Rudolf Leonhard
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Leonhard was a German author and communist activist.
in Berlin
and Göttingen
. In 1914 he volunteered for the German military effort in World War I
, but quickly converted to pacifism
and was brought before a military court
for his convictions.
In 1918 he joined the USPD
(Independent German Social Democratic Party) and fought alongside Karl Liebknecht
and Rosa Luxemburg
in the 1918 revolution. In 1919, he joined the KPD (Communist Party of Germany
), but left that party in favor of the left-communist
KAPD
(German Communist Workers’ Party), which he also left after a year. In 1918 he married the author Susanne Köhler, but was divorced from her after one year.
From 1919 onwards he was a freelance author for the publication Die Weltbühne
, and worked for the publishing house Die Schmiede as a reader and as the editor of two series of books
, “Außenseiter der Gesellschaft” (Outsiders of Society) and “Berichte aus der Wirklichkeit” (Reports from Reality). In late November 1925, he began and led the Gruppe 1925 which counted Bertolt Brecht
, Alfred Döblin
, Albert Ehrenstein
, Leonhard Frank
, Walter Hasenclever
, Walter Mehring
and Kurt Tucholsky
among its members. After a difference of opinion, Leonhard left the group in 1927.
In March 1928, he moved to Paris
at the invitation of his friend Walter Hasenclever and lived with him until 1934. In April 1933, Leonhard took part in the foundation of the „Ligue des Combattants de la Paix" and was co-president of the German sector alongside Albert Einstein
. After the “Schutzverband Deutscher Schriftsteller” was taken over by the „Reichsverband deutscher Schriftsteller", he successfully founded the „Schutzverband Deutscher Schriftsteller im Ausland" and became leader of the French section. He describes his experiences in the Spanish Civil War
in his collection of stories “Der Tod des Don Quijote”. From 1939 until 1944, he was detained. First he was held in Le Vernet, then he was transferred to Castres
. He fled, was recaptured, and eventually fled again, living in underground Marseille
until the end of the war.
He returned to Paris in 1944. In 1947 he took part in the first Congress of German Authors. In 1950 he returned to Germany and took up residence in East Berlin. He was very ill at this point. Because he was seen as an immigrant from the West and due to his son’s activities, he was only granted a small place on the East German literary scene.
He died in 1953.
Life
Leonhard came from a family of lawyers and studied law and PhilologyPhilology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
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...
and Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
. In 1914 he volunteered for the German military effort 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...
, but quickly converted to pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and was brought before a military court
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
for his convictions.
In 1918 he joined the USPD
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
(Independent German Social Democratic Party) and fought alongside Karl Liebknecht
Karl Liebknecht
was a German socialist and a co-founder with Rosa Luxemburg of the Spartacist League and the Communist Party of Germany. He is best known for his opposition to World War I in the Reichstag and his role in the Spartacist uprising of 1919...
and Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
in the 1918 revolution. In 1919, he joined the KPD (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...
), but left that party in favor of the left-communist
Left communism
Left communism is the range of communist viewpoints held by the communist left, which criticizes the political ideas of the Bolsheviks at certain periods, from a position that is asserted to be more authentically Marxist and proletarian than the views of Leninism held by the Communist International...
KAPD
Communist Workers Party of Germany
The Communist Workers Party of Germany was an anti-parliamentarian and council communist party that was active in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic. It was founded in April 1920 in Heidelberg as a split from the Communist Party of Germany...
(German Communist Workers’ Party), which he also left after a year. In 1918 he married the author Susanne Köhler, but was divorced from her after one year.
From 1919 onwards he was a freelance author for the publication Die Weltbühne
Die Weltbühne
Die Weltbühne was a German weekly magazine focused on politics, art, and business. The Weltbühne was founded in Berlin on 7 September 1905 by Siegfried Jacobsohn and was originally created strictly as a theater magazine under the title Die Schaubühne. It was renamed Die Weltbühne on 4 April 1918...
