Lawyer who founded the USPD against the war and co-chaired the Council of People’s Deputies with Ebert in 1918
Born to a Jewish family in East Prussia, he made his name as a lawyer defending socialists and in 1911 became SPD co-chairman alongside Bebel. In August 1914 he opposed war credits but had to read the party’s statement in their favour in the Reichstag. In 1917 he founded the Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD) with the war’s opponents. In November 1918 he co-chaired the Council of People’s Deputies with Ebert, leaving the government after the Christmas crisis. Shot outside the Reichstag in October 1919, he died in November.
Related historical events
- 1907–1919The collapse of the Second InternationalSPD co-chairman, later USPD chairmanRead the pro-credits declaration on 4 August despite opposing them, then led the anti-war opposition.
- 1918.10–1919.08The German Revolution of 1918–1919USPD chairman, co-chair of the People’s DeputiesCo-chaired with Ebert but left the government after the Christmas crisis.