Beppo Römer
Encyclopedia
Josef “Beppo” Römer was an Oberland
Freikorps
leader after the war, later a KPD
organizer. He worked against the Third Reich and was executed by the regime.
, Kingdom of Bavaria
. An officer during World War I
, the colorful and charismatic Römer became a popular figure in the army ending the war as a Captain. After the war, Römer naturally emerged as a Freikorps leader becoming the founder, along with Ernst and Ludwig Horadam, of Bund Oberland, the largest and most significant of the Bavarian Freikorps. Oberland was instrumental in crushing the Bavarian Soviet Republic
in April 1919, fought against the Ruhr
workers in March and April 1920, and was a critical factor at the battle of Annaberg
which drove the Poles from Upper Silesia
in 1921 during the Silesian Uprisings
. By this time, however, Römer was already in contact with the Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
and, when called upon to break a strike in the Silesian city of Ratibor
in mid 1921, the leaders of Oberland refused to undertake the task.
By 1921 there were a number of patriotic groups in Bavaria clamoring for a restoration of the monarchy under Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
and talk of forming a break away Confederation of the Danube. Bund Oberland was against such a position and sought ways to thwart the monarchists. It appears that Römer devised a plan to harness the energies of radical workers. To do this he contacted his childhood friend Otto Graf, KPD representative in the Bavarian parliament, and channeled some 350,000 marks in financial support to the KPD from Bund Oberland. In August 1922 during the course of an internal political struggle between Dr. Friedrich Weber's faction, which sympathized with the Nazis, and that of the original leaders, Horadam and Römer, which were more left-leaning, Römer was accused of embezzling Oberland funds to aid his friend Graf and the KPD. Römer was expelled from Bund Oberland on 15 March 1923.
With the general disbanding of the Freikorps in the early twenties, Römer returned to school, receiving a law degree in 1922. Soon thereafter Römer began to write for the KPD periodical Aufbruch (New Start) and, after joining the KPD in 1932, he became editor in chief.
Römer opposed the Nazi regime right from the start and, as early as 1934, actively participated in plans to assassinate Hitler which led to his arrest and imprisonment in the Dachau concentration camp until 1939. Upon his release, Römer immediately became involved with the worker’s opposition, publishing a bulletin for the resistance, Informationsdienst (Information Service), creating a network of opposition workplace cells, and again laying plans for an assassination attempt on Hitler. These cells were later infiltrated by the Gestapo
and Römer was arrested in February 1942 for activities related to abetting the enemy and corruption of military readiness.
Römer was sentenced to death on 16 June 1944 and executed on 25 September of that year at Brandenburg-Görden Prison
in Brandenburg an der Havel.
Oberland
Oberland may refer to: Germany*Oberland am Rennsteig, Sonneberg, Thuringia, Germany*Vogtländisches Oberland, Greiz, Thuringia, Germany*In East Prussia, the Elbląg Canal was named Oberländischer KanalSwitzerland...
Freikorps
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
leader after the war, later a KPD
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
organizer. He worked against the Third Reich and was executed by the regime.
Biography
Römer was born in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
. An officer during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the colorful and charismatic Römer became a popular figure in the army ending the war as a Captain. After the war, Römer naturally emerged as a Freikorps leader becoming the founder, along with Ernst and Ludwig Horadam, of Bund Oberland, the largest and most significant of the Bavarian Freikorps. Oberland was instrumental in crushing the Bavarian Soviet Republic
Bavarian Soviet Republic
The Bavarian Soviet Republic, also known as the Munich Soviet Republic was, as part of the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the short-lived attempt to establish a socialist state in form of a council republic in the Free State of Bavaria. It sought independence from the also recently proclaimed...
in April 1919, fought against the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
workers in March and April 1920, and was a critical factor at the battle of Annaberg
Battle of Annaberg
The Battle of Annaberg or Storming of Annaberg was the biggest battle of the Silesian Uprisings. The battle, which took place between May 21–26, 1921, was fought at the Annaberg , a strategic hill near the village of Annaberg O.S. , located southeast of Oppeln in Upper Silesia, Weimar...
which drove the Poles from Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
in 1921 during the Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
. By this time, however, Römer was already in contact with the Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
and, when called upon to break a strike in the Silesian city of Ratibor
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
in mid 1921, the leaders of Oberland refused to undertake the task.
By 1921 there were a number of patriotic groups in Bavaria clamoring for a restoration of the monarchy under Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
Rupprecht or Rupert, Crown Prince of Bavaria was the last Bavarian Crown Prince.His full title was His Royal Highness Rupprecht Maria Luitpold Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Bavaria, Duke of Bavaria, of Franconia and in Swabia, Count Palatine of the Rhine...
and talk of forming a break away Confederation of the Danube. Bund Oberland was against such a position and sought ways to thwart the monarchists. It appears that Römer devised a plan to harness the energies of radical workers. To do this he contacted his childhood friend Otto Graf, KPD representative in the Bavarian parliament, and channeled some 350,000 marks in financial support to the KPD from Bund Oberland. In August 1922 during the course of an internal political struggle between Dr. Friedrich Weber's faction, which sympathized with the Nazis, and that of the original leaders, Horadam and Römer, which were more left-leaning, Römer was accused of embezzling Oberland funds to aid his friend Graf and the KPD. Römer was expelled from Bund Oberland on 15 March 1923.
With the general disbanding of the Freikorps in the early twenties, Römer returned to school, receiving a law degree in 1922. Soon thereafter Römer began to write for the KPD periodical Aufbruch (New Start) and, after joining the KPD in 1932, he became editor in chief.
Römer opposed the Nazi regime right from the start and, as early as 1934, actively participated in plans to assassinate Hitler which led to his arrest and imprisonment in the Dachau concentration camp until 1939. Upon his release, Römer immediately became involved with the worker’s opposition, publishing a bulletin for the resistance, Informationsdienst (Information Service), creating a network of opposition workplace cells, and again laying plans for an assassination attempt on Hitler. These cells were later infiltrated by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
and Römer was arrested in February 1942 for activities related to abetting the enemy and corruption of military readiness.
Römer was sentenced to death on 16 June 1944 and executed on 25 September of that year at Brandenburg-Görden Prison
Brandenburg-Görden Prison
Brandenburg-Görden Prison is located on Anton-Saefkow-Allee in the Görden section of Brandenburg an der Havel. Erected between 1927 and 1935, it was built to be the most secure and modern prison in Europe. It was a Zuchthaus for inmates with lengthy or life sentences at hard labor, as well as...
in Brandenburg an der Havel.
Further reading
- Christian Zentner and Friedemann Bedürftig, "Encyclopedia of the Third Reich," Da Cappo, New York, 1997.
- Conan Fischer, “The German Communists and the Rise of Nazism,” St. Martin's Press, N.Y.C., 1991.
- Klemens von Klemperer, "Germany's New Conservatism; its History and Dilemma in the Twentieth Century," Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1957.
External links
- Biography with photos. Retrieved March 25, 2010
- Memoirs of Hans Meyer-Hanno. Retrieved March 25, 2010
- List of books by and about Josef "Benno" Römer Retrieved March 25, 2010