, and worked for the publishing house Die Schmiede as a reader and as the editor of two series of books
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
, “Außenseiter der Gesellschaft” (Outsiders of Society) and “Berichte aus der Wirklichkeit” (Reports from Reality). In late November 1925, he began and led the Gruppe 1925 which counted Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
, Alfred Döblin
Alfred Döblin
Alfred Döblin was a German expressionist novelist, best known for the novel Berlin Alexanderplatz .- 1878–1918:...
, Albert Ehrenstein
Albert Ehrenstein
Albert Ehrenstein was an Austrian-born German Expressionist poet. His poetry exemplifies rejection of bourgeois values and fascination with the Orient, particularly with China. He spent most of his life in Berlin, but also travelled widely across Europe, Africa, and the Far East...
, Leonhard Frank
Leonhard Frank
Leonhard Frank was a German expressionist writer. He studied painting and graphic art in Munich, and gained acclaim with his first novel, The Robber Band...
, Walter Hasenclever
Walter Hasenclever
Walter Hasenclever was a German Expressionist poet and playwright.-Biography:...
, Walter Mehring
Walter Mehring
Walter Mehring was a German author and one of the most prominent satirical authors in the Weimar Republic. He was banned during the Third Reich, and fled the country.-Biographical:...
and Kurt Tucholsky
Kurt Tucholsky
Kurt Tucholsky was a German-Jewish journalist, satirist and writer. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Kaspar Hauser, Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger and Ignaz Wrobel. Born in Berlin-Moabit, he moved to Paris in 1924 and then to Sweden in 1930.Tucholsky was one of the most important journalists of...
among its members. After a difference of opinion, Leonhard left the group in 1927.
In March 1928, he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at the invitation of his friend Walter Hasenclever and lived with him until 1934. In April 1933, Leonhard took part in the foundation of the „Ligue des Combattants de la Paix" and was co-president of the German sector alongside Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
. After the “Schutzverband Deutscher Schriftsteller” was taken over by the „Reichsverband deutscher Schriftsteller", he successfully founded the „Schutzverband Deutscher Schriftsteller im Ausland" and became leader of the French section. He describes his experiences in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
in his collection of stories “Der Tod des Don Quijote”. From 1939 until 1944, he was detained. First he was held in Le Vernet, then he was transferred to Castres
Castres
Castres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc....
. He fled, was recaptured, and eventually fled again, living in underground Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
until the end of the war.
He returned to Paris in 1944. In 1947 he took part in the first Congress of German Authors. In 1950 he returned to Germany and took up residence in East Berlin. He was very ill at this point. Because he was seen as an immigrant from the West and due to his son’s activities, he was only granted a small place on the East German literary scene.
He died in 1953.
Selected works
His works include plays, poems, novels, and political essays:- Angelische Strophen (1913)
- Der Weg durch den Wald (Poems) (1913)
- Barbaren (Ballads) (1914)
- Über den Schlachten (Poems) 1914)
- Äonen des Fegefeuers (Aphorisms) (1917)
- Bemerkungen zum Reichsjugendwehrgesetz (1917)
- Beate und der große Pan (Novel) (1918)
- Katilinarische Pilgerschaft (Poems) (1919)
- Kamp gegen die Waffe (Speech) (1919)
- Briefe an Margit (Poems) (1919)
- Das Chaos (Poems) (1919)
- Die Vorhölle (Tragedy) (1919)
- Poems about "Mother" (1920)
- Alles und Nichts! (Aphorisms) (1920)
- Spartakus-Sonette (1921)
- Die Ewigkeit dieser Zeit. Eine Rhapsodie gegen Europa (1924)
- Segel am Horizont (Drama) (1925)
- Das nackte Leben (Poems) (1925)
- Das Wort (ein sinnliches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 1932)
- Der Tod des Don Quijote (Poems from the Spanish Civil War, 1938)
- Le Vernet (Gedichtzyklus, entstanden 1939–1944)
- In derselben Nacht (dream journal from his time in Le Vernet, written 1939–1944)
- Geiseln (Tragedy, 1945, dt. 1946)
- Unsere Republik (Essays and Poems, 1951).
- Selected Works in Four Volumes (1961 ff)