Paul Gruner (politician)

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Paul Albrecht Gruner (born January 9, 1890 in Gollschau , Nimptsch / Silesia district, † April 27, 1947 in Dresden ) was a German politician ( KPD , later SED ) and a trade union official of the FDGB .

Paul Gruner's grave in the Dresden Heidefriedhof

Life

Childhood and youth

Paul Gruner was the first child of the stonemason and farmer Hermann Gruner and his wife Ernestine, nee. Gröschel, born. He attended the elementary schools in Gollschau and Striege from 1896 to 1904. 1904–1908 he learned the trade of machine builder in Strehlen and attended the local craft training school as well as the commercial drawing school. In 1909 he worked for a short time as a mechanical engineer in Liegnitz and then did his military service in the field artillery in Wroclaw from 1909 to 1911.

Worked for the Dresden tram

In October 1911 he started working as a fitter for the Dresden City Tram in Tolkewitz (until 1931). He joined the German Metalworkers' Association and was elected shop steward in the tram workshop a little later. In the First World War he had to do military service from 1914 to 1918. In 1918 he was elected to the soldiers' council in Laon / France and joined the USPD in the same year.

After his discharge from military service, he resumed his work for the Dresden tram in 1919 and married Ella Hennig. The older daughter Marianne was born in 1919 and he was elected to the works council of the Tolkewitz tram workshop and to the central working committee of the most important municipal companies. He participated in the general strike in March 1920 during the Kapp Putsch and in December 1920 joined the KPD with the left wing of the USPD. In the KPD he was first cell leader in the district and a member of the Dresden local group leadership, then he was elected to the district leadership of the KPD in East Saxony and Saxony.

In 1920 he was elected chairman of the works council of the Dresden tram company and chairman of the general works council of all municipal companies (until 1928), and appeared as a speaker in numerous works council meetings, meetings and conferences. Until 1923 he was 2nd chairman of the arbitration committee for urban, communal and state affairs of the workers and employees employed there.

Political activity

In 1921 the KPD took part in Dresden's city council elections for the first time, and Paul Gruner entered the city parliament as one of four KPD members. In 1922 the city council elected him to the city council. He became a member of the Finance Committee, the Tram Committee, and the Cattle and Slaughterhouse Committee . He was re-elected in the local elections in January 1924. The KPD parliamentary group now comprised 10 members and was thus entitled to provide an honorary city council. Paul Gruner was elected a member of the city council in May 1924 as the first and only communist. As a city council he was u. a. the management of the supply house (an institution for the elderly and the homeless), he was a member of the welfare committee, the specialist committee for health and sick care and other committees. In November 1926, November 1929 and November 1932 he was re-elected as city councilor of the KPD and then as honorary city councilor, and held these positions until early 1933.

He was arrested for the first time during the KPD ban in November 1923 and spent 14 days in prison. In 1924 he was elected head of the communist cell in the Tolkewitz tram station (until 1931). In 1926 he became a member of the Red Aid , in 1927 of the International Workers Aid (IAH). In 1927 he was elected to the Board of Trams and the Committee of Elders, and in 1930 to the Committee to Combat Unemployment. In 1927 the younger daughter Anita was born.

Paul Gruner was for several years the treasurer and member of the East Saxony district leadership of the KPD. In 1928 he was expelled from the association of community and city workers and a member of the Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition (RGO) founded by Arno Lade . In 1930 he was elected chairman of the RGO in Dresden and in the extended Reich leadership of the RGO. In August 1930 he took part as a delegate of the RGO in East Saxony at the 5th World Congress of the Red Trade Union International (RGI) in Moscow.

Paul Gruner was significantly involved in the preparation of the tram strike in August 1931, which is why he was released on August 25 and arrested 4 days later. The trial for high treason before the IV Criminal Senate of the Reich Court in Leipzig ended with an acquittal on June 17, 1932. His defense lawyer was the well-known Dresden lawyer Rolf Helm , who was also a KPD city councilor. The acquittal was followed by a period of unemployment.

In 1932, Lord Mayor Wilhelm Külz paid tribute to Paul Gruner's ten years of service in the city parliament. From around 1932, however, the clashes between communists and Nazis in Dresden became increasingly violent, Paul Gruner organized protest actions, demonstrations and mass rallies. On March 1, 1933, the mayor of Dresden, Wilhelm Külz (DDP), was dismissed for having refused to hoist the swastika flag on the town hall.

