FATE OF LIEBKNECHT AND ROSA LUXEMBURG. “RED ROSA’S” DEATH.

THE FORMER SHOT. FEMALE ANARCHIST LYNCHED.

According to Reuter’s correspondent at Amsterdam, writing on Thursday, “a Berlin telegram officially confirms the murder of [Karl] Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg”. In another message, also dated Thursday, the same correspondent quotes a further Berlin telegram giving details by the Staff of the Guard Cavalry Division about the shooting of the two Spartacist leaders: “On Wednesday evening, Jan 15, about 9.30, Liebknecht and Rosa Lux em burg,w howe rearrested at No 43, Mannheim er st rasse,Wilmers do rf( a Berlin suburb) by patrol soft he Wilmersdorf Civic Guard, were brought to the Staff of the Guard Cavalry Division. Liebknecht was informed that he would be sent to Moabit Prison until the government had come to a decision regarding his case. The news of the arrest of Liebknecht and Luxemburg spread like wildfire in the neighbourhood of the hotel, which the Staff of the Guard Cavalry Division was using as its headquarters, and a great crowd gathered before the hotel. Part of the crowd even forced its way into the hall of the hotel. “The leader of Liebknecht’s escort received an order from the staff to take Liebknecht unobserved by the crowd and through a side door to Moabit in an army motor-car. Liebknecht was expressly warned by the officer that should he attempt to escape he would be fired upon. Meanwhile, however, a large crowd had gathered around the side door, so that the escort had to use force to clear a way. When Liebknecht and his escort had entered the motor-car and were on the point of going off Liebknecht received a violent blow on the head from a spectator, which caused his head to bleed profusely. The officer in charge thereupon drove the motor away as quickly as possible to protect Liebknecht from the crowd.

SHOT WHILE ESCAPING.

“In order to avoid further incidents, the car was driven by a roundabout way through the Tiergarten. Near the Neue See (a pond in the Tiergarten) the car broke down, apparently owing to the great speed at which it had been driven. The officer in command of the escort asked Liebknecht whether he felt himself strong enough to go on foot to the Charlottenburger Chaussee. Here he intended to hail a cab in case the motor-car could not be repaired. When the escort had gone about 50 yards Liebknecht broke away from them and ran swiftly straight ahead. One of the escorts attempted to hold him, but was stabbed with a knife by Liebknecht in his right hand. As Liebknecht took no notice of repeated summonses to stop, several soldiers of the escort fired at him. A few minutes later Liebknecht collapsed, and apparently died at once.

“On the order of the Guard Cavalry Division, a second escort was detailed about 10 in the evening to take Rosa Luxemburg to Moabit. The commander of the escort thought to disperse the crowd by shouting in a loud voice at the side exit that Rosa Luxemburg had already been removed. The commander then dismissed the chauffeur, and in order to hoodwink the crowd told him in a loud tone to go home. The car then drove around the Kaiser Wilhelm Church and returned. The main entrance of the hotel was at that time empty. The commander of the escort ordered Rosa Luxemburg, who was in a room on the first floor, to follow him as quickly as possible to the car, and preceded her himself in order to protect her while the escort surrounded her on both sides. A crowd had again collected. Curses were shouted at her and an attempt was repeatedly made to attack her. The escort succeeded, however, in conducting Rosa Luxemburg to the car.” It will be observed that in the “Official” report from Berlin nothing is said about the fate of Rosa Luxemburg. The special correspondent in Berlin of the Copenhagen Berlingske Tidende, quoted by the Central News, however, asserts that she also was killed, being shot dead by an unknown man after the crowd had attacked her. A wireless message circulated by the stations of the German government and forwarded by the Wireless Press last night states that “the already reported arrest of Liebknecht led, on the same evening, to his death by shooting whilst he was trying to escape. The report of the arrest of Rosa Luxemburg has since been confirmed. She also, so far as is known, lost her life.” The message states: The motor-car, which apparently had moved away, turned back in order to pick up Rosa Luxemburg. In a few seconds, however, the hostile crowd had again assembled. She was beaten by the crowd and fell down unconscious in the motor-car, which moved off at the greatest speed. On the bridge the motor driver was loudly called upon to stop. Numerous bridges in the city are occupied by guard posts, who hold up every vehicle and search it for arms. Thinking that it was such a guard post with whom he had to deal the motor driver stopped. The next moment a crowd of people jumped into the motor-car and brought out of it the body of Rosa Luxemburg. It is feared that Rosa Luxemburg was already killed. The government at once ordered a strict inquiry and has temporarily arrested the two motor-car drivers. Although the body of Rosa Luxemburg had not been recovered up to the afternoon hours, the Press takes the death of the Spartacist leaderess for granted, and also treats as certain the death of Liebknecht. Other versions assert that Rosa Luxemburg (1) was shot by a soldier from the roadway while being conveyed to prison, and (2) was killed while trying to escape. Yet another story says “Liebknecht was placed before a court-martial and sentenced to death. Half an hour later he was killed by a shot.” The fact is that the whole circumstances connected with this sombre tragedy are enveloped in mystery, and none of the various versions can be accepted at their face value until the truth is established by independent testimony – if ever it is forthcoming.