MIA: Encyclopedia of Marxism: Glossary of Periodicals


Ro


 

Rote Fahne, Die

The Red Banner: A daily newspaper founded by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg as the central organ of the Spartacus League; the newspaper later became the central organ of the Communist Party of Germany.

Publication of the newspaper began in November 9, 1918 in Berlin. The newspaper was repeatedly subjected to persecution and banned by the Sheidemann-Noske Government. It was violently closed down when Hitler came to power in 1933, but did not cease publication illegally, courageously agitating against the Nazi party. In 1935, due to extreme pressure and persecution, the newspaper transferred publication to Prague, but continued to distribute its illegal newspaper throughout Germany. Less than a year later, in October 1936, the newspaper was forced again to move, now to Brussels, but continued to distribute as many issues as it could throughout Germany. By the autumn of 1939, the newspaper ceased publication completely.