The culmination of the “First International Congress against Colonialism and Imperialism” at the Palais d’Egmont in Brussels was Willi Munzenberg's speech on 14 February 1927. It came on the heels of many others delivered since the opening of the congress on 10 February, including the French author Henri Barbusse's opening of the event; the joint demonstration of solidarity for the Chinese liberation struggle between Guomindang representative Liao Huanxing and British socialist, A. Fenner Brockway; Jawaharlal Nehru's speech on British imperialism and India; the Egyptian Mohammed Hafiz Bey's speech about the freedom struggle in Egypt and of the Arab people; and the fiery speech on the African liberation struggle by Lamine Senghor, the representative of the Paris-based association, Committee in Defence of the Negro Race, covered in David Murphy's chapter in this volume. Following this plethora of anti-imperialist rhetoric, Munzenberg declared in his opening address on the establishment of the League Against Imperialism and for National Independence: “Ladies and gentlemen! The congress, which has been meeting in Brussels for several days … [is] behind us, and, as so often, one could say that once again the optimists, the faithful, were right. Whatever may come; one thing is clear: the congress in Brussels— the first congress against imperialism and for national independence—is a complete success.”

The annotations found in the manuscript describe that the above was received with “lively approval.” The principal aim of the speech was to address the formal establishment of the international League Against Imperialism and for National Independence (LAI, 1927–1937). Observing that much work was ahead for the attending participants, consisting of 174 delegates representing 134 organizations, Munzenberg declared that “our congress” needed no director, closing his speech with the remark that “we will fight with our lives for the equal rights of all people.” The speech was later printed and included in the official protocol of the Brussels congress proceedings, Das Flammenzeichen vom Palais Egmont.

The aim of this essay is to delineate a historical understanding of the trajectory of Munzenberg's pivotal role in the LAI, but also to disclose the reasons why he chose to detach himself gradually from the organization.