Leon
Trotsky: Statement to the Press
December
30, 1934
[Writings
of Leon Trotsky, Vol 7, 1934-1935, New York 1971, p. 138-139]
Sir:
I
request you not to refuse publication of the following lines.
In
the indictment connected with the assassination of Kirov, mention is
to be found of my name. This circumstance has provided certain organs
of the press with the pretext for speaking of my implication in the
terrorist act at Smolny. One of the newspapers, which I see no need
to name and characterize, asserts that my participation in the affair
is "proved."
The
truth is that even if every word of the indictment is taken at its
face value it is only stated that a certain "consul"
proposed to Nikolaev to transmit a letter to Trotsky. Testimony of
such exceptional importance was only given by Nikolaev twenty days
after his arrest The indictment makes absolutely no mention of how
Nikolaev reacted to the unknown consul’s initiative and whether the
letter was written and transmitted. One would indeed think that if,
in the material of the preliminary investigation, there had been
found something worthwhile, if not for juridical attention, then at
least for propaganda purposes, the indictment would not have been
silent about it.
As
to what concerns me, I can only add:
1.
In the circle of my acquaintances, the only consuls I know are those
who refused me visas.
2.
If the mysterious consul in Leningrad knows my address, he has
completely forgotten to let me have his.
It
is hardly necessary, after what has been said, to stress the fact
that during nearly forty years of my revolutionary activity I have
always, as a Marxist, opposed, from the point of view of the
interests of the workers' movement, any recourse to individual
terrorism — against czarism as well as against the workers'
state. Dozens of my articles, published in different languages, are
devoted to implacable criticism of individual terrorism. I see no
reason to change this opinion today.
Within
the limits of this brief letter, for which I ask your hospitality, I
cannot dwell either upon an analysis of the political conditions that
led to the appearance of Nikolaev's terrorist group or upon bringing
to light the purpose of the attempt to mix my name into this mad and
criminal act. To these questions I am devoting a special pamphlet,
which will appear in the next few days.
L.
Trotsky