Heinz Kapelle
Encyclopedia
Heinz Kapelle was a leader of the Communist Youth League of Germany
(Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD) in Berlin
in the 1930s.
By training he was a book printer, having learnt the craft between 1928 and 1932, but he was thereafter jobless until 1934. During his training, he had joined the KJVD in 1931, which became illegal with the Nazis
' seizure of power
in 1933. Nevertheless, he continued to be a member and used the Alliance to further his anti-fascist goals. He was, for instance, involved in the publication and distribution of anti-fascist literature.
Early in 1934, Kapelle was arrested for the first time and sentenced to two years' imprison
ment on 20 September 1934 by the Berliner Kammergericht for "conspiracy to commit high treason
". Once released, he quickly returned to anti-régime activities. He in effect led an illegal youth resistance group of about 60 members against the Nazis. The leaflets that he wrote he sometimes even distributed himself, by scattering them in the streets of Berlin's working-class neighbourhoods at night from his motorcycle.
He was arrested many times, but in the end, he and five other group members were arrested by the Gestapo
on 16 October 1939. Kapelle was torture
d, but never betrayed the other members of his group. The court sentenced Heinz Kapelle to death on 21 February 1941 for "furthering the enemy's cause and conspiracy to commit high treason". On 1 July of that year, he was put to death at Plötzensee
Prison in Berlin. He is honoured today as a hero by the Communist Youth Movement. A street in the Berlin neighbourhood Prenzlauer Berg
is named Heinz-Kapelle-Straße in his honour. Also there is a street close to German Parliament in the very center of Berlin honouring him named Kapelle-Ufer (which means something like "Kapelle Bank" or "Kapelle Shore"), see this Map.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands; KJVD) in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in the 1930s.
By training he was a book printer, having learnt the craft between 1928 and 1932, but he was thereafter jobless until 1934. During his training, he had joined the KJVD in 1931, which became illegal with the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
' seizure of power
Machtergreifung
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. Nevertheless, he continued to be a member and used the Alliance to further his anti-fascist goals. He was, for instance, involved in the publication and distribution of anti-fascist literature.
Early in 1934, Kapelle was arrested for the first time and sentenced to two years' imprison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
ment on 20 September 1934 by the Berliner Kammergericht for "conspiracy to commit high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
". Once released, he quickly returned to anti-régime activities. He in effect led an illegal youth resistance group of about 60 members against the Nazis. The leaflets that he wrote he sometimes even distributed himself, by scattering them in the streets of Berlin's working-class neighbourhoods at night from his motorcycle.
He was arrested many times, but in the end, he and five other group members were arrested 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...
on 16 October 1939. Kapelle was torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d, but never betrayed the other members of his group. The court sentenced Heinz Kapelle to death on 21 February 1941 for "furthering the enemy's cause and conspiracy to commit high treason". On 1 July of that year, he was put to death at Plötzensee
Plötzensee
Plötzensee is a small glacial lake in Berlin. It is situated near the Rehberge public park in the former borough of Wedding, now a part of Mitte. The name stems from Plötze, one name for the roach in German, as the lake formerly teemed with it....
Prison in Berlin. He is honoured today as a hero by the Communist Youth Movement. A street in the Berlin neighbourhood Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is a locality of Berlin, in the borough of Pankow.Until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a borough of Berlin; in that year it was included in the borough of Pankow....
is named Heinz-Kapelle-Straße in his honour. Also there is a street close to German Parliament in the very center of Berlin honouring him named Kapelle-Ufer (which means something like "Kapelle Bank" or "Kapelle Shore"), see this Map.
Sources
- Linked German article
- Article about street in Berlin named after Kapelle
- Article about Kapelle (rather biased) (all in German)