Fritz Eberhard
Encyclopedia
Fritz Eberhard was a German journalist, anti-fascist and social democrat and fought in the German Resistance
against Nazism
. He was a member of the Internationaler Sozialistischer Kampfbund
(ISK). After the war, Eberhard was a member of the Parliamentary Council
, precursor of the Bundestag
, where he was one of the founders of the modern German constitution.
in Dresden
that dated back to the middle ages
. In 1914, he began studying political science
and economics
, attending universities in Frankfurt am Main, Heidelberg
und Tübingen
. Taking three years off, from 1915 to 1918, to serve in World War I
, he received his doctorate
in 1920. During this time, he developed his social and political ideas and became an adherent of the ideas of Robert Wilbrandt and Leonard Nelson
. In 1921, he joined the Internationaler Jugendbund, the forerunner of the ISK. He also joined the SPD in 1922 and the Jungsozialisten, but withdrew from the SPD in 1924. He also taught economics at the ISK school, Walkemühle in Melsungen
. He worked as an editor for the ISK newspaper, Der Funke, where from 1932–1933, he was responsible for covering economic politics.
in 1933, Rauschenplat was forced to go underground because of an arrest warrant and took the name "Fritz Eberhard". He began heading up the banned ISK in Germany in 1934 and worked on building an independent socialist trade union, the Unabhängigen Sozialistischen Gewerkschaft. He also worked closely with Hans Jahn and the railroad Resistance
group organized by the Internationale Transportarbeiter Föderation and he maintained contact with the Willi Eichler
and the exile
d ISK leadership in London
. During this period, he also wrote articles under a pseudonym for the Stuttgarter Sonntagszeitung until it was banned in 1937. The underground organization of the ISK was crushed by the Gestapo
in 1937. Eberhard was able to flee to London, but fell into conflict with Eichler over his advocacy of direct action
against Nazi Germany
. As a result, he left the ISK in 1939, along with Hilde Meisel
and Hans Lehnert. Following his split, he worked closely with Waldemar von Knoeringen and Richard Löwenthal
and with the Sender der europäischen Revolution. He also worked as a journalist for several newspapers.
. He became a commentator and advisor to the American program director
at Radio Stuttgart. In October, he re-joined the SPD and in 1946, he was elected to the Württemberg-Baden
Landtag
. In 1948-1949, he was a member of the Parlamentarischer Rat
, the Parliamentary Council that was involved in writing the postwar constitution
. Eberhard played a leading role in ensuring the right to conscientious objector status be included in the new laws
of the Federal Republic of Germany. From 1949 to 1958, he worked at Süddeutscher Rundfunk
as political director. From 1961 to 1968, he was the director and an honorary professor at the Institut für Publizistik at the Freie Universität Berlin. In 1979, Eberhard and Axel Eggebrecht
were awarded the Carl von Ossietzky
Medal.
Eberhard died in Berlin in 1982. His personal papers are at the archives of the Institute of Contemporary History
in Munich
.
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...
against Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. He was a member of the Internationaler Sozialistischer Kampfbund
Internationaler Sozialistischer Kampfbund
The Internationaler Sozialistischer Kampfbund was a socialist split-off from the SPD during the Weimar Republic and was active in the German Resistance against Nazism.- History :...
(ISK). After the war, Eberhard was a member of the Parliamentary Council
Parlamentarischer Rat
The Parlamentarischer Rat was the West German constitutional convention that created the current constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany...
, precursor of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
, where he was one of the founders of the modern German constitution.
Early years
Eberhard was born Helmut (or Hellmut) von Rauschenplat, a noble familyNobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
in 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....
that dated back to the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. In 1914, he began studying political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, attending universities in Frankfurt am Main, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
und Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
. Taking three years off, from 1915 to 1918, to serve in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he received his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1920. During this time, he developed his social and political ideas and became an adherent of the ideas of Robert Wilbrandt and Leonard Nelson
Leonard Nelson
Leonard Nelson was a German mathematician and philosopher. He was part of the Neo-Friesian School and a friend of the mathematician David Hilbert, and devised the Grelling–Nelson paradox with Kurt Grelling...
