Karl-Liebknecht-Haus
Encyclopedia
The Karl-Liebknecht-Haus or Karl Liebknecht House is the headquarters of the Party The Left
in Germany. It is located between the Alexanderplatz
and Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
in Berlin-Mitte.
Constructed in 1912 as a factory, the building was purchased by the Communist Party of Germany
(Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD) in 1926 and became the seat of its Central Committee. Named in honor of Karl Liebknecht
, the KPD leader who was assassinated by a military death squad in January 1919, the building was the focus of one of the last mass demonstrations in Berlin against the Nazi Party on January 25, 1933—five days before Adolf Hitler
was appointed German Chancellor. By then, the KPD was the third-largest party in Germany. Berlin police raided the headquarters three weeks later, and by March 1 the Nazi swastika
flag was flying over the building. Renamed the Horst Wessel
House, the building at first served as a district police station and detention center where Jews and political opponents were tortured. In 1935, the finance department of the state of Prussia
moved into the building.
Severely damaged during World War II, the building was repaired in 1948 and the name "Karl Liebknecht House" restored. It housed the East German Institute for Marxism-Leninism
after 1950.
The building became the headquarters for the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)—the reformed successor of East Germany's former ruling party
—in May 1990. In 2005, the PDS was renamed "The Left Party.PDS" in preparation for its merger with the Party of Social Justice-Electoral Alternative (WASG). The building continues to serve as the headquarters of the new party which is called simply "The Left" (Die Linke
), after the merger was completed in June 2007.
The Karl Liebknecht House is a protected national landmark.
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
in Germany. It is located between the Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is a large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district of Berlin, near the Fernsehturm. Berliners often call it simply Alex, referring to a larger neighborhood stretching from Mollstraße in the northeast to Spandauer Straße and the City Hall in the southwest.-Early...
and Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
The Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a square in Berlin-Mitte, Germany.The square is dominated by the Volksbühne and by the Karl-Liebknecht-Haus, the headquarters of the German Left Party...
in Berlin-Mitte.
Constructed in 1912 as a factory, the building was purchased by the Communist Party of Germany
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...
(Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD) in 1926 and became the seat of its Central Committee. Named in honor of Karl Liebknecht
Karl Liebknecht
was a German socialist and a co-founder with Rosa Luxemburg of the Spartacist League and the Communist Party of Germany. He is best known for his opposition to World War I in the Reichstag and his role in the Spartacist uprising of 1919...
, the KPD leader who was assassinated by a military death squad in January 1919, the building was the focus of one of the last mass demonstrations in Berlin against the Nazi Party on January 25, 1933—five days before Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was appointed German Chancellor. By then, the KPD was the third-largest party in Germany. Berlin police raided the headquarters three weeks later, and by March 1 the Nazi swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
flag was flying over the building. Renamed the Horst Wessel
Horst Wessel
Horst Ludwig Wessel was a German Nazi activist who was made a posthumous hero of the Nazi movement following his violent death in 1930...
House, the building at first served as a district police station and detention center where Jews and political opponents were tortured. In 1935, the finance department of the state of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
moved into the building.
Severely damaged during World War II, the building was repaired in 1948 and the name "Karl Liebknecht House" restored. It housed the East German Institute for Marxism-Leninism
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
after 1950.
The building became the headquarters for the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)—the reformed successor of East Germany's former ruling party
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
—in May 1990. In 2005, the PDS was renamed "The Left Party.PDS" in preparation for its merger with the Party of Social Justice-Electoral Alternative (WASG). The building continues to serve as the headquarters of the new party which is called simply "The Left" (Die Linke
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
), after the merger was completed in June 2007.
The Karl Liebknecht House is a protected national landmark.