Surfaces and the second homology of a group

LetG be a group andK(G, 1) an Eilenberg—MacLane space, i.e. ₁(K(G,1))G, _i (K(G,1))=0,i1. We give a purely algebraic proof that the second homology groupH ₂(G)=H ₂(G,)H ₂(K(G,1)) is isomorphic to the group of stable equivalence classes of continuous mapsFK(G,1) inducing surjections on fundamental groups (resp. surjections, whereF{F _g=closed orientable surface of genusg,g}. As a corollary we obtain an algebraic proof of the well-known isomorphismH ₂(G)₂(K(G,1)) (2-dimensional bordism group).