Kurt Schlosser
Encyclopedia
Kurt Schlosser was German cabinet-maker, climber, and an active Communist.
During his training in cabinet making
, he lost an arm. He nevertheless built up a climbing group with some young, working-class sportsmen and was a member of the woodworkers' association and the "Naturfreunde" hiking
club.
Between 1919 and 1923, Schlosser worked as a polisher, stainer and assembler in the " Hellerau
German Workshops" ("Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau
"), and was also a member of the works council there. In 1923, he joined the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD), he belonged to the KPD factory cell and the Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition (Revolutionäre Gewerkschafts-Opposition) at the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau. In 1930, he was finally rebuked as a Communist works councillor and barred from the woodworkers' association. Before the labour court, he struggled to keep working at the Workshops.
Since Schlosser was a member of the strike
leadership in 1931, it was within the Workshops' power to exclude him, which led to him losing his job. Not long afterwards, however, he had set up his own cabinet-making workshop
on Leipziger Straße in Dresden
. He was also leader of the singing company of the United Climbing Companies, which later became the "Sächsischer Bergsteigerchor 'Kurt Schlosser' Dresden" ("Kurt Schlosser Saxon Mountaineers' Choir
, Dresden").
From 1933, Schlosser was active with other mountain climbers in illegal "border work". His cabinet-making workshop became a meeting place for resistance fighters who were struggling against the Nazi régime. There arose a tight connection between German and Czechoslovakia
n working-class sportsmen.
Kurt Schlosser contributed to the civic singing club "Melomanie" and the "Meißner Hochland" section of the German Alpine Club
(Deutscher Alpenverein).
From 1942 Schlosser was a member of the leadership of the illegal Dresden KPD organization, now newly established after countless arrests, and he forged new connections with illegally active trade union
representatives from Dresden and nearby areas.
On 3 December 1943, Kurt Schlosser and other active antifascists were arrested. On 30 June 1944 at the Volksgerichtshof, together with his comrades Herbert Blochwitz, Otto Galle and Arthur Weineck, he was sentenced to death for "high treason
and favouring the enemy". On 16 August 1944, Kurt Schlosser was beheaded in the courtyard of the Dresden State Court at Münchner Platz,.
The Sächsischer Bergsteigerchor 'Kurt Schlosser' Dresden has borne the murdered antifascist's name since 1949.
During his training in cabinet making
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
, he lost an arm. He nevertheless built up a climbing group with some young, working-class sportsmen and was a member of the woodworkers' association and the "Naturfreunde" hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
club.
Hellerau
Hellerau is a quarter in the City of Dresden, Germany. It was the first garden city in Germany.Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, businessman Karl Schmidt-Hellerau founded Hellerau near Dresden in 1909. The idea was to create an organic, planned community...
German Workshops" ("Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau
Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau
The Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau is a medium-sized furniture-manufacturing business in the Hellerau district of the German city of Dresden....
"), and was also a member of the works council there. In 1923, he joined 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), he belonged to the KPD factory cell and the Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition (Revolutionäre Gewerkschafts-Opposition) at the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau. In 1930, he was finally rebuked as a Communist works councillor and barred from the woodworkers' association. Before the labour court, he struggled to keep working at the Workshops.
Since Schlosser was a member of the strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
leadership in 1931, it was within the Workshops' power to exclude him, which led to him losing his job. Not long afterwards, however, he had set up his own cabinet-making workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
on Leipziger Straße 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....
. He was also leader of the singing company of the United Climbing Companies, which later became the "Sächsischer Bergsteigerchor 'Kurt Schlosser' Dresden" ("Kurt Schlosser Saxon Mountaineers' Choir
Kurt Schlosser Saxon Mountaineers' Choir
The Kurt Schlosser Saxon Mountaineers' Choir was founded in 1927. The choir consists of 140 male voices. Amongst its repertoire are classical and contemporary works as well as traditional mountaineering, hiking, regional and folk songs.- History :...
, Dresden").
From 1933, Schlosser was active with other mountain climbers in illegal "border work". His cabinet-making workshop became a meeting place for resistance fighters who were struggling against the Nazi régime. There arose a tight connection between German and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n working-class sportsmen.
Kurt Schlosser contributed to the civic singing club "Melomanie" and the "Meißner Hochland" section of the German Alpine Club
German Alpine Club
The German Alpine Club or DAV is the largest climbing association in the world and the eighth largest sports union in Germany. It is organised into 354 legally independent branches with a total of around 815,000 members...
(Deutscher Alpenverein).
From 1942 Schlosser was a member of the leadership of the illegal Dresden KPD organization, now newly established after countless arrests, and he forged new connections with illegally active trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representatives from Dresden and nearby areas.
On 3 December 1943, Kurt Schlosser and other active antifascists were arrested. On 30 June 1944 at the Volksgerichtshof, together with his comrades Herbert Blochwitz, Otto Galle and Arthur Weineck, he was sentenced to death for "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...
and favouring the enemy". On 16 August 1944, Kurt Schlosser was beheaded in the courtyard of the Dresden State Court at Münchner Platz,.
The Sächsischer Bergsteigerchor 'Kurt Schlosser' Dresden has borne the murdered antifascist's name since 1949.
Literature
- Zimmering, M.: Widerstandsgruppe Vereinigte Kletterabteilungen. Berlin 1948.