Charles Hueber
Encyclopedia
Charles Hueber was an Alsatian
politician. He was the mayor of Strasbourg between 1929 and 1935, and a member of the French National Assembly
twice.
Hueber became involved in political struggles at a young age. In 1900 he founded the Alsatian section of the Metal Workers Trade Union. In 1910 he became the secretary of the Social Democratic Party
branch in Alsace-Lorraine
. He fought in the German Army during World War I
, and became a sergeant. During the revolutionary upsurge of 1918, Hueber acted as the chairman of the Strasbourg Soldiers Council
At the end of the war, Hueber argued in favour of the creation of an independent, neutral Alsatian state.
During the December 1920 Congress of Tours, Hueber and a several other Alsatian delegates supported the call to form a French Communist Party
. A month later, he founded the communist newspaper Die Neue Welt
. Hueber became the most prominent figure of the Communist Party in Alsace. He later became the editor of the Alsatian edition of l'Humanité
.
In 1923 Hueber took part in an international communist meeting in Essen
, organized to protest the French occupation of the Ruhr
. He was arrested by French authorities for his participation in the event, a fact that elevated his standing within the Communist Party. He was imprisoned at La Santé Prison
. The fame he achieved from being arrested helped him to get elected to the French National Assembly the following year. Hueber was elected from the 1st constituency of Bas-Rhin
.
Hueber was elected
mayor of Strasbourg in 1929 by the Volksfront
(a coalition of communists and clerical autonomists). Hueber claimed that the electoral pact was a coalition of anti-imperialist
forces. He was expelled from the Communist Party in the autumn of 1929. He became one of the main leaders of the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine
(KPO).
During the period of 1933 and 1936 Hueber and his followers gradually moved towards pro-Nazi positions. However, he publicly denied to being antisemitic. In 1935 the Volksfront fell apart as the Republican People's Union (UPR) deserted it. Hueber lost his seat as Mayor to Charles Frey as the coalition that had backed him disappeared.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly in 1936.
During both of Hueber's National Assembly tenures, he formed part of the committee on Alsace-Lorraine. Hueber frequently addressed the Assembly in Alsatian language
. On December 8, 1927 Hueber held a speech in Alsatian in the National Assembly, the content of which were so shocking for the Assembly that large chunks were stricken from the official protocol. Hueber had attacked the status of the French language
in Alsace-Lorraine, stating that France was oppressing the Alsatian working class and that Alsace was under French colonial rule.
Hueber escaped arrest in the 1939 crackdown on Alsatian autonomist leaders, due to his deteriorating health. Hueber did not take part in the 1940 Congress of Vichy vote.
In 1941, Hueber became a functionary of the NSDAP. On February 14, 1942 Hueber was appointed mayor of Strasbourg by the German authorities.
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
politician. He was the mayor of Strasbourg between 1929 and 1935, and a member of the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
twice.
Hueber became involved in political struggles at a young age. In 1900 he founded the Alsatian section of the Metal Workers Trade Union. In 1910 he became the secretary of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
branch in Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. He fought in the German Army 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...
, and became a sergeant. During the revolutionary upsurge of 1918, Hueber acted as the chairman of the Strasbourg Soldiers Council
Soviet (council)
Soviet was a name used for several Russian political organizations. Examples include the Czar's Council of Ministers, which was called the “Soviet of Ministers”; a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia; and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union....
At the end of the war, Hueber argued in favour of the creation of an independent, neutral Alsatian state.
During the December 1920 Congress of Tours, Hueber and a several other Alsatian delegates supported the call to form a French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
. A month later, he founded the communist newspaper Die Neue Welt
Die Neue Welt
Die Neue Welt was a newspaper issued from Alsace, France. It was founded in the end of January 1921 by Charles Hueber, a local leader of the French Communist Party in Alsace...
. Hueber became the most prominent figure of the Communist Party in Alsace. He later became the editor of the Alsatian edition of l'Humanité
L'Humanité
L'Humanité , formerly the daily newspaper linked to the French Communist Party , was founded in 1904 by Jean Jaurès, a leader of the French Section of the Workers' International...
.
In 1923 Hueber took part in an international communist meeting in Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
, organized to protest the French occupation of the Ruhr
Occupation of the Ruhr
The Occupation of the Ruhr between 1923 and 1925, by troops from France and Belgium, was a response to the failure of the German Weimar Republic under Chancellor Cuno to pay reparations in the aftermath of World War I.-Background:...
. He was arrested by French authorities for his participation in the event, a fact that elevated his standing within the Communist Party. He was imprisoned at La Santé Prison
La Santé Prison
La Santé Prison is a prison operated by the Ministry of Justice located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is one of the most famous prisons in France, with both VIP and high security wings....
. The fame he achieved from being arrested helped him to get elected to the French National Assembly the following year. Hueber was elected from the 1st constituency of Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
.
Hueber was elected
Strasbourg municipal election, 1929
Elections to the municipal council of Strasbourg, France were held in May 1929. The elected council would serve for a six-year mandate period. The election saw the autonomist coalition Volksfront defeat an anti-clericalist and assimilationist coalition of the incumbent socialist mayor Jacques...
mayor of Strasbourg in 1929 by the Volksfront
Volksfront (Alsace)
Volksfront was a political coalition in Alsace, France. Volksfront was formed in 1928 by the Popular Republican Union , a group of communists led by Charles Hueber, Progressives led by Dahlet and the Landespartei...
(a coalition of communists and clerical autonomists). Hueber claimed that the electoral pact was a coalition of anti-imperialist
Anti-imperialism
Anti-imperialism, strictly speaking, is a term that may be applied to a movement opposed to any form of colonialism or imperialism. Anti-imperialism includes opposition to wars of conquest, particularly of non-contiguous territory or people with a different language or culture; it also includes...
forces. He was expelled from the Communist Party in the autumn of 1929. He became one of the main leaders of the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsatian Workers and Peasants Party
The Alsatian Workers and Peasants Party , initially the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine , was a political party in Alsace-Lorraine. The party was led by Jean-Pierre Mourer and Charles Hueber. The party was founded in late October 1929...
(KPO).
During the period of 1933 and 1936 Hueber and his followers gradually moved towards pro-Nazi positions. However, he publicly denied to being antisemitic. In 1935 the Volksfront fell apart as the Republican People's Union (UPR) deserted it. Hueber lost his seat as Mayor to Charles Frey as the coalition that had backed him disappeared.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly in 1936.
During both of Hueber's National Assembly tenures, he formed part of the committee on Alsace-Lorraine. Hueber frequently addressed the Assembly in Alsatian language
Alsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
. On December 8, 1927 Hueber held a speech in Alsatian in the National Assembly, the content of which were so shocking for the Assembly that large chunks were stricken from the official protocol. Hueber had attacked the status of the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in Alsace-Lorraine, stating that France was oppressing the Alsatian working class and that Alsace was under French colonial rule.
Hueber escaped arrest in the 1939 crackdown on Alsatian autonomist leaders, due to his deteriorating health. Hueber did not take part in the 1940 Congress of Vichy vote.
In 1941, Hueber became a functionary of the NSDAP. On February 14, 1942 Hueber was appointed mayor of Strasbourg by the German authorities.