For Carl von Ossietzky (Für Carl v. Ossietzky)

Settling accounts

Little Will and Testament (Kleines Testament)

Part 5 of: Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

And I wish their lordships Bassanier and Jean Moutaint, the severe judges,
a great reputation among murderers, robbers and thieves.

Villon

The Rule of the Generals (Generalswirtschaft)

Part 4 of: Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

Conviction – What else? (Überzeugung – oder was sonst?)

Part 3 of: Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

The pensioner Otto Liesch
betrayed Germany to Poland.
They gave him two years
for his despicable deeds!

I heard it! Every word!
He told the Poles:
The future of Germany is foggy grey[1]
with loads of soldiers! Shhh!

Walter Mehring

I am going to prison! (Ich muß sitzen!)

Carl von Ossietzky

Part 1 of: Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

I will shortly be entering a Prussian prison to serve the eighteen months to which the 4^th criminal court condemned me on 23^rd November last year for treason and the betrayal of military secrets, so the moment in which I must relinquish my position at the Weltbühne has arrived. Such an externally imposed caesura is the right moment to account for and justify what has happened in the last few months, and at the same time to fill in the background against which the Weltbühne case arose.

Kreiser

Carl von Ossietzky

Part 2 of: Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

I can judge the correctness of my decision by comparison with the behaviour of Walter Kreiser, who was convicted with me, since our conviction. I have so far not spoken about this, against the urgent advice of all those in the know, but I must now say what has happened.

Drawing Balance (Rechenschaft)

Berliner visiting Austria? (Berliner in Österreich?)

No: Socialists visiting Socialists!

Sometimes, when a Prussian visits Austria, he stands in front of St. Stephan’s cathedral and asks, »Is that the biggest you’ve got?« That’s the reputation that Berliners have, and it’s not entirely unjustified.