Mike Mansfield
American politician and diplomat
German socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
Karl Liebknecht was a German revolutionary socialist and anti-militarist who played a leading role in the Spartacist Uprising at the end of World War I. He co-founded the Communist Party of Germany and was killed along with Rosa Luxemburg after the uprising was suppressed.
Table of Contents
Occupation
Family Info
Siblings
Otto Liebknecht
Theodor Liebknecht
Spouses
Sophie Liebknecht
Children
Robert Liebknecht
About the Karl Liebknecht
Karl Paul August Friedrich Liebknechtwas a German revolutionary socialist and anti-militarist. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germanybeginning in 1900, he was one of its deputies in the Reichstag from 1912 to 1916, where he represented the left-revolutionary wing of the party. In 1916 he was expelled from the SPD’s parliamentary group for his opposition to the Burgfriedenspolitik, the political truce between all parties in the Reichstag while the war lasted. He twice spent time in prison, first for writing an anti-militarism pamphlet in 1907 and then for his role in a 1916 antiwar demonstration. He was released from the second under a general amnesty three weeks before the end of the First World War.
During the November Revolution that broke out across Germany in the final days of the war, Liebknecht proclaimed Germany a “Free Socialist Republic” from the Berlin Palace on 9 November 1918. On 11 November, together with Rosa Luxemburg and others he founded the Spartacist League. In December, his call to make Germany a soviet republic was rejected by the majority of the Reich Congress of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils (Reichsratekongress). At the end of 1918, Liebknecht was one of the founders of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). Shortly after the suppression of the Spartacist uprising in which he played a leading role, he and Rosa Luxemburg were killed by members of the Guard Cavalry Rifle Division after they had consulted with Gustav Noske, who was a member of the Council of the People’s Deputies, Germany’s interim government, and had responsibility for military affairs. Although two of the men directly involved in the murders were prosecuted, no one responsible for ordering their deaths was ever brought to trial.
After their deaths, both Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg became martyrs for the socialist cause in Germany and throughout Europe. Commemoration of the two continues to play an important role among the German left to this day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Karl Liebknecht was a German revolutionary socialist and anti-militarist who was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and later co-founded the Communist Party of Germany.
During the November Revolution in Germany in 1918, Karl Liebknecht proclaimed the country a ,Free Socialist Republic, and co-founded the Spartacist League, which led the Spartacist Uprising against the government.
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were killed by members of the Guard Cavalry Rifle Division after the Spartacist Uprising was suppressed, despite no one responsible for ordering their deaths being brought to trial.
Karl Liebknecht was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany beginning in 1900 and represented the left-revolutionary wing of the party in the Reichstag from 1912 to 1916.
Liebknecht was expelled from the SPD’s parliamentary group in 1916 for his opposition to the political truce between parties during the war, and he twice went to prison for his anti-militarism activities.
After his death, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg became martyrs for the socialist cause in Germany and throughout Europe, and their commemoration continues to play an important role among the German left to this day.
Karl Liebknecht was killed by members of the Guard Cavalry Rifle Division shortly after the suppression of the Spartacist Uprising, in which he played a leading role, in January 1919.
24 Quotes by Karl Liebknecht
- 1.
Like a cyclone, imperialism spins across the globe; militarism crushes peoples and sucks their blood like a vampire.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 2.
But Socialism, alone, can bring self-determination of their peoples.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 3.
The failure of the Russian Socialist Republic will be the defeat of the proletariat of the whole world.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 4.
The aim of my life is the overthrow of monarchy.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 5.
Through this experience we have been warned – learn everything, don’t forget anything!
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 6.
The Russian revolution was to an unprecedented degree the cause of the proletariat of the whole world becoming more revolutionary.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 7.
In capitalist history, invasion and class struggle are not opposites, as the official legend would have us believe, but one is the means and the expression of the other.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 8.
Passive fatalism can never be the role of a revolutionary party, like the Social Democracy.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 9.
Incendiary capitalism is carrying its out evil works more dangerously than ever, and is doing so in the increasingly dangerous neighborhood of the powder kegs that are the great European military powers.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 10.
Yes, Socialists should defend their country in great historical crises.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 11.
The basic law of capitalism is you or I, not both you and I.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 12.
Imperialism is not the creation of any one or any one group of states.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 13.
To the socialist no nation is free whose national existence is based upon the enslavement of another people, for to him colonial peoples, too, are peoples, and, as such, parts of the national state.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 14.
Class struggle: external peace, international solidarity, peace among peoples. This is the sacred slogan of international socialist democracy that liberates nations.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 15.
International socialism recognizes the right of free independent nations, with equal rights.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 16.
In the present imperialistic milieu there can be no wars of national self-defense.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 17.
Long live the liberation of the workers off all countries from the infernal chasm of war, exploitation and slavery!
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 18.
The new Germany has the unquestionable right to hold its tongue between its teeth.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 19.
For capitalism, war and peace are business and nothing but business.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 20.
Just as invasion is the true and tried weapon in the hands of capital against the class struggle, so on the other hand the fearless pursuit of the class struggle has always proven the most effective preventative of foreign invasions.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 21.
This republic represents the greatest basis for that universal socialist order, the creation of which is at the present time the historic task of the International Proletariat.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 22.
Workers, comrades, and you, women of the people, let not this festival of May, the second during the war, pass without protest against the Imperialist Slaughter.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 23.
Consider well this fact: As long as the German people does not arise and use force directed by its own will, the assassination of the people will continue.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)
- 24.
Capitalism is war; socialism is peace.
Karl LiebknechtGerman socialist, editor, and co-founder of the Spartacus League (1871-1919)