Karl Schuster (resistance fighter)

Karl Schuster (born January 25, 1896 in Neuwallwitz , † June 29, 1978 in Berlin ) was a German KPD functionary. During the Weimar Republic he was in a leading position in the KPD's news apparatus . During National Socialism, he served several years in prison and was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp for a long time . In freedom he was active in illegal party work and belonged to the network of the so-called “ Red Orchestra ”.

Life

Schuster came from a working-class family and completed an apprenticeship as a bricklayer . From 1916 he took part in the First World War as a soldier . Towards the end of the war he became a British prisoner of war, from which he returned in 1919.

On January 1, 1920, Schuster joined the KPD, where from 1924 he headed the news departments of several district leaderships. Since 1925 it has been one of his tasks to instruct members of the Red Front Fighters League in the handling of weapons and to train them in military policy. 1929/30 completed a military-political training in Moscow , in order to then take over the leadership of a Gaus of the now banned Red Front Fighters Association in Lower Saxony . He also headed the KPD's local news apparatus and was then employed in operational reporting (BB apparatus) in the Wasserkante district. In mid-1932 Schuster went to Berlin to the anti-military apparatus of the Central Committee , where he worked in a leading position with Rudolf Schwarz .

After the National Socialist " seizure of power " he was arrested in December 1933. Together with Hermann Dünow and Arthur Lange , he was in 1935 before the People's Court accused and to three years ' imprisonment convicted. From January 1936 he was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp . In April 1939 he was released briefly, only to be arrested again in October 1939 and imprisoned in Sachsenhausen. In 1942 he was released again. He joined the Berlin party organization and served as a liaison to the leadership of the Chemnitz party organization until he was arrested again in August 1944 . He belonged to the network of the so-called " Red Orchestra " and kept in touch with Martin Weise . The doctor Heinrich Erdmann belonged to Schuster's group .

He experienced liberation from National Socialism at the beginning of May 1945 in Saxony. In Neuhohelinde ( Oederan ) he reported to the staff of the Red Army and was recognized as a German communist. He went to Berlin and became active again for the KPD in the Mitte district. In the Soviet occupation zone in August 1945 he became a consultant in the central administration for transport and in 1947 head of the personnel department in the central administration for German resettlers , then he moved to the main administration building industry of the German economic commission . Schuster later worked for the council of the Berlin-Köpenick district .

Karl Schuster died on June 29, 1978 at the age of 82 and was buried on July 20, 1978 in the Friedrichsfelde Central Cemetery .

Awards

Medal for fighters against fascism 1933 to 1945
1971 Patriotic Order of Merit in silver and 1976 in gold

literature

Schuster, Karl . In: Hermann Weber , Andreas Herbst : German Communists. Biographical Handbook 1918 to 1945 . 2nd, revised and greatly expanded edition. Karl Dietz, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-320-02130-6 . .

Individual evidence

^ Carsten Voigt: Combat leagues of the labor movement. The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold and the Rote Frontkampfbund in Saxony 1924-1933. Böhlau, Weimar 2009, p. 400.
↑ Wolfgang Schumann, Karl Drechsler, et al .: Germany in the Second World War . Vol. 2, From the attack on the Soviet Union to the Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad (June 1941 to November 1942). Pahl-Rugenstein, Cologne 1975, p. 556.
↑ Ursel Hochmuth: Illegal KPD and movement “Free Germany” in Berlin and Brandenburg 1942–1945. Biographies and testimonials from the resistance organization around Saefkow, Jacob and Bästlein . Hentrich + Hentrich, Berlin 1998, pp. 135, 213.
^ "A worker veteran remembers" in Neues Deutschland , May 4, 1978, p. 9.
^ Obituary notice in Neues Deutschland , July 14, 1978, p. 8.

personal data
SURNAME	Schuster, Karl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German KPD functionary and resistance fighter
DATE OF BIRTH	January 25, 1896
PLACE OF BIRTH	Neuwallwitz
DATE OF DEATH	June 29, 1978
Place of death	Berlin

[1] Carsten Voigt: Combat leagues of the labor movement. The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold and the Rote Frontkampfbund in Saxony 1924-1933. Böhlau, Weimar 2009, p. 400.

[2] Wolfgang Schumann, Karl Drechsler, et al .: Germany in the Second World War . Vol. 2, From the attack on the Soviet Union to the Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad (June 1941 to November 1942). Pahl-Rugenstein, Cologne 1975, p. 556.

[3] Ursel Hochmuth: Illegal KPD and movement “Free Germany” in Berlin and Brandenburg 1942–1945. Biographies and testimonials from the resistance organization around Saefkow, Jacob and Bästlein . Hentrich + Hentrich, Berlin 1998, pp. 135, 213.

[4] "A worker veteran remembers" in Neues Deutschland , May 4, 1978, p. 9.

[5] Obituary notice in Neues Deutschland , July 14, 1978, p. 8.