Post. As a matter of course, the Conunittee on Public Information was committed from the first to a policy of absolute openness with regard to these documents. While never submitted to any unofficial body for pur- poses of investigation, it is nevertheless the fact that they have been gone over time and again by various agencies of the Govern- ment, and were not released for publication by this Committee until express sanction had been received from the highest author- ities of the Government. It was our idea from the first, and it is our idea now, to make pamphlet presenta- tion of the documents, together with fac- simile reproductions of all the more im- portant originals. This task, attended by many mechanical difficulties, has just been completed. The situation that now faces us is this: The documents were given to the press with the good faith of the G9vernment behind them, and our promise is out to present them in pamphlet form with tlie photo- graphic reproductions of originals. We can- not, in any manner, afford to appear dila- tory or evasive, nor do we desire to publish the pamphlet without taking cognizance of the charges that have been made. What I would like to do is to present the documents to a Committee, to be ap- pointed by you, together with the charges that have been made, and to have these charges considered carefully with a view to determining their truth or falsity. If you will undertake this task, I would not desire to place any time limit upon you in any degree, but it is still the case that time is the very essence of the matter, for publica- tion has been promised, and is waited for daily. May I suggest, therefore, that you appoint an authoritative committee, small in numbers, and that this committee assem- ble at once here in Washington where the necessary material is available for their in- formation? Believe me, Verj' truly, George Creel, Chairman . The committee as appointed by the Ex- ecutive Committee oj the National Board jor Historical Service, in response to the above request, consisted oj Dr. J. Franklin Jameson, editor oj the "Amcricaii His- torical Review" and Director of the D<part- meiil of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution of Washington; awl Dr. Siimwi N . Harper, Professor of Russian Langwige and Institutions in the University oj Chicago. II. REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE GENUINENESS OF THE DOCUMENTS National Board for Historical Servke. Washington, D. C: October 26, 1918. George Creel, Esq., Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, Wash- ington, D. C: Dear Sir:— By your letter of October 18, addressed to the vice-chairman of the Na- tional Board for Historical Service, you have asked that body to appoint a committee to examine, in respect to their genuineness, the series of documents purporting to show the relations between the Russian Bol- shevist leaders and the German Govern- ment, which were released for publication in the September newspapers by tlie Com- mittee on Public Information. You have asked that such committee should take into careful consideration the arguments against the genuineness of those documents put forward in the columns of the New York Evening Post, with a view to deteiininc the vaUdity or invalidity of those arguments. The undersigned were on October 19 ap- pointed by the Board named to serve as a committee, and were requested by you to report our findings with the utmost frank- ness, regardless of any posit.ions already publicly taken by you or by the Govern- ment. In pursuance of the.'=e instructions we beg leave to submit the following report. As a basis for our work you have laid before us proof-sheets of a pami)hlet edition of these documents, entitled The German- Bolshevik Conspiracy, and containing fac- similes of some sixteen of the documents in question, translations of documents num- bered from 1 to 68, and of a few other docu- ments subjoined to them, and comments and notes by Mr. Edgar Sisson, who pro- cured the documents and editecl them for the first or newspaper pubhcation. The translations thus laid before us are those which appeared in the newspapers, and the documents bear the same numbers, by which, accordingly, we shall refer to them in this report. Mr. Sisson's comments in- clude some additional notes, of October date, correcting and enlarging his previous comments in the light of information sub- sequently received. Concerning the translations, though in strictness our function is limited to exami- nation of originals, we will take the liberty to say that the versions put forth for pub- lication in the newspapers are marked by grave imperfections. These imperfections we understand to have arisen naturally from the fact that Mr. Sisson, under the circum- stances in which he worked in Petrograd and at other successive places, was obliged to have his translations made by several dif- ferent hands. Wliether the resulting un- evenness and other imperfections should be removed before publication of the transla- tions in a more permanent form, is a matter which we, of course, leave to your discre- tion; but we are obliged to allude to them because they have laid the documents open 29 at certain points, some of which will be mentioned later, to suspicions which the originals of those passages nowise warrant. Upon Mr. Sisson's inferences from his documents we do not understand that we are expected to comment , nor do we desire to express, or to be influenced by, any opinion respecting the conduct of Bolshe- vist leaders or German officials; our pres- ent duty, as we conceive it, is confined merely to examination into the genuine- ness of a specific series of documents. You have also laid before us the original documents in sixteen eases, and in the other cases the photographs, on which all the translations from No. 1 to No. .53 were based, and also the mimeographed texts in Russian from which were made tiie tran.s- lations from No. .54 to No. 08. Mr. Sisson has detailed to us, with all apparent candor, the history of his reception