Resolution of the General Council Expelling Gustave Durand from the International Working Men's Association

Author(s) First International
Frederick Engels
Written 14 October 1871


Adopted by the General Council on October 7, 1871
First published in The Eastern Post, No. 159 and Der Volksstaat, No. 83, on October 14, 1871
Reproduced from the Minute Book of the General Council checked with the newspapers
Source : Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 23
Collection(s): Der Volksstaat, The Eastern Post

The question of Gustave Durand was considered at a special meeting of the General Council on October 7, 1871, at which Durand's correspondence with the French police officers was produced. Durand was instructed to participate in the London Conference of the International with espionage as an ulterior motive and also to become a member of the General Council. The resolution on Durand's expulsion was drawn up and submitted to the meeting by Engels. He also translated it into French and Italian.

The General Council having received full evidence that Gustave Durand, working jeweller of Paris, ex-delegate of the jewellers to the Federal Chamber of Paris Working Men,[1] ex-chief of Battalion of the National Guards, ex-chief cashier at the Delegation of Finance under the Commune, passing as a refugee in London, has served, and is now serving, as a spy for the French police upon the Communal refugees and especially upon the General Council of the International Working Men's Association, and has already received 725 francs for his services.

The said Gustave Durand is therefore branded as infamous[2] and expelled from the International Association.

This resolution to be published in all the organs of the International.

  1. ↑ The Federal Chamber of Working Men's Societies—an association of trade unions and other workers' societies in Paris—was formed on the International's initiative in 1869. The Chamber organised aid for workers on strike and maintained close ties with the International.
  2. ↑ Der Volksstaat has "a traitor" instead of "infamous".— Ed.