Karl Liebknecht

Karl Liebknecht

Karl Liebknecht , 1871–1919, German socialist, leader of the Spartacus party ; son of Wilhelm Liebknecht . His antimilitaristic writings caused his conviction (1907) for high treason. Released from prison, Liebknecht entered the Prussian lower house in 1908 and the Reichstag in 1912. As a member of the extreme left wing of the Social Democratic party, he refused to support the government during World War I. In 1915 he and Rosa Luxemburg formed the Internationale, a revolutionary, antiwar socialist group. This group later became the Spartacus party. Imprisoned again for his antiwar activities, Liebknecht was released just before the proclamation of the German republic in Nov., 1918. With Rosa Luxemburg he opposed the moderate government formed by the Social Democrats and advocated its violent overthrow. Shortly afterward, the Spartacists were reconstituted as the German Communist party. In Jan., 1919, Liebknecht led an uprising against the government. After its failure he was arrested and killed while being taken to prison.

Bibliography: See K. W. Meyer, Karl Liebknecht (1957).

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Liebknecht, Karl

Liebknecht, Karl (b. 13 Aug. 1871, d. 15 Jan. 1919). German Communist A lawyer, he joined the SPD in 1900, became a member of the Prussian Chamber of Deputies in 1908, and in the German Parliament in 1912, where he was the sole MP to reject the taking of loans to finance the war on 4 December 1914. Because of his opposition to the war he was expelled from the party and imprisoned 1916–18. Together with Rosa Luxemburg he founded the Spartakist group and the Communist Party on 1 January 1919. He was murdered in a Spartakist rising which he led.

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JAN PALMOWSKI. "Liebknecht, Karl." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JAN PALMOWSKI. "Liebknecht, Karl." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-LiebknechtKarl.html

JAN PALMOWSKI. "Liebknecht, Karl." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-LiebknechtKarl.html

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Liebknecht, Karl

Liebknecht, Karl (1871–1919) German communist revolutionary, son of Wilhelm Liebknecht. He vigorously opposed Germany's participation in World War I, and was imprisoned (1916–18). With Rosa Luxemburg, Liebknecht was a leader of the communist group known as the Spartacists. After the failure of the Spartacist rising (1919), they were murdered while in police custody.

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"Liebknecht, Karl." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Liebknecht, Karl." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-LiebknechtKarl.html

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Karl Liebknecht

Karl Liebknecht, Kursk/Russia Named after Karl Liebknecht (1871–1919), a German who founded the Spartacus League in 1916 which was transformed into the German Communist Party at the end of 1918.

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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Karl Liebknecht." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Karl Liebknecht." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-KarlLiebknecht.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Karl Liebknecht." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-KarlLiebknecht.html

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