of the docu- ments, and has permitted us to question him at great length as to these transactions and as to various points relative to the papers. Several officials of the Government in Washington have obliged us by contribut- ing other pertinent and valuable information. In presenting the results of our investi- gations, we find it desirable to distinguish the documents into three groups: first, and much the largest, (I) those presented to us in Russian originals or photographs — four- fifths of the whole set; (II) the two docu- ments presented to us in circulars printed in German; (III) those documents for which no originals or photographs are presented, but the translations of which rest solelj' on mimeographed texts in Ru.ssian, purporting to represent originals in or from Russian archives. In other words, our first group (I) con- sists of the documents bearing the numbers 1 to 53, inclusive. Our second ^oup (II) consists of the two documents which appear translated in the newspaper publication as annexes to document No. 3. They also appear, with facsimiles, after No. 3 in the proposed pamphlet; and they are identical with Nos. 56 and 58 in the appendix. Our third group (III) embraces all the docu- ments of Appendix I (Nos. 54 to 68, inclu- sive) except; Nos. 56 and 58. We comment upon these groups separately. I. The originals and photographs com- posing what we have called the first group are all in the Russian language. They are tj^pewTitten (save one which is printed) on letter-heads of the Petrograd bm'eau of the German General Staff, of the Counter- Espionage at the Stavka (army headquar- ters), or of other offices in Russia, German or Russian. They are dated according to the Russian calendar ("Old Style"), up to Februar}-, 1918, when the Bolshevist Gov- ernment made the change to "New Style." We have subjected them with great care to all the applicable tests to which historical students are accustomed to subject docu- ments of the kind, and to as many others as we could devise and use, consistently with the need of making a reasonably early report. Besides studying whatever inter- nal evidences could be derived from the papers themselves, we have, so far as we could, compared their versions of what went on with the actual facts. Upon the basis of these investigations, we have no hesitation in declaring that we see no rea- son to doubt the genuineness or authen- ticity of these fifty-three documents. II. The two documents of our second group seem to us to call for a special, a less confident , and a less simple verdict . Printed in German, they purport to be official Ger- man orders of the year 1914, — the one ad- dressed on June 9 of that year, seven weeks before the outbreak of the war, by the 30 The GERMAN-BOLSHEVIK CONSPIRACY General Staff ot the German Army to dis- trict commandants, enjoining them to cause German industrial establishments to open their instructions respecting industrial mob- ilization; the other, dated November 28, 1914, addressed bv the General Staff of the High Sea Fleet to maritime agencies and naval societies, and caUin§ on them to mobilize destructive agents in foreign har- bors, with a ^^ew to thwarting shipments of munitions to "England, France, Canada, the United States, and Russia." The prob- lem of their genuineness must be considered in connection with Documents Kos. 56 and 58 in the Appendix, which are nearly iden- tical with them, differing in sense only as Russian translations might easily differ from German originals. The errors of tvpography, of spellmg, and even of grammar, in these German circu- lare, make it impossible to accept them as original prints of the General Staffs named. Certain peculiarities of expression tend in the same direction. In the naval circular the explanation, in parenthesis, of the Ger- man word Vereinigungen by the Russicism Arlelen (Russian word with German plural ending) makes it impossible to think of the document as one printed by the German Naval Staff for use indifferently in all the various countries in which there were Ger- man maritime agencies and naval societies. Furthermore, the reference to the United States is puzzling. On the other hand, Document No. 3, a protocol which presents e.xceptional evidences of genumeness, re- cords the transfer from Russian archives, into the hands of German military officials in Petrogi-ad, of two documents which it not only designates by date and number but describes; and date, number, and descrip- tida-eefresposd-^ tfeoseel-the^t^o paiJers in question. There is other evidence in Washington of the existence of two such circulars, said to be of the dates named, in Fctrograd archives in 1915. Attention should also be called to the manuscript an- notations on the circulars, plainly visible in the facsimiles. On both appears, in blue pencil, a note which, properly translated, reads: "One copy given to the Naclinchten- Bureau.—.\i- chive." That is to say, one printed copy has been handed over, in ac- cordance with the formal record made in Document No. 3, to the Military Intelli- gence Bureau of the German General Staff (a bureau which then or soon after was housed under the same roof with the Bol- shevist Government , in the Smolny Insti- tute), while this present printed copy is to be put in the Russian archives. The circu- lar dated June 9 bears also the annotation in red ink, "To the protocol [of] Nov. 2, 1917," confirming the connection asserted. We do not think these two printed circu- lars to be simpl" forgeries. We do not think them to b(" in their present shape, documents on wl )se entire text historians or publicists can safely rely as genuine. If we were to hazard a conjecture, it would be that they are derived, perhaps at one or two removes, from actual documents, which may have been copied in manuscript and at a later time reproduced in print. In any case, they have no relation to the Bolshevist officials, except indirectly through their connection with Document No. 3, which, with or without them, shows the Petrograd office of the German General Staff