The Lesson of Germany By Gerhart Eisler Albert Norden Albert Schreiner

Just as they did after World War I, the German imperialists will again make every effort to restore their power. They will seek — and find—support from those international pro-fascist and big capitalist elements who are attempting to halt the forward march of the peoples of Europe.

These elements now see a great “vacuum” on the European continent because Germany has been crushed as a fascist and imperialist Great Power. So long as the rebirth of such a Germany is prevented, for the first time in modern history the forces of international reaction will no longer have at their disposal on the continent of Europe a powerful reactionary ally and mercenary.

Humanity faces the task of preventing these international forces from using the Germans as an instrument and German territory as a springboard for a new imperialist war against the peaceand freedom-loving peoples of the world.

The German people, and especially the German working class, liberated from the yoke of Hitlerism, are faced with the historic task of re-educating themselves from the ground up in order to achieve political maturity and create a Germany which can play a progressive role in history. (Preface)