Otto Schmirgal: Difference between revisions
pod |
ce |
||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
Schmirgal was born in [[Zbąszyń|Bentschen]] (now Zbąszyń) in the [[Province of Posen]]. His father worked as a train conductor.<ref name=BiographischeDatenbankenOS/> Otto Schmirgal trained as a lathe operator. Following the frontier changes mandated by the [[Treaty of Versailles]] the family home became part of [[Poland]], and the surviving family members, comprising eighteen year old Schmirgal, his mother and four younger siblings, were obliged to flee to the west, ending up in [[Rzepin|Reppen]] where initially Otto Schmirgal worked on the railways, later becoming an [[Industrial porcelain enamel|industrial enamel burner]]. He moved around in search of work, but on account of his trades union activities he lost jobs with two firms, the first in [[Kostrzyn nad Odrą|Küstrin]] and in the second Thüringen. In the end he relocated to Berlin in 1924 and, from 1927, was employed at the [[Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe|Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft]] (BVG / ''The Berlin Public Transport organisation''). 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 in November of that year. |
Schmirgal was born in [[Zbąszyń|Bentschen]] (now Zbąszyń) in the [[Province of Posen]]. His father worked as a train conductor.<ref name=BiographischeDatenbankenOS/> Otto Schmirgal trained as a lathe operator. Following the frontier changes mandated by the [[Treaty of Versailles]] the family home became part of [[Poland]], and the surviving family members, comprising eighteen year old Schmirgal, his mother and four younger siblings, were obliged to flee to the west, ending up in [[Rzepin|Reppen]] where initially Otto Schmirgal worked on the railways, later becoming an [[Industrial porcelain enamel|industrial enamel burner]]. He moved around in search of work, but on account of his trades union activities he lost jobs with two firms, the first in [[Kostrzyn nad Odrą|Küstrin]] and in the second Thüringen. In the end he relocated to Berlin in 1924 and, from 1927, was employed at the [[Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe|Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft]] (BVG / ''The Berlin Public Transport organisation''). 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 in November of that year. |
||
In January 1933 the [[NSDAP|NSDAP (Nazi Party)]] [[Machtergreifung|took power]] and lost little time in [[Gleichschaltung|switching]] to [[Single-party state|one-]][[Nazi Party|party]] government in Germany. |
In January 1933 the [[NSDAP|NSDAP (Nazi Party)]] [[Machtergreifung|took power]] and lost little time in [[Gleichschaltung|switching]] to [[Single-party state|one-]][[Nazi Party|party]] government in Germany. While all political parties other than the Nazi Party were banned, the new chancellor, [[Adolf Hitler]] was particularly vitriolic in his opposition to the [[Communist Party of Germany|Communist Party]]. Starting in October 1933, Otto Schmirgal was repeatedly arrested by Nazi authorities and detained in [[Nazi concentration camp]]s. During an intervening period, after September 1934, he worked in Autobahn construction as a relief worker.<ref name=BiographischeDatenbankenOS/> During the [[Second World War]], he worked in the antifascist group led by [[Robert Uhrig]]. In February 1942, he was arrested once more. In September 1944, he was sentenced to death by the ''[[Volksgerichtshof]]'' and executed at [[Brandenburg-Görden Prison]].<ref name=BiographischeDatenbankenOS/> His grave is located at the Seestraße city urn cemetery in [[Wedding, Berlin|Berlin-Wedding]]. |
||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
Revision as of 18:45, 16 April 2015
Otto Schmirgal | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 15, 1900 |
| Died | 24 October 1944 |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Political party | KPD |
Otto Schmirgal (15 December 1900 – 24 October 1944) was a German workman, politician, and a resistance fighter against the Nazi régime.[1]
Life
Schmirgal was born in Bentschen (now Zbąszyń) in the Province of Posen. His father worked as a train conductor.[1] Otto Schmirgal trained as a lathe operator. Following the frontier changes mandated by the Treaty of Versailles the family home became part of Poland, and the surviving family members, comprising eighteen year old Schmirgal, his mother and four younger siblings, were obliged to flee to the west, ending up in Reppen where initially Otto Schmirgal worked on the railways, later becoming an industrial enamel burner. He moved around in search of work, but on account of his trades union activities he lost jobs with two firms, the first in Küstrin and in the second Thüringen. In the end he relocated to Berlin in 1924 and, from 1927, was employed at the Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft (BVG / The Berlin Public Transport organisation). 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 in November of that year.
In January 1933 the NSDAP (Nazi Party) took power and lost little time in switching to one-party government in Germany. While all political parties other than the Nazi Party were banned, the new chancellor, Adolf Hitler was particularly vitriolic in his opposition to the Communist Party. Starting in October 1933, Otto Schmirgal was repeatedly arrested by Nazi authorities and detained in Nazi concentration camps. During an intervening period, after September 1934, he worked in Autobahn construction as a relief worker.[1] During the Second World War, he worked in the antifascist group led by Robert Uhrig. In February 1942, he was arrested once more. In September 1944, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof and executed at Brandenburg-Görden Prison.[1] His grave is located at the Seestraße city urn cemetery in Berlin-Wedding.
External links
References
- ^ a b c d Andreas Herbst (iA Handbuch der Deutschen Kommunisten); Karl Dietz Verlag Berlin. "Schmirgal, Otto * 15.12.1900, † 24.10.1944" (in German). Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur: Biographische Datenbanken. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 16 (help)
 | This article about a German politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |