Pierre Broué

“The [members of the German Social Democratic Party] remained in the same party, and lived in the same world, and this gave their disagreements a special complexion, because debates which are settled by compromises, and which lead to action, are more fruitful than dialogues of the deaf”
― Pierre Broué, The German Revolution, 1917-1923

“The consequences of this double murder are incalculable. To be sure, despite the efforts of Jogiches and Levi, who devoted immense effort to the enquiry, no direct responsibility of any Social-Democratic leader can be established. But their moral responsibility is overwhelming. Two days before, Vorwärts had published what was nothing less than a call for the murder of ‘Karl, Rosa and partners, not one dead, not one, amongst the dead’. It was men gathered, armed, and in the end protected by Noske and the Social-Democratic ministers who carried out the assassinations. Scheidemann was to say: ‘You see how their own terrorist tactic has done for them themselves!’ After that, there was always the blood of Liebknecht and Luxemburg between German Social Democrats and Communists.
The young Communist Party was deprived simultaneously of its best political leader and its most prestigious spokesman. Luxemburg and Liebknecht were known to every German worker, and enjoyed high standing throughout the international movement. Alone of all the Communists outside Russia, they had the stature to discuss as equals with the Bolshevik leaders, and to have been a counterweight to their authority in the International that was soon to be founded. Moreover, the statements by Runge and particularly the declarations by Captain Pabst tended to cast terrible suspicions on Pieck, who was spared by the killers. These suspicions were to make necessary a Party enquiry, the conclusions of which are still being discussed.”
― Pierre Broué, The German Revolution, 1917-1923