Works of Frederick Engels 1850

To the Hungarian Refugee Committee in London

Source: MECW Volume 10, p. 240;
Written: London, late February 1850;
First published: K. Marx and F. Engels, Works, first Russ. ed., Vol. XXV, Moscow, 1934.

Citizens Kilinski and Ryschka have applied for assistance to the German Refugee Committee. Asked for their papers, they produced two certificates from Mr. Fr. Pulszky, copies of which are enclosed herewith. According to these certificates they are not German, but Hungarian refugees since they were recruited by the competent authority here for Hungarian service and therefore come within the province not of the German, but of the Hungarian Committee. However, they maintain that they received 10 shillings from that Committee together with notification that it could give them no further assistance. Since, however, it will hardly do to leave these people destitute on the street, we hereby take the liberty of inquiring whether this is right, and whether the Hungarian Committee may, perhaps, have had some special reason for refusing assistance to the two citizens named above.

(Copy of the certificates.)