*L8 6 KARL MARX: A BIOGRAPHYthe most heterogeneous elements' which by exchanging their ideas would
have to evolve a suitable political programme.^45
Although the Neue Rheinische Zeitung had achieved a circulation of
around 5000 - which made it one of the largest in Germany - share-
capital was no longer available to it: it had therefore to rely on its
subscriptions. During July difficulties increased. The printer refused any
more credit and one issue was lost before another printer could be found.
Marx himself had to appear twice before a magistrate and the premises
of the paper were searched following an article by Marx protesting at the
brutality of the police when they arrested Anneke. More seriously,
the Cologne authorities refused Marx's request for Prussian citizenship, a
decision maintained despite energetic protests from the Democratic
Society and a personal letter from Marx to the Prussian Minister of the
Interior. This meant that his position in Cologne remained precarious as
at any time he could be expelled as a 'foreigner'.
IV. THE WATERSHEDAt the end of August 1848 Marx decided on a trip to Berlin and Vienna
to meet the Democratic leaders there and try to raise funds for the paper.
He spent two days in Berlin where he saw his old friend Koppen, Bakunin
and leaders of the Left - such as the energetic d'Ester who represented
Cologne in the Prussian Assembly. In Vienna he spent almost two weeks.
A few days before his arrival, there had been a bloody repression of the
workers and the whole city was to pass under democratic control for a
short period at the end of October. Marx took part in a meeting of the
Democratic Club which, though agreed on demanding the resignation of
the Government, were debating whether the demand should be made
of the Emperor or of Parliament. Marx is reported as intervening testily
to say that Emperor and Parliament were largely irrelevant here: 'the
greatest power of all has been forgotten: the people. We must turn to
the people and influence them with all the means at our disposal,
through the press, placards and public meetings.'^44 Marx also gave two
lectures in the Workers' Association, one on the development of the
workers' movements in Europe and the other a repeat of his Brussels
talks on 'Wage-Labour and Capital'. On his return to Berlin he attended
a meeting of the Prussian Assembly and succeeded in negotiating a gift
of 2000 thalers from the Polish community who were impressed by the
Neue Rheinische Zeitung's defence of their cause. Another 2000 thalers he
managed to collect from other sources.
The Hansemann ministry, proving too recalcitrant for the Prussian