Otto Kühne
Encyclopedia
Otto Kühne was a German
communist
militant, who led a maquis
group of German antifascist fighters in the French
region of Lozère
in 1943 and 1944 during World War II
.
A railwayman by profession, Kühne had been a communist deputy during the Reichstag fire
, and had subsequently fled to France.
in the Lozère département. Here he formed a resistance group with former members of the International Brigades
. The group was first attached to Combat
network in spring 1942. Kühne was in contact with the leadership of the KPD
and with the Free Germany committee which was based in Lyon
.
In spring 1942, Kühne was one of the founders of the maquis de Bonnecombe. At the time he used the false name "Monsieur Schumann" and attempted to develop contacts with the Parti communiste français. This was not without difficulties; his initial attempts were met with mistrust, with the fear of infiltration by Gestapo
moles
. Nonetheless, the German antifascists found strong support among the protestant-majority population of Cévennes
.
Kühne quickly became the leader of this maquis, with a reputation for solidity, intransigence and inflexibility. He became the political officer for the "Montaigne" maquis which merged three German maquis at the beginning of 1944.
Kühne participated in the battles of the 7 and 8 April 1944 at Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française
(Lozère), where the German maquis destroyed a patrol of the Feldgendarmerie
and in an ambush against the Waffen SS on 5 June 1944 at La Rivière. He was leading a small group of about 10 maquisards when the maquis dispersed to evade an attempted encirclement by the SS which was a reaction to these maquis operations. When the various elements of the German maquis reformed at the Plan de Fontmort, a high place of resistance of the Camisards, it was Kühne who took command. He worked with the French "Bir Hakeim", although this was not without conflict. The GMR
and the milice
were tracking them in the mountains. The Wehrmacht
attacked the "Bir Hakeim" group at La Borie-La Parade
, on Pentecost Sunday. The fighting left 61 dead; those maquisards who surrendered were executed. Kühne's group lost about ten men.
Kühne participated in the battles of the liberation, welcoming deserters from the Wehrmacht (particularly Armenia
ns), in the Mende region. During this period, he gained an attachment with the FTP-MOI. His resistance name became "Robert". He was given military responsibility within FTP-MOI for the Lozère, the Gard
and the Ardèche
. In June 1944, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and decorated with the croix de guerre
with a bronze star. In July 1944, he had more than 2,000 FTP fighters under his command.
Kühne seems not to have participated in the liberation of Nîmes
in person, nor in the parade of 4 September (in which the German antifascists were represented). He quickly returned to Lyon where he participated in the "Free Germany" committee (CALPO).
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...
communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
militant, who led a maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
group of German antifascist fighters in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
region of Lozère
Lozère
Lozère , is a department in southeast France near the Massif Central, named after Mont Lozère.- History :Lozère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
in 1943 and 1944 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
A railwayman by profession, Kühne had been a communist deputy during the Reichstag fire
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
, and had subsequently fled to France.
The maquis de Lozère
At the beginning of the war Kühne was interned by the Vichy regime and worked in 321 foreign workers camp in ChanacChanac
Chanac is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.-References:*...
in the Lozère département. Here he formed a resistance group with former members of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
. The group was first attached to Combat
Combat (French Resistance)
Combat was a large movement in the French Resistance created in the non-occupied zone of France during the Second World War .Combat was one of the eight great resistance movements which constituted the Conseil national de la Résistance....
network in spring 1942. Kühne was in contact with the leadership of the KPD
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...
and with the Free Germany committee which was based in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
In spring 1942, Kühne was one of the founders of the maquis de Bonnecombe. At the time he used the false name "Monsieur Schumann" and attempted to develop contacts with the Parti communiste français. This was not without difficulties; his initial attempts were met with mistrust, with the fear of infiltration by Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
moles
Mole (espionage)
A mole is a spy who works for an enemy nation, but whose loyalty ostensibly lies with his own nation's government. In some usage, a mole differs from a defector in that a mole is a spy before gaining access to classified information, while a defector becomes a spy only after gaining access...
. Nonetheless, the German antifascists found strong support among the protestant-majority population of Cévennes
Cévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
.
Kühne quickly became the leader of this maquis, with a reputation for solidity, intransigence and inflexibility. He became the political officer for the "Montaigne" maquis which merged three German maquis at the beginning of 1944.
Kühne participated in the battles of the 7 and 8 April 1944 at Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française
Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française
Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.-References:* *...
(Lozère), where the German maquis destroyed a patrol of the Feldgendarmerie
Feldgendarmerie
The Feldgendarmerie were the uniformed military police units of the armies of the German Empire from the mid 19th Century until the conclusion of World War II.- Early history :...
and in an ambush against the Waffen SS on 5 June 1944 at La Rivière. He was leading a small group of about 10 maquisards when the maquis dispersed to evade an attempted encirclement by the SS which was a reaction to these maquis operations. When the various elements of the German maquis reformed at the Plan de Fontmort, a high place of resistance of the Camisards, it was Kühne who took command. He worked with the French "Bir Hakeim", although this was not without conflict. The GMR
Groupe mobile de réserve
The Groupes mobiles de réserve , often referred to as GMR, were paramilitary units created by the Vichy regime during the Second World War...
and the milice
Milice
The Milice française , generally called simply Milice, was a paramilitary force created on January 30, 1943 by the Vichy Regime, with German aid, to help fight the French Resistance. The Milice's formal leader was Prime Minister Pierre Laval, though its chief of operations, and actual leader, was...
were tracking them in the mountains. The Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
attacked the "Bir Hakeim" group at La Borie-La Parade
Hures-la-Parade
Hures-la-Parade is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.-References:*...
, on Pentecost Sunday. The fighting left 61 dead; those maquisards who surrendered were executed. Kühne's group lost about ten men.
Kühne participated in the battles of the liberation, welcoming deserters from the Wehrmacht (particularly Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
ns), in the Mende region. During this period, he gained an attachment with the FTP-MOI. His resistance name became "Robert". He was given military responsibility within FTP-MOI for the Lozère, the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
and the Ardèche
Ardèche
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
. In June 1944, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and decorated with the croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with a bronze star. In July 1944, he had more than 2,000 FTP fighters under his command.
Kühne seems not to have participated in the liberation of Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
in person, nor in the parade of 4 September (in which the German antifascists were represented). He quickly returned to Lyon where he participated in the "Free Germany" committee (CALPO).