Otto, Richard

Trade unionist, politician

Born: 19.08.1882 in Baderitz (Döbeln district)

died: 29.03.1943 in Wiesbaden

Otto learned the blacksmith's trade and joined the SPD at the age of twenty. In 1904/05, he was chairman of the blacksmiths' association, first in Offenbach, then in Frankfurt am Main until 1907. In Mannheim, he was a member of the regional executive committee until his union was merged with the German Metalworkers' Association in 1912. In 1913 he became managing director of the Frankfurt SPD. From 1916-18 he was a pioneer with the mine-throwers.

At the beginning of the 1920s, he succeeded Otto Witte as party secretary in Wiesbaden. He was a supporting member of the SAJ (Socialist Workers' Youth) and belonged to the Workers' Welfare Association (AWO ), the Workers' Choral Society, the Workers' Bicycle and Motorists' Association and the Iron Front until all organizations of the German workers' movement were smashed by the National Socialists in 1933.

When the NSDAP came to power, he became unemployed. In 1935, he set up a rented laundry with the support of his party friend Karl Leonhardt. Together with the then chairman of the SPD, Henry Schubert, and Georg Buch, he tried to keep the party together, carry out the necessary party work and encourage individual comrades. Contact with party members was established via the SAJ.

From 11.11.1933-31.01.1934, Otto was imprisoned "on suspicion of illegal activity". However, the Gestapo were unable to prove anything and he was acquitted. He was arrested again in 1941 and sentenced to two years in prison. Otto died two days after his release from prison. It is suspected that he was poisoned.

A street in the Klarenthal district is named after him.