Walter Kolbenhoff
Encyclopedia
Walter Kolbenhoff, born as Walter Hoffman (20 May 1908 - 29 January 1993), was a German
novelist.
, the son of a workman. He became a worker himself and travelled as a vagabond
throughout Europe, Turkey and northern Africa. In 1929 he joined the German communist party KPD
living in Berlin, where he published his first novels in communist periodicals.
The Hessischer Rundfunk
produced a portrait of him in 1980, in which he spoke about his years in Berlin before Hitler came to power. He had to realize that the German communist party in the early 1930s was willing to help bring Hitler to power. Kolbenhoffs words about the KPD
were: "Die wollte ja faktisch die Nazis an die Macht bringen um dann die Macht zu übernehmen." This was said very unambiguously in the periodical "Die Rote Fahne" of the KPD
. It was told to Kolbenhoff and to his comrades, that Hitler would not remain in the government for long time and that a revolution of the working class in Germany would take place that would sweep him away and communist dictatorship
would be the unavoidable consequence. Indeed in 1932 during a strike of the transport workers in Berlin the pickets were Rotfront
(the communist party's organisation analogous to Hitler's SA) and SA
-members side by side. These kind of actions by the German communists can only be explained by a direct order from Joseph Stalin
. See also: social fascism
and Wilhelm Hoegner
.
In 1933 he left Germany for Denmark, where he stayed until 1940, with Wilhelm Reich
. 1933 in Denmark appeared his novel "Untermenschen" (Undermen) in which he depicted his former life as a vagabond.
As German troops invaded Denmark in 1940 Kolbenhoff received orders from the communist party to go back to Germany and to join the Wehrmacht
and to form a red cell
. He obeyed, becoming a soldier and took part in the battles in Yugoslavia
as well as Italy. In 1944 he was made a prisoner of war
by the American troops in the ruins of the monastery at Monte Cassino
. As a prisoner of war he got instructions in democratic governance in the USA and was released soon and came back to Berlin. In post war Germany he became a member of the famous Gruppe 47. He translated a lot of crime novels from English into German and wrote one himself about the man-hunt of the French Foreign Legion
in Germany under chancellor Konrad Adenauer
.
Kolbenhoff died in Germering
on 29 January 1993.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
novelist.
Biography
Kolbenhoff was born in BerlinBerlin
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...
, the son of a workman. He became a worker himself and travelled as a vagabond
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
throughout Europe, Turkey and northern Africa. In 1929 he joined the German communist party KPD
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...
living in Berlin, where he published his first novels in communist periodicals.
The Hessischer Rundfunk
Hessischer Rundfunk
Hessischer Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the German state of Hesse. The main offices of HR are in Frankfurt am Main. HR is a member of the ARD.- Studios :...
produced a portrait of him in 1980, in which he spoke about his years in Berlin before Hitler came to power. He had to realize that the German communist party in the early 1930s was willing to help bring Hitler to power. Kolbenhoffs words about the KPD
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...
were: "Die wollte ja faktisch die Nazis an die Macht bringen um dann die Macht zu übernehmen." This was said very unambiguously in the periodical "Die Rote Fahne" of the KPD
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...
. It was told to Kolbenhoff and to his comrades, that Hitler would not remain in the government for long time and that a revolution of the working class in Germany would take place that would sweep him away and communist dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
would be the unavoidable consequence. Indeed in 1932 during a strike of the transport workers in Berlin the pickets were Rotfront
Rotfrontkämpferbund
Rotfrontkämpferbund was a paramilitary organization of the Communist Party of Germany created on 18 July 1924 during the Weimar Republic. Its first leader was Ernst Thälmann...
(the communist party's organisation analogous to Hitler's SA) and SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
-members side by side. These kind of actions by the German communists can only be explained by a direct order from Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
. See also: social fascism
Social fascism
Social fascism was a theory supported by the Communist International during the early 1930s, which believed that social democracy was a variant of fascism because, in addition to a shared corporatist economic model, it stood in the way of a complete and final transition to communism...
and Wilhelm Hoegner
Wilhelm Hoegner
Wilhelm Hoegner was the second Bavarian prime minister after World War II and father of the Bavarian constitution. He has been the only Social Democrat to hold this office....
.
In 1933 he left Germany for Denmark, where he stayed until 1940, with Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
. 1933 in Denmark appeared his novel "Untermenschen" (Undermen) in which he depicted his former life as a vagabond.
As German troops invaded Denmark in 1940 Kolbenhoff received orders from the communist party to go back to Germany and to join the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
and to form a red cell
Red cell
"Red cell" may refer to* Red blood cell, a type of cell in the blood that transports oxygen* Red Cell, a term in US Government parlance for teams that test the effectiveness of tactics* Red Cell , an episode in the TV series NCIS...
. He obeyed, becoming a soldier and took part in the battles in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
as well as Italy. In 1944 he was made a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the American troops in the ruins of the monastery at Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. As a prisoner of war he got instructions in democratic governance in the USA and was released soon and came back to Berlin. In post war Germany he became a member of the famous Gruppe 47. He translated a lot of crime novels from English into German and wrote one himself about the man-hunt of the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
in Germany under chancellor Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
.
Kolbenhoff died in Germering
Germering
Germering is a city within the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated approx. 15 km west of Munich. The popular German band Sportfreunde Stiller is from here.-History:...
on 29 January 1993.
Works
- "Der Hinterhof", 1930
- "Untermenschen", Copenhague 1933
- "Moderne Balladen", 1936
- "Von unserem Fleisch und Blut", 1947. (about the so called WerwolfWerwolfWerwolf was the name given to a Nazi plan, which began development in 1944, to create a commando force which would operate behind enemy lines as the Allies advanced through Germany itself. Werwolf remained entirely ineffectual as a combat force, however, and in practical terms, its value as...
-movement). - "Heimkehr in die Fremde, 1949
- "Der Kopfjäger",1960, a novel about the man-hunt of the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. - "Das Wochenende", 1970. A novel about the German studentic movement in 1968.
- "Das Wochenende", 1984
- "Bilder aus einem Panoptikum. Grotesken und Geschichten" (short stories), 1988.
Sources.
- MSN Encarta (German)
- "Meyers Handbuch über die Literatur", Mannheim 1964 (in German)
- "Walter Kolbenhoff", a portrait of the author produced in 1980 by the Hessischer RundfunkHessischer RundfunkHessischer Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the German state of Hesse. The main offices of HR are in Frankfurt am Main. HR is a member of the ARD.- Studios :...
("Produktion: Thomas Dierks, Buch und Regie: Wilfried F. Schoeller und Herbert Wiesner).