Otto Schmirgal
Encyclopedia
Otto Schmirgal was a German
workman, politician
, and a resistance fighter against the Nazi régime
.
Schmirgal was born in Bentschen in the Province of Posen
. In the mid-1920s, he was employed at the Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft
(BVG). A member of the Communist Party of Germany
from 1925, he was elected as its candidate to the Prussian Landtag in 1932. He was among the strike leaders when the BVG's workforce
struck that same year. He was repeatedly arrested by Nazi authorities and detained in Nazi concentration camps. During the Second World War, he worked in the antifascist group about Robert Uhrig
. In February 1942, he was once more arrested, in September 1944 sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof, and executed. His grave is to be found at the Seestraße city urn cemetery in Berlin-Wedding.
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...
workman, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and a resistance fighter against the Nazi régime
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...
.
Schmirgal was born in Bentschen in the Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
. In the mid-1920s, he was employed at the Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft
Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe
The is the main public transport company of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It manages the city's U-Bahn underground railway, tram, bus and ferry networks, but not the S-Bahn urban rail system....
(BVG). A member of 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...
from 1925, he was elected as its candidate to the Prussian Landtag in 1932. He was among the strike leaders when the BVG's workforce
Workforce
The workforce is the labour pool in employment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, country, state, etc. The term generally excludes the employers or management, and implies those involved in...
struck that same year. He was repeatedly arrested by Nazi authorities and detained in Nazi concentration camps. During the Second World War, he worked in the antifascist group about Robert Uhrig
Robert Uhrig
Robert Uhrig was a German communist and resistance fighter against National Socialism.- Background :Born in Leipzig, the son of a metalworker, Uhrig grew up to become a journeyman toolmaker. He joined the Communist Party of Germany in 1920 and took several courses at the Marxist Workers' School...
. In February 1942, he was once more arrested, in September 1944 sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof, and executed. His grave is to be found at the Seestraße city urn cemetery in Berlin-Wedding.