Fight against National Socialism

A few days after the Reichstag fire, Paul Gruner was arrested on March 1, along with the other communist city councilors, and brutally mistreated. On March 13, the communist councilors were officially removed from office. On March 14, Paul Gruner was sent to the “protective custody camp” at the former Hohnstein youth castle , where he was released on July 5, 1933, ill. He found work again and continued his illegal activity. He exercised the function of area instructor for the district leadership of the KPD in East Saxony and acted as a liaison between the KPD and the RGO of the Dresden sub-district.

On January 15, 1934, Paul Gruner was arrested for producing printed matter. In the remand prison on Münchner Platz , interrogations and abuse followed. The Dresden Higher Regional Court finally sentenced him on September 3, 1934 to 2 years and 6 months in prison and deprived him of his civil rights for 3 years. He served his prison sentence initially in Waldheim and from 1935 on at Osterstein Castle in Zwickau. His release was scheduled for September 4, 1936, but he was instead transferred to the Sachsenburg concentration camp , where he had to work in the quarry for three weeks. He was finally released from there on September 25th. Due to the extremely poor detention conditions, he arrived home seriously ill. However, after his recovery, he went back to the illegal work. In 1937 he found work again in the Dresden molding and screwdriving shop. He rejected the advice of his party comrades to emigrate with his family to the Soviet Union.

On the day of the attack on Poland , September 1, 1939, he was taken "into security custody" and transported to the Buchenwald concentration camp, from where he was released again in January 1940, seriously ill, because his already poor health was still affected by the prison conditions further deteriorated. Only after a long period of regeneration was he able to resume work in 1942, but he continued to devote himself to illegal activities. In 1943 there were also several meetings with Anton Saefkow from Berlin.

On January 13, 1944, he was arrested again for participating in the rebuilding of the Dresden resistance movement and sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp without trial . As camp inmate 50.931, his health became increasingly critical. The US Army liberated the concentration camp on May 5, 1945, but it was not until May 16 that he and 34 other German prisoners were able to leave the camp, disguised as Soviet citizens, together with Soviet prisoners. This was followed by a walk to Vienna, where he was cared for in the hospital in Schönbrunn Palace .

post war period

He was only able to return to Dresden on July 15th. His family had been bombed out since February 1945 , so he didn't find them until a few days later via a search advertisement. Despite his poor health, he immediately made himself available to the KPD again, became chairman of the local committee of the FDGB on August 18, 1945 and a little later also a member of the state committee of Saxony of the FDGB. In August he was appointed people's judge.

He devoted all of his time to rebuilding the trade unions, spoke on December 7, 1945 at the conference of the FDGB state committee with the state administration Dresden and the trade union officials, was at the state delegates' conference of the FDGB on 26/27. In January 1946 in Dresden he was elected to the FDGB State Board of Saxony and as a delegate to the 1st FDGB Congress. At the first meeting of the state executive on February 19, 1946, he was elected its first chairman. At the 1st FDGB Congress (February 9-11, 1946 in Berlin) he was elected to the FDGB's federal executive board. At the unification party convention of the KPD / SED Saxony on April 7, 1946 in the Kulturhaus Dresden-Bühlau he was elected to the state executive committee of the SED. On May 1, 1946, he spoke to 120,000 workers on the Theaterplatz in Dresden, and appeared at the first delegates' conference of the trade union trade and transport on 15/16. On June 21, 1946 in Riesa, welcomed the first Soviet trade union delegation in Dresden on June 21, 1946.

In 1946 he was a member of the Advisory Assembly of the State of Saxony. In the state elections in the Soviet Zone on October 20, 1946, he was elected as a member of the SED in the Saxon state parliament. In the state parliament he became chairman of the economic committee and vice-president of the state parliament. At the 2nd state delegate conference of the FDGB Saxony on 1/2. April 1947 in Chemnitz Paul Gruner was re-elected as a delegate to the 2nd FDGB Congress. Despite further deterioration in his health, he took part in the Congress (April 17-19, 1947). Again he was elected to the federal executive committee of the FDGB. Immediately after his return from Berlin he had to visit a hospital and died on April 27, 1947 in Dresden at the age of only 57. The funeral service took place in the Hygiene Museum Dresden . His grave is in the local heather cemetery .

Reception after his death

After his death in Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig a. a. Saxon cities street names after Paul Gruner, which u. a. in the case of Dresdner Könneritzstraße were reversed after the fall of the Wall. Several FDGB holiday homes were named after them, including in Hörnitz (today Schloßhotel Althörnitz ), Cämmerswalde (Brand-Erbisdorf district, now part of Neuhausen) and Zinnowitz on the island of Usedom. A number of schools bore his name, including the 32nd POS in Dresden-Blasewitz (today 32nd High School "Sieben Schwaben"), the IG Transport primary school in Grillenburg, schools in Karl-Marx-Stadt (today Chemnitz), Dresden- Tolkewitz et al. a.

