Kommunistischer Arbeiterbund Deutschlands

The Communist Workers Union of Germany (Kommunistischer Arbeiterbund Deutschlands, or KABD) was a Marxist–Leninist political organization active in West Germany from 1972 to 1982. It belonged to the milieu commonly described as the K-groups, a collection of small communist organizations that emerged in the Federal Republic of Germany during and after the student and extra-parliamentary left movements of the late 1960s and 1970s. The KABD originated in a split from the Communist Party of Germany/Marxists–Leninists (KPD/ML), with the founding date generally given as 5 August 1972. The organization presented itself as an alternative to what it regarded as the revisionist degeneration of the German Communist Party (DKP). Its stated strategic objective was the construction of a new Marxist–Leninist party. In its ideological self-description, the KABD affirmed the political and theoretical importance of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong. This orientation placed it within the Maoist and anti-revisionist wing of the West German radical left, although the organization developed its own publications, structures, and political line rather than functioning as a branch of another party. Willi Dickhut was one of the important figures associated with the foundation and development of the organization. He had been expelled from the DKP in 1966 and later served as editor of the KABD's theoretical publication Revolutionary Way: Problems of Marxism–Leninism (Revolutionärer Weg: Probleme des Marxismus-Leninismus). The organization's central publication was Red Flag (Rote Fahne). That title continued in a successor context and is associated with the later Red Flag Magazine of the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD). The KABD also maintained a youth organization, the Revolutionary Youth League of Germany. Its membership was reported to have remained at approximately 900 people, making it a small organization by comparison with the established parties of West Germany. Its activities focused on communist political education, ideological publishing, recruitment, and the development of a cadre organization intended to prepare the ground for a new party. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of its electoral participation, detailed regional organization, finances, or full programmatic history. On 17 January 1981, the organization's leadership announced the prospect of founding a party. That project was completed in 1982 with the formation of the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany, generally known by the German abbreviation MLPD. The KABD is therefore best understood as the principal organizational predecessor of the MLPD rather than as a continuing independent party. Because it was dissolved or superseded in the process of creating the successor party, its status is defunct.

The Communist Workers Union of Germany was established in West Germany on 5 August 1972 after a split from the Communist Party of Germany/Marxists–Leninists. It emerged within the fragmented K-group environment that developed on the radical left during the Federal Republic's political and ideological conflicts of the late 1960s and 1970s. These organizations generally criticized the parliamentary left and the established communist parties for abandoning revolutionary politics. The KABD specifically defined itself against what it called revisionist degeneration associated with the German Communist Party, or DKP. The union's declared purpose was to prepare the creation of a new Marxist–Leninist party. Its ideological references included Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. This combination reflected the anti-revisionist and Maoist currents influential among several West German communist groups at the time. The KABD operated as a cadre-based political organization rather than a mass electoral party. Its work included political education, recruitment, ideological debate, publication, and the construction of local and sectoral activity. Willi Dickhut was one of the organization's significant early figures. He had been expelled from the DKP in 1966 and became associated with the KABD's theoretical development. He edited Revolutionary Way: Problems of Marxism–Leninism, which served as the organization's theoretical organ. The central organ was Red Flag (Rote Fahne), a publication whose title continued to be used in the later MLPD environment. The KABD also had a youth wing, the Revolutionary Youth League of Germany, intended to organize and educate younger supporters. The organization remained relatively small. Its membership was reported at roughly 900 people. The reference material does not establish a complete membership series or provide a detailed account of its organizational geography, electoral campaigns, or financial resources. Its historical importance lies less in electoral scale than in its role in the institutional development of a particular West German Marxist–Leninist current and in its eventual contribution to the formation of the MLPD. On 17 January 1981, the KABD leadership publicly announced the intention to establish a party. The plan was implemented in 1982, when the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany was founded. The KABD consequently ceased to operate as the relevant independent organization and became the principal predecessor of the new party. The organization is therefore classified as defunct, with its active period conventionally dated from 1972 to 1982.

• 1982

  MLPD formed

  [1]Communist Workers Union of Germany (1972)en.wikipedia.org

  The planned successor party, the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany, was formed, bringing the KABD period to an end.

• 1981

  Party foundation announced

  [1]Communist Workers Union of Germany (1972)en.wikipedia.org

  On 17 January 1981, the organization's leadership announced plans to establish a communist party.

• 1972

  Foundation after a split from the KPD/ML

  [1]Communist Workers Union of Germany (1972)en.wikipedia.org

  The Communist Workers Union of Germany was founded on 5 August 1972 through a split from the Communist Party of Germany/Marxists–Leninists.

Marxist–Leninist and Maoist-oriented communist organization positioned against revisionism and the established German Communist Party.

• Theoretical publication

  Revolutionary Way: Problems of Marxism–Leninism

  The KABD's theoretical organ, edited by Willi Dickhut. It provided a venue for the organization's interpretation of Marxism–Leninism and for developing its critique of revisionism and its proposed party-building strategy.

• Central political publication

  Red Flag (Rote Fahne)

  The organization's central organ and principal political publication. The title later continued in a successor context through the MLPD's Red Flag Magazine.

• Youth organization

  Revolutionary Youth League of Germany

  The KABD's youth wing, established to organize younger supporters and extend the organization's communist political education and recruitment work.

• 1981

  Decision to proceed toward party formationStrategy

  Background

  The KABD had operated as a small Marxist–Leninist organization while seeking to build a new revolutionary party in opposition to revisionist communist politics.

  Action taken

  Its leadership announced on 17 January 1981 that the organization would move toward founding a party.

  Aftermath

  The plan was realized in 1982 through the formation of the Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany, which superseded the KABD.

  Source

1. 1Communist Workers Union of Germany (1972)en.wikipedia.org