Erich Knauf

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Erich Knauf

Erich Knauf (21 February 1895 – 2 May 1944) was a German journalist, writer, and songwriter. He was executed for making jokes about the Nazi regime.

Biography

Knauf was born in

First World War, Knauf went to university, studying history, political economy and culture.[1]

He was a close friend of

Erich Ohser (pen name, e. o. plauen) and together, they became known as "the three Erichs from Saxony". An erotic poem by Kästner, with a frivolous illustration by Ohser, became a scandal, forcing all three to leave Saxony, whereupon Knauf moved to Berlin.[1]

Knauf was a member of the Independent Social Democratic Party, an editor of the newspaper, "Plauener Volkszeitung".

In Berlin, Knauf began directing the

seized power in 1933, the guild became "nazified" and Knauf quit in disgust, taking his secretary, Erna Donath with him. Knauf and Donath then got married.[1]

In 1934, he wrote a critical review of

Ministerpräsident Hermann Göring, who was a patron of the opera house. Göring had Knauf arrested by the Gestapo. He spent three months in protective custody in Sachsenhausen concentration camp and was expelled from all professional associations, as had Kästner and Ohser previously experienced.[1]

After his release, he became the chief publicist for the film company,

Quax, der Bruchpilot ("Quax, the crash pilot") starring Heinz Rühmann. Other work followed.[1]

Arrest and execution for making criminal jokes

In 1943, Knauf lost his home in a bombing raid. He and Ohser moved to

Kaulsdorf, where they still had to endure many hours in bomb shelters, waiting out bombing raids. Ohser, who was hard of hearing and spoke loudly, and Knauf complained about the war and passed the time making wisecracks about Adolf Hitler and Göring. A neighbor, who was a Nazi Hauptmann, Bruno Schultz and his wife Margarete, listened to every word. Schultz made no comment, but afterward, wrote everything down. The Schultzes then denounced Knauf and Ohser to the Gestapo with this as evidence.[1][3][4][5]

Knauf was arrested on 28 March 1944. On 6 April 1944 he was sentenced to death by judge

Fallbeil at Brandenburg-Görden Prison in Brandenburg an der Havel. His widow, Erna Knauf, was given a bill of 585.74 ℛ︁ℳ︁ for the cost of the proceedings against her husband, including his execution. Ohser, who was arrested with Knauf, committed suicide the night before their trial, and in an apparent attempt to mitigate the charges against Knauf, left behind a suicide note in which he assumed all responsibility for their actions.[3][4][5]

After the war, Bruno Schultz died of typhus in Soviet custody.[6]

Legacy

Berlin commemorative plaque at the house, Am Feldberg 3, in Berlin-Kaulsdorf

Kästner wrote an essay about the bill received by Knauf's widow. There is a commemorative plaque for Knauf and Ohser at Am Feldberg 3 in Kaulsdorf, where Knauf and Ohser were living at the time they were denounced. The plaque was installed in 1999.[5][7]

There are streets named for Knauf in Brandenburg an der Havel, Plauen and Zwickau.[8][9][10]

In 1998, Wolfgang Eckert published a biography of Erich Knauf, written from his 1985 interviews with Knauf's widow. In 1987, she bequeathed all of Knauf's papers and all rights to his works to Eckert.[1]

Further reading

  • Wolfgang Eckert, Heimat, deine Sterne. Biography of Erich Knauf. Chemnitzer Verlag (1998)
    ISBN 978-3-928678-40-7
    (in German)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "mdr figaro würdigt Leben und Schaffen von Erich Knauf" Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine Article about program honoring Knauf's 110th birthday. Official City of Meerane website. Retrieved April 28, 2010 (in German)
  2. ^ Ça ira Archived 2012-12-09 at archive.today Book listing. Retrieved April 28, 2010
  3. ^ a b c "Erich Ohser alias o.e. plauen" Brief biography of Erich Ohser. Retrieved April 28, 2010
  4. ^ a b Official website for e.o. plauen Elementary School Archived 2009-10-04 at the Wayback Machine e.o. plauen-Grundschule, short biography of Erich Ohser. Retrieved April 28, 2010 (in German)
  5. ^ a b c Biographical timeline for Erich Ohser Archived 2012-03-06 at the Wayback Machine Erich-Ohser-Projekt official website. Retrieved April 28, 2010 (in German)
  6. ^ "Wolfgang Eckert, Mord in sieben Sekunden". www.sopos.org. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  7. ^ Gedenkorte in Marzahn-Hellersdorf[permanent dead link] (PDF) List of memorial sites in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Germany. Retrieved April 28, 2010 (in German)
  8. ^ Link to Erich-Knauf-Straße, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany Google Maps. Retrieved April 28, 2010
  9. ^ Map link to Erich-Knauf-Straße, 08525 Plauen, Germany Google Maps. Retrieved April 28, 2010
  10. ^ Link to Erich-Knauf-Straße, 08058 Zwickau, Germany Google Maps. Retrieved April 28, 2010

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erich_Knauf&oldid=1210079243"