. In 1921, he joined the Internationaler Jugendbund, the forerunner of the ISK. He also joined the SPD in 1922 and the Jungsozialisten, but withdrew from the SPD in 1924. He also taught economics at the ISK school, Walkemühle in Melsungen
Melsungen
Melsungen is a small climatic spa in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany.-Geography:Melsungen lies on the river Fulda in the North Hesse Highland. The brooks Pfieffe and Kehrenbach flow into the Fulda here...
. He worked as an editor for the ISK newspaper, Der Funke, where from 1932–1933, he was responsible for covering economic politics.
Resistance and exile
After the Nazi Party seized powerMachtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
in 1933, Rauschenplat was forced to go underground because of an arrest warrant and took the name "Fritz Eberhard". He began heading up the banned ISK in Germany in 1934 and worked on building an independent socialist trade union, the Unabhängigen Sozialistischen Gewerkschaft. He also worked closely with Hans Jahn and the railroad 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...
group organized by the Internationale Transportarbeiter Föderation and he maintained contact with the Willi Eichler
Willi Eichler
Willi Eichler was a German journalist and politician with the Social Democratic Party of Germany .-Before 1945:Eichler was born in Berlin, the son of a postal worker. He attended Volksschule and then became a clerk...
and the exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d ISK leadership in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. During this period, he also wrote articles under a pseudonym for the Stuttgarter Sonntagszeitung until it was banned in 1937. The underground organization of the ISK was crushed by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in 1937. Eberhard was able to flee to London, but fell into conflict with Eichler over his advocacy of direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. As a result, he left the ISK in 1939, along with Hilde Meisel
Hilde Meisel
Hilde Meisel was a German socialist and journalist who published articles against the Nazi regime in Germany. While in exile in England, she wrote under the pseudonym Hilda Monte, calling for German resistance to Nazism in magazines, books and in radio broadcasts...
and Hans Lehnert. Following his split, he worked closely with Waldemar von Knoeringen and Richard Löwenthal
Richard Löwenthal
Richard Löwenthal was a Jewish German journalist and professor who wrote mostly on the problems of democracy, communism, and world politics.- Life :...
and with the Sender der europäischen Revolution. He also worked as a journalist for several newspapers.
Return to Germany
In April 1945, Eberhard was able to return to Germany, with the help of the Office of Strategic ServicesOffice of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
. He became a commentator and advisor to the American program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
at Radio Stuttgart. In October, he re-joined the SPD and in 1946, he was elected to the 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...
Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
. In 1948-1949, he was a member of the Parlamentarischer Rat
Parlamentarischer Rat
The Parlamentarischer Rat was the West German constitutional convention that created the current constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany...
, the Parliamentary Council that was involved in writing the postwar constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. Eberhard played a leading role in ensuring the right to conscientious objector status be included in the new laws
Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany
The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany is the constitution of Germany. It was formally approved on 8 May 1949, and, with the signature of the Allies of World War II on 12 May, came into effect on 23 May, as the constitution of those states of West Germany that were initially included...
of the Federal Republic of Germany. From 1949 to 1958, he worked at Süddeutscher Rundfunk
Süddeutscher Rundfunk
The Süddeutscher Rundfunk was a German radio and television station operating in the northern part of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It existed from 1949 to 1998, when it was merged with the then Südwestfunk to form the Südwestrundfunk....
as political director. From 1961 to 1968, he was the director and an honorary professor at the Institut für Publizistik at the Freie Universität Berlin. In 1979, Eberhard and Axel Eggebrecht
Axel Eggebrecht
Axel Constantin August Eggebrecht was a German journalist and writer.-Life:Eggebrecht grew up in bourgeois surroundings in Leipzig until 1917 when he volunteered to serve in the First World War where he received a serious wound, the effects of which he would continue to feel for his entire life...
were awarded the Carl von Ossietzky
Carl von Ossietzky
Carl von Ossietzky was a German pacifist and the recipient of the 1935 Nobel Peace Prize. He was convicted of high treason and espionage in 1931 after publishing details of Germany's alleged violation of the Treaty of Versailles by rebuilding an air force, the predecessor of the Luftwaffe, and...
Medal.
Eberhard died in Berlin in 1982. His personal papers are at the archives of the Institute of Contemporary History
Institut für Zeitgeschichte
The Institut für Zeitgeschichte in Munich was conceived in 1947 under the name Deutsches Institut für Geschichte der nationalsozialistischen Zeit...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.