Heinrich Laufenberg
| Heinrich Laufenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Heinrich Laufenberg 19 February 1872 Cologne, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 3 February 1932 (aged 59) Hamburg, Weimar Republic |
| Nationality | Prussian |
| Citizenship | German |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Known for | Politician |
| Political party |
Centre Party, Social Democratic Party of Germany, Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany, Communist Party of Germany, Communist Workers Party of Germany |
Heinrich Laufenberg (19 January 1872 – 3 February 1932) was a leading German communist and was one of the first to develop the idea of National Bolshevism. Laufenberg was a history academic by profession and was also known by the pseudonym Karl Erler.
Initially a member of the Centre Party, Laufenberg joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the early 1900s. He became associated with a faction on the left of the party led by Wilhelm Schmitt and Peter Berten and when this group gained the upper hand within the Düsseldorf party in 1904 Laufenberg was appointed editor of the party organ Volkszeitung. Laufenberg also worked as an educationalist within the party, offering basic courses on socialism to party members of Düsseldorf. At this point in his career Laufenberg endorsed orthodox Marxism and supported Clara Zetkin in her ideological struggles with revisionists like Gerhard Hildebrand. He left the city in 1908 when he moved to Hamburg, leaving the Düsseldorf group without their leading intellectual.
In Hamburg Laufenberg continued to work on the left of the SPD before becoming a member of the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany splinter group. A harsh critic of German involvement in the First World War, Laufenberg's popularity grew as the war dragged on and people began to tire of involvement in the conflict.
On 30 November 1918, during the German Revolution, he was elected President of the Council of the Workmen and Soldiers of Hamburg. As head of this group Laufenberg oversaw the dissolution of Hamburg's Senate and Bürgerschaft and their replacement with full Council government. Before long however he agreed to bring the two institutions back in what was seen as a concession to the city's business interests. Indeed, the banks in the city had threatened to withdraw credit to the city authorities if these institutions were not re-established. Under Laufenberg's lead the city suffered from severe food shortages and widespread strikes, resulting in his power base being eradicated further. Hamstrung by his reliance on the banks and criticism from the SPD Laufenberg's stock fell dramatically and he faced widespread demonstrations against his leadership. Unable to sustain his position, Laufenberg resigned on 19 January 1919 and handed leadership of the Council over to the SPD.
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