Otto Schüssler
Encyclopedia
Otto Schüssler was a German
Communist. He sometimes used the pseudonym
s Oskar Fischer and Julián Suárez.
Schüssler was born in 1905 to a working-class
family in Leipzig
. He became an important leader of the Trotskyist movement
in Weimar Germany.
In the spring of 1932, Leon Trotsky
's son, Lev Sedov, who at that time was living in Berlin
, was looking for a German-speaking secretary
for his father. Schüssler was offered the job and went to the island of Prinkipo
in Turkey
, where Trotsky was living in exile. Schüssler became one of Trotsky's closest collaborators
, and in November 1932 he accompanied Trotsky on his trip to Copenhagen
.
In 1933, Schüssler went back to Germany
to attend some meetings of the German Trotskyist group, which had now been labeled an "illegal organization" after Adolf Hitler
and the Nazi Party
rose to power. The situation was very difficult. Otto Schüssler decided to move to Prague
in Czechoslovakia
, where he participated in the publication of illegal communist papers and pamphlets, using the pseudonym
"Oskar Fischer."
In Paris
in 1938, Schüssler participated at the founding of the Fourth International
. After that, Schüssler decided to go to Mexico
, where Trotsky was now living. He arrived in Coyoacán
in February 1939 and started working as Trotsky's secretary and bodyguard.
When on May 24, 1940, a machine-gun assault by Mexican
Stalinists
took place against Trotsky's household, Otto Schüssler, together with Charles Cornell
(one of Trotsky's guards from the United States
and a member of the Socialist Workers Party
), was arrested by the Mexican police. At first the police suspected Trotsky and his secretaries of having staged the raid, but soon realized that idea to be wrong. After two days and at the personal intervention of Trotsky, both Schussler and Cornell were released.
After the Stalinists killed Trotsky in a second attempt on August 20, Schüssler remained in Mexico, took a job, and continued to be active in the Mexican section of the Fourth International
under his Mexican pseudonym, "Julián Suárez." By the end of the 1940s, he gave up politics
and broke off contact with all former friends and comrades.
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. He sometimes used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s Oskar Fischer and Julián Suárez.
Schüssler was born in 1905 to a working-class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
family in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. He became an important leader of the Trotskyist movement
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
in Weimar Germany.
In the spring of 1932, Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
's son, Lev Sedov, who at that time was living in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, was looking for a German-speaking secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
for his father. Schüssler was offered the job and went to the island of Prinkipo
Büyükada
Büyükada is the largest of the nine so-called Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul, with an area of about two square miles...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, where Trotsky was living in exile. Schüssler became one of Trotsky's closest collaborators
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
, and in November 1932 he accompanied Trotsky on his trip to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
In 1933, Schüssler went back to Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
to attend some meetings of the German Trotskyist group, which had now been labeled an "illegal organization" after 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...
and the Nazi Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
rose to power. The situation was very difficult. Otto Schüssler decided to move to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, where he participated in the publication of illegal communist papers and pamphlets, using the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Oskar Fischer."
In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1938, Schüssler participated at the founding of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
. After that, Schüssler decided to go to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where Trotsky was now living. He arrived in Coyoacán
Coyoacán
Coyoacán refers to one of the sixteen boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City as well as the former village which is now the borough’s “historic center.” The name comes from Nahuatl and most likely means “place of coyotes,” when the Aztecs named a pre-Hispanic village on the southern shore...
in February 1939 and started working as Trotsky's secretary and bodyguard.
When on May 24, 1940, a machine-gun assault by Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Stalinists
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
took place against Trotsky's household, Otto Schüssler, together with Charles Cornell
Charles Cornell
Charles Olney Cornell was an American Communist.Cornell was born on March 14, 1911 in Cochise, Arizona. While a teacher in San Francisco in the 1930s, he became active in the American Trotskyist movement and joined the newly founded Socialist Workers Party in 1938.The SWP proposed that Charles...
(one of Trotsky's guards from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and a member of the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
), was arrested by the Mexican police. At first the police suspected Trotsky and his secretaries of having staged the raid, but soon realized that idea to be wrong. After two days and at the personal intervention of Trotsky, both Schussler and Cornell were released.
After the Stalinists killed Trotsky in a second attempt on August 20, Schüssler remained in Mexico, took a job, and continued to be active in the Mexican section of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
under his Mexican pseudonym, "Julián Suárez." By the end of the 1940s, he gave up politics
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 broke off contact with all former friends and comrades.