Walter Klingenbeck
Encyclopedia
Walter Klingenbeck was a German
resistance fighter in the time of the Third Reich.
Walter Klingenbeck came from a Catholic
family. He was a member of the St. Ludwig Catholic Youth Troop until it was banned and dissolved by the Nazi
régime. This experience laid the groundwork for his critical stance towards the aforesaid régime, which was further strengthened when the young radio
enthusiast listened to German-language
broadcasts from the BBC
, Radio Vatican, and other forbidden broadcasting stations.
Early in 1941, a number of young people with similar political
and religious
outlooks to Klingenbeck's formed a group under his leadership. They planned to spread leaflets and built a radio transmitter through which they broadcast opposition propaganda
, and called for the overthrow of the Nazi régime. In the summer of 1941, an appeal came over the BBC to spread the "V-for-Victory" sign to herald the foreseen Allied
victory in the Second World War, whereupon Klingenbeck did just that, by painting the sign on some forty buildings in Munich with gloss paint.
Klingenbeck rather carelessly told of this exploit, which led to his denunciation and arrest on 26 January 1942. On 24 September 1942, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof, and on 5 August 1943, he was put to death at Stadelheim Prison
, aged only 19. Two of his friends, Hans Haberl and Daniel von Recklinghausen, were at first likewise condemned, but on 2 August 1943, their sentences were commuted to eight years at hard labour in a zuchthaus.
In January 1998, a formerly unnamed lane in Maxvorstadt
, a neighbourhood in the center of Munich, was named for Klingenbeck. A Realschule
in Taufkirchen
is also named after him.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
resistance fighter in the time of the Third Reich.
Walter Klingenbeck came from a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
family. He was a member of the St. Ludwig Catholic Youth Troop until it was banned and dissolved by the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
régime. This experience laid the groundwork for his critical stance towards the aforesaid régime, which was further strengthened when the young radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
enthusiast listened to German-language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
broadcasts from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Radio Vatican, and other forbidden broadcasting stations.
Early in 1941, a number of young people with similar political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
outlooks to Klingenbeck's formed a group under his leadership. They planned to spread leaflets and built a radio transmitter through which they broadcast opposition propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, and called for the overthrow of the Nazi régime. In the summer of 1941, an appeal came over the BBC to spread the "V-for-Victory" sign to herald the foreseen Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
victory in the Second World War, whereupon Klingenbeck did just that, by painting the sign on some forty buildings in Munich with gloss paint.
Klingenbeck rather carelessly told of this exploit, which led to his denunciation and arrest on 26 January 1942. On 24 September 1942, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof, and on 5 August 1943, he was put to death at Stadelheim Prison
Stadelheim Prison
Stadelheim Prison, in Munich's Giesing district, is one of the largest prisons in Germany.Founded in 1894 it was the site of many executions, particularly by guillotine during the Nazi period.-Notable inmates:...
, aged only 19. Two of his friends, Hans Haberl and Daniel von Recklinghausen, were at first likewise condemned, but on 2 August 1943, their sentences were commuted to eight years at hard labour in a zuchthaus.
In January 1998, a formerly unnamed lane in Maxvorstadt
Maxvorstadt
Maxvorstadt is a central borough of Munich, Bavaria, Germany.-Notable landmarks:*8. November 1939 *Abtei St. Bonifaz *Akademie der Bildenden Künste München*Akademiegalerie*Alter Botanischer Garten *Alter Nordfriedhof...
, a neighbourhood in the center of Munich, was named for Klingenbeck. A Realschule
Realschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
in Taufkirchen
Taufkirchen (bei München)
Taufkichen is a small community south of Munich, southern Germany.The Realschule is named after Walter Klingenbeck. In general, the German location of EADS is considered to be in the neighbouring community Ottobrunn, but most of the ground area actually belongs to Taufkirchen.-External links:* * *...
is also named after him.