Friedrich Schlotterbeck
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Schlotterbeck (January 9, 1909 - April 7, 1979) was a German author
who wrote prose fiction, plays
, and radio plays, and was a local leader of the German Resistance
during World War II
.
, Baden-Württemberg
, as the son of a metal worker, he joined the KJD, the German Communist Youth Party
, in 1923, and the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD) in 1927. He studied in Moscow
from 1929 to 1930, returned to organize groups against the Nazis, and was arrested by the Nazi government. He was held in various concentration camps from 1934 to 1943, when he was released from the Welzheim
concentration camp. He continued his anti-Nazi activities with the Schlotterbeck Group, but the group was captured by the authorities and deported to Dachau, where all captured members were summarily executed, including Schlotterbeck's entire family (except for a three-year old girl) and his fiance, Else Himmelheber, on November 30, 1944. Schlotterbeck managed to flee to Switzerland
.
After 1945 he led the Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes
(VVN), an association of victims of Nazi persecution, in US-occupied Württemberg-Baden
. He moved to Dresden
in 1948 and was active in low-level political functions, but was removed from the SED, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
, in 1951, and imprisoned from 1953 to 1956. Author of an autobiography, Je dunkler die Nacht, desto heller die Sterne: Erinnerungen eines deutschen Arbeiters 1933-1945 (1945), and Im Rosengarten von Sanssouci (1968). His autobiography was translated by Edward Fitzgerald as The Darker The Night, The Brighter The Stars: A German Worker Remembers (1933-1945) (London: Gollancz, 1947).
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who wrote prose fiction, plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, and radio plays, and was a local leader of the German Resistance
German Resistance
The German resistance was the opposition by individuals and groups in Germany to Adolf Hitler or the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. Some of these engaged in active plans to remove Adolf Hitler from power and overthrow his regime...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Born in ReutlingenReutlingen
Reutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district of Reutlingen. As of April 2008, it has a population of 109,828....
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, as the son of a metal worker, he joined the KJD, the German Communist Youth Party
Young Communist League of Germany
The Young Communist League of Germany was a political youth organization in Germany. It was formed in 1920 from the Free Socialist Youth of the Communist Party of Germany, which itself was formed in October 1918, with support from the Spartacus League . The KJVD was created in 1925...
, in 1923, and the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD) in 1927. He studied in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
from 1929 to 1930, returned to organize groups against the Nazis, and was arrested by the Nazi government. He was held in various concentration camps from 1934 to 1943, when he was released from the Welzheim
Welzheim
Welzheim is a town in the Rems-Murr district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located 35 km east of Stuttgart, and 15 km northwest of Schwäbisch Gmünd....
concentration camp. He continued his anti-Nazi activities with the Schlotterbeck Group, but the group was captured by the authorities and deported to Dachau, where all captured members were summarily executed, including Schlotterbeck's entire family (except for a three-year old girl) and his fiance, Else Himmelheber, on November 30, 1944. Schlotterbeck managed to flee to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
After 1945 he led the Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes
Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime
The Society of People Persecuted by the Nazi Regime – Federation of Anti-Fascists is a political organization founded in 1947....
(VVN), an association of victims of Nazi persecution, in US-occupied Württemberg-Baden
Württemberg-Baden
Württemberg-Baden is a former state of Federal Republic of Germany. It was created in 1945 by the U.S. occupation forces, after the previous states of Baden and Württemberg had been split up between the US and French occupation zones. Its capital was Stuttgart...
. He moved to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in 1948 and was active in low-level political functions, but was removed from the SED, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
, in 1951, and imprisoned from 1953 to 1956. Author of an autobiography, Je dunkler die Nacht, desto heller die Sterne: Erinnerungen eines deutschen Arbeiters 1933-1945 (1945), and Im Rosengarten von Sanssouci (1968). His autobiography was translated by Edward Fitzgerald as The Darker The Night, The Brighter The Stars: A German Worker Remembers (1933-1945) (London: Gollancz, 1947).