Ella Gruner, Paul Gruner's widow, maintained close relationships with the namesake until her death in August 1975. She spoke to brigades , young pioneers and combat group units about his life and work in factories, schools and institutions . More than 30 Paul Gruner collectives are still known today, e.g. B. Flugzeugwerft Dresden , Mikromat Dresden , Verkehrs- und Tiefbaukombinat Dresden, Bahnbetriebswerk Dresden , depot Tolkewitz of the Verkehrsbetriebe Dresden , 167th Kampfgruppe Hundreds at Pentacon Dresden, ENT clinic in the district hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt etc. The stadium Eisenberger Straße in Dresden was formerly called Paul Gruner Stadium. Only in a few cases are the names from GDR times still available today.

Artistic representations

Two paintings (portraits) by Paul Gruner are known. The larger oil painting hung in the Paul-Gruner-Saal in the Dresden trade union building (Ritzenbergstraße) until 1990. The artist is not known. Today it is in the art fund of the Dresden State Art Collections . The second, smaller picture was painted by Christian Kaulfuß, welder at VEB Verkehrsbetriebe Dresden and member of the local painting and drawing circle (this existed until 2000). It hung from 1966 to 1989 in the foyer of the FDGB recreation home in Cämmerswalde and is now owned by the Dresden Transport Company.

There were two busts of Paul Gruner. The older one was made during his time as Dresden City Councilor (1922–1933). It was located in the 32nd POS "Paul Gruner" in Dresden-Blasewitz and is now family-owned. The younger (bronze) bust was created by Wilhelm Landgraf in 1969 for Dresden City Hall on behalf of the Dresden City Council . The current location is not known.

