Paul Lange

– Social Democratic and Communist politician; most prominent trade unionist in the early KPD, works as co-editor of Die Internationale with Rosa Luxemburg and Franz Mehring, co-founder of the Spartacus Group; gives a speech on economic struggles at the KPD founding congress on behalf of the Spartacus Group; belongs to Rosa Luxemburg’s closest circle and works with her during the November Revolution; is a member of the Spartacus Group and KPD leaderships in 1918. Returns to the USPD in November 1920 to retain his influence in the trade unions given the KPD’s contradictory trade union policy, goes back to the SPD in 1922. Joins the KPD/SED in 1945, becomes vice-editor in chief of the Leipziger Volkszeitung.