desirous of withdrawing certain papers from the Russian archives, and the Bolshevist Gov- ernment complying with its desires. III. For the documents of our third group, apart from Nos. 56 and 58, we have only the Russian mimeographed texts. The originals of nearly all of them would have been written in German. We have seen neither originals nor photogi-aphs, nor has Mr. Sisson, who rightly relegates these doc- uments to an appendix, and expresses less confidence in their evidential value than in that of his main series, Nos. 1 to 53. With such insufficient means of testing their gen- uineness as can be afforded by Russian translations, we can make no confident declaration. Thrown back on internal evi- dence alone, we can only say that we see in these texts nothing that positively ex- cludes the notion of their being genuine, little in any of them that makes it doubtful, though guarantees of their having been ac- curately copied, and accurately translated into Russian, are obviously lacking. We should say the same (except that its original is not German) of the telegraphic conversation between Chicherin and Trot- -sky, which Mr. Sisson prints as Appendix II. The letter of Joffe, on the other hand, dated December 31, 1917, which he prints just after his No. 37,* stands on as strong a basis as documents Nos. 1 to 53, for Mr. Sisson had at one time a photograph of it. derived in the same manner as his other photographs. As to the Reichsbank order of March 2, 1917, printed by him as an annex to Docu- ment No. 1, the text there presented docs nnt. _purport. to represent. n\ore tha"_'t,R iji'n- eral substance. The reader is not asked to rfly on its accuracy and completeness, and we should not wish to do so. It remains to consider the specific criti- cisms, as to genuineness of the documents, advanced by the New York Evening Post. and its correspondents. Most of them fall away when it is known that the main series ot documents, Nos. 1 to 53, are written in Russian and dated in accordance with the calendar currently used in Petrograd, and when it is considered that, as is well known, the Bolshevist coup d'etat was expected in that city for some time before it took place. Thus, the Evening Post (of September 16, 17, IS, 21, 1918) repeatedly scouts docu- ment No. 5, dated in the newspaper pub- li<'ation "October, 1917," and document No. 21, dated November 1, 1917,— letters ad- dressed by the Petrograd bureau of the Ger- man General Staff to the Bolshevist Govern- ment — on the ground that on those dates, in the Beriin calendar, there was no Bol- shevist Government, the Bolshevist coup having been delivered on November 7 of that calendar. But these documents are not, of Jierlin, though they arc typewritten on letter-heads bearing that name in print, * Printed as Document No. 37A in this pamphlet edition. It should be noted also that the "teleKraphic convcrBation" referred to is taken from an intercepted dispatch which came directly into Mr. Sisson's hands. This, perhaps, was not made clear to the committee. in the one case crossed out with the pen, in the other case not. Document No. .5 seems to have been written in Finland. We have been able to make out, in the photo- graph, the day-date in its heading. It i.^ ,15 October, i.e., November 7 of New Style; and the Bolshevist acknowledgment at the bottom bears the date, not given in the newspaper publication, "27 .X. 1917," i.e., November 9 of New Style. In other words, more cannot be said than that the German General Staff, not unaware of preparations of which all the world was aware in Petro- grad, was prompt in action. It is a slight but significant touch that Colonel Rausch, writing from Finland on the day when the expected outbreak occurred, styles the new org.anization "Government {Prai'ilelslvo) of People's Commissaries" instead of "Council iSot'iel) of People's Commissaries," the designation actually adopted. The Post's criticism (Sejitember 16) of Document No. 2 on the ground of its men- tion of the "Petersburg Secret Police" (Okh- rana), assumed by the writer to have been destroyed on Alarch 10 or 11, seems to us to have no conclusive weight. The old Okhrana was abolished by the rev- olution, but the revolutionary Government itself had of course its secret service, to which a German might continue to apply the old name. A correspondent of the Post, Mr. E. J. Omeltchenko, in its issue of October 4, rightly finds it singular that Dr. von Sehanz, in Documents Nos. 8 and 9, should be represented as signing himself on Janu- ary 8, "Representative of the Imperial Bank," and on January 12, "President of the Imperial Bank." It should be explained * that the Russian word used is the same in bo'ili caaPS, Prcdsiarilcl, but that the trans- lator of No. 9 wrongly translated it "Presi- dent," while the tran.slator of No. 8 trans- lated it rightly, "Representative." Mr. Omeltchenko also, v.h\\ reference to Document No. 8, prints figures of the gold reserves of the Reichsbank and of the Bank of Sweden, November, 1917, to January, 1918, in the belief that, if the Reichsbank had at the beginning of January given the Bolshevist officials a credit in Sweden of 50,000,000 roubles gold, these figures would show the fact, ^^'c are informed on high financial authority that the Reichsbank would be able to effect such a transaction by means much less easily traced. Mr. Omeltchenko questions the need of the transaction, but the insecurity and unset- tled conditions prevailing within the boun- daries of the old Russian eiiii)ire might easily account for the desire of the Bol- sheviki to establish a large gold credit abroad without the necessity of actually ex- porting gold. Professor Edward S. Corwin, in the sa,me issue of the Evening Post, rightly criticises (he date June 9, 1914, for Docmnent No. 55. Its proper date appears to be Novem- ber 2, 1914. The niimeograijhcd Russian text bears that date. A translator, prob- ably by confusion with No. 56, gave it the June date. Respectfully submitted, J. Franklin J.^meson. Samuel N. II.\iiri;n. D 000 902 323 5