Party affiliation

Paul Gruner was a member of the SPD from 1911 to 1918, of the USPD from 1918 to 1920, of the KPD from 1920 to 1946 and of the SED since the merger of the SPD and KPD from 1946 to 1947.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Biographies from 1909 and 1947, in: StadtA Dresden , holdings February 16, 1947 Gruner, Paul, No. 1
  2. ↑ Biographies from 1909 and 1947, in: StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 1947 Gruner, Paul, No. 1
  3. ↑ Striving to reach the highest of humanity - short descriptions of the lives of Dresden worker functionaries and resistance fighters, Dresden 1959, p. 42
  4. ↑ hsta Dresden, inventory 12456, FDGB District Board Dresden, archival: Selected biographical data and information about the political activities of Paul Gruner, 10 March 1988
  5. ↑ hsta Dresden, inventory 12456, FDGB District Board Dresden, archival: Selected biographical data and information about the political activities of Paul Gruner, 10 March 1988
  6. ^ History of the SED - demolition. Dietz-Verlag, Berlin 1978, p. 47
  7. ↑ Curriculum vitae from 1947, in: StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul, No. 1
  8. ↑ hsta Dresden, inventory 12456, hsta Dresden, inventory 12456, FDGB District Board Dresden, archival: Selected biographical data and information about the political activities of Paul Gruner, 10 March 1988
  9. ^ Dresden in Numbers 1931, Dresden 1932, pp. 43/44
  10. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, about Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, pp. 26/27, also: CV from 21. February 1947, Selected life data and information on the political activities of Paul Gruner, July 25, 1986 and March 10, 1988, in: Main State Archives Dresden, inventory 12465 FDGB District Board Dresden, No. 2286, as well as: FDGB-Lexikon ( http: // library.fes.de/FDGB-Lexikon/ )
  11. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, about Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, p. 27
  12. ↑ FDGB District Board Dresden, Archive: Selected life data and information on Paul Gruner's political activities, July 25, 1986
  13. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, about Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, p. 16ff.
  14. ↑ Kreschnak, Werner: "The situation of the workers and employees of the tram in Dresden and the struggle of the Dresden tramers to improve their working and living conditions in the period from the turn of the century to the end of the Weimar Republic". Diss., Dresden, 1969, p. 183ff.
  15. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, about Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, p. 33
  16. ↑ Patriots against barbarians - from the chronicle of the struggle against fascism and war in Dresden in the years 1933-1945, p. 20
  17. ↑ Kreschnak, Werner: "The situation of the workers and employees of the tram in Dresden and the struggle of the Dresden tramers to improve their working and living conditions in the period from the turn of the century to the end of the Weimar Republic". Diss., Dresden, 1969, p. 194
  18. ↑ Patriots against barbarians - from the chronicle of the struggle against fascism and war in Dresden in the years 1933-1945, p. 21
  19. ↑ Court judgments and adhesive papers, in: StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul, No. 2
  20. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, about Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, pp. 48–49
  21. ↑ Court judgments and adhesive papers, in: StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul, No. 2
  22. ↑ Renate Kaczmarek: "Biographical sketch about the life and work of the merited union official Paul Gruner (from 1890-1947)", diploma thesis at the union college "Fritz Heckert" at the federal executive committee of the FDGB, 1988, annex 1, p. 2
  23. ↑ hsta Dresden, inventory 12456, FDGB District Board Dresden, archival: Selected biographical data and information about the political activities of Paul Gruner, July 25, 1986
  24. ↑ Renate Kaczmarek: "Biographical sketch about the life and work of the merited union official Paul Gruner (from 1890-1947)", diploma thesis at the union college "Fritz Heckert" at the federal board of the FDGB, 1988, appendix. 1. S. 3
  25. ↑ StadtA Dresden, holdings February 16, 47 Gruner, Paul: Unfinished typescript of a biographical work by Marlies Strauss, Dresden, on Paul Gruner, which was to appear on his 100th birthday, 1990, p. 56
  26. ↑ Patriots against barbarians - from the chronicle of the struggle against fascism and war in Dresden in the years 1933-1945, p. 57
  27. ↑ Patriots against barbarians - from the chronicle of the struggle against fascism and war in Dresden in the years 1933-1945, p. 60
  28. ↑ Striving to reach the highest of humanity - short descriptions of the lives of Dresden worker functionaries and resistance fighters, Dresden 1959, p. 52
  29. ↑ Renate Kaczmarek: "Biographical sketch about the life and work of the merited union official Paul Gruner (from 1890-1947)", diploma thesis at the union college "Fritz Heckert" at the federal board of the FDGB, 1988, appendix. 2, p. 3
  30. ↑ hsta Dresden, inventory 12456 FDGB District Board Dresden, District Trade Union Archives: "Paul Gruner - born 9.1.1890 died April 27th, 1947 “Folder of the FDJ group of the Dresden State Archives, 1967
  31. ↑ Striving to reach the highest of humanity - short descriptions of the lives of Dresden worker functionaries and resistance fighters, Dresden 1959, p. 52
  32. ↑ Chronicle of the history of the FDGB in the state of Saxony 1945-1952, Part I: April 1945 - February 1946, Ed. FDGB District Board Dresden, Dept. Agitation and Propaganda, History Working Group, Authors' Collective, Dresden 1987, p. 17 u. 23
  33. ↑ Renate Kaczmarek: "Biographical sketch about the life and work of the merited union official Paul Gruner (from 1890-1947)", diploma thesis at the union college "Fritz Heckert" at the federal board of the FDGB, 1988, appendix. 7th
  34. ↑ Chronicle of the history of the FDGB in the state of Saxony 1945-1952, Part I: April 1945 - February 1946, Ed. FDGB-Bezirksvorstand Dresden, Dept. Agitation and Propaganda, Working Group History, Authors' Collective, Dresden 1987, as well as Chronicle on the history of FDGB in the state of Saxony 1945-1952, part II: 1946-1947 (manuscript), publisher FDGB-Bezirksvorstand Dresden, Dept. Agitation and Propaganda, working group history, author collective, 1988
  35. ↑ Chronicle of the history of the FDGB in the state of Saxony 1945-1952, Part I: April 1945 - February 1946, Ed. FDGB District Board Dresden, Dept. Agitation and Propaganda, History Working Group, Authors' Collective, Dresden 1987, Chronicle of the History of the FDGB in the state of Saxony 1945-1952, part II: 1946-1947 (manuscript), published by FDGB district committee Dresden, department of agitation and propaganda, history work group, author collective, 1988
  36. ^ "Paul Gruner - born. 9.1.1890 died April 27th, 1947 “Folder of the FDJ group of the Dresden State Archive, 1967, obituary in the Sächsische Zeitung, April 29th / 5th. May 1947
  37. ↑ v. a. Information from Marlies Strauss to Anita Krebs, November 18, 2012
  38. ^ Portrait of Paul Gruner , Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
personal data
SURNAME Gruner, Paul
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gruner, Paul Albrecht (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German politician (KPD, later SED)
DATE OF BIRTH January 9, 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH Gollschau , Nimptsch / Silesia district
DATE OF DEATH April 27, 1947
Place of death Dresden