Wilhelm Liebknecht facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilhelm Liebknecht
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| Born |
Wilhelm Martin Philipp Christian Ludwig Liebknecht
29 March 1826 |
| Died | 7 August 1900 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | German |
| Occupation | Politician, journalist |
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Wilhelm Liebknecht (born March 29, 1826 – died August 7, 1900) was an important German socialist. He helped create the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was a leader who combined new ideas about society with real political work. Under his guidance, the SPD grew from a small group into Germany's biggest political party. He was the father of Karl Liebknecht and Theodor Liebknecht.
Contents
Wilhelm Liebknecht's Life Story
Early Years and Education
Wilhelm Liebknecht was born in 1826 in Giessen, Germany. His parents died in 1832, so he grew up with relatives. From 1832 to 1842, he went to school in Giessen. Later, he studied different subjects like languages, religion, and how people think in Giessen, Berlin, and Marburg.
His great-uncle, Friedrich Ludwig Weidig, was a pastor and a democratic activist. His story influenced young Wilhelm's ideas about society and politics. Wilhelm also studied the writings of Henri de Saint-Simon. This sparked his first interest in communism. He also liked strong ideas about having a republic, where people elect their leaders.
Wilhelm got into some trouble with the authorities because he was involved in student activism. He decided to move to the United States. On his way, he met a school headmaster from Switzerland. Wilhelm decided to become an unpaid teacher at that school in Zurich in 1847.
While in Switzerland, a civil war started. Wilhelm reported on these events for a German newspaper. This was the start of his long career in journalism, which lasted for five decades.
The Revolutions of 1848
In February 1848, a revolution broke out in Paris, France. Liebknecht quickly went there. He was too late to do much in Paris. However, he joined a group traveling to Germany to start a revolution there. During this trip, he was arrested in Baden and accused of treason.
Just before his trial, another revolution began. A crowd helped him get released. He then joined a group called the Badische Volkswehr. He fought in the unsuccessful "federal constitution wars." After the revolutionaries lost, he escaped to Switzerland. There, he became a leader in the Worker's Association of Geneva. He also met Friedrich Engels there.
Years Living in Exile
In 1850, Liebknecht was arrested for trying to unite German workers' groups in Switzerland. He was then forced to leave the country. Like many others from the failed revolution, he moved to London, England. He lived there from 1850 to 1862.
In London, he joined the Communist League. During these years, he became very good friends with Karl Marx. They worked together for the rest of their lives. In 1862, the German government offered a pardon to those who had been part of the 1848 revolution. So, Liebknecht returned to Germany. He joined Ferdinand Lassalle's General German Workers' Association (ADAV). This group was a very early version of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Returning to Germany and Political Work
From 1864 to 1865, Liebknecht worked for a magazine called Der Social-Demokrat. But he soon disagreed with the magazine's friendly view towards Prussia and its new leader, Otto von Bismarck. Liebknecht left the magazine. He was also forced to leave the ADAV because of pressure from another leader, Schweitzer.
The government then made Liebknecht leave Berlin. He moved to Leipzig, where he met August Bebel. Together, they founded the Saxon People's Party in 1867. In 1869, they founded the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany (SDAP) in Eisenach. During these years, Liebknecht was elected to the national parliament. He strongly opposed Bismarck's policies, but his efforts were not successful. Liebknecht also edited the party's newspaper, Der Volksstaat.
When the Franco-Prussian War started in 1870, Liebknecht used his newspaper to speak out against it. He urged workers on both sides to unite and overthrow their rulers. Because of this, he and Bebel were arrested and accused of treason. Liebknecht was against the war, no matter who started it. This was different from what his party (the SPD) would do in 1914. When World War I began, Liebknecht was long dead. His party leaders chose to support Germany in the war.
Treason Trial and Imprisonment
In 1872, both Liebknecht and Bebel were found guilty. They were sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a fortress. This was one of sixteen times that Liebknecht's political actions led to him being arrested and put in jail.
Back in Politics
After being re-elected to the Reichstag (the German parliament) in 1874, Liebknecht helped unite two worker parties. His SDAP and Lassalle's ADAV merged to form the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany (SAPD) in Gotha in 1875. He also became the publisher of the new party newspaper, Vorwärts. In his articles, he pushed for the party to include Marxist ideas in its plans.
From 1878 to 1890, the German government made Liebknecht's party illegal. However, the law still allowed the party to take part in elections. Its elected members could still be in the Reichstag. Liebknecht used his position in the Reichstag to criticize the government. He also worked to keep his own party united. He opposed those who wanted extreme changes and those who wanted to give in to Bismarck.
By staying strong and united, the SAPD became legal again in 1890. It was renamed the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). In the Reichstag election that year, the SPD won 20% of the votes.
In 1891, Liebknecht became the main editor of Vorwärts. He also helped create the SPD's new party plan, which was based on Marxist ideas. Even though he was getting older, he continued to serve in the Reichstag. He was also a key organizer of the Second International, a group of socialist parties from different countries.
Death and What He Left Behind
Wilhelm Liebknecht died on August 7, 1900, at the age of 74. He passed away in Charlottenburg, a part of Berlin. About 50,000 people attended his funeral. His grave is now part of the "Memorial to the Socialists" in the Friedrichsfelde Central Cemetery in Berlin.
See Also
