Otto Kühne

Otto Kühne (May 12th 1893 - December 8th 1955) was militant a communist German, which will direct a German maquis of antifascists to Lozere in 1943 and 1944.

Railwayman of profession, it was appointed communist with the Reichstag before taking refuge in France.

In the maquis of Lozere

At the beginning of the war, it is interned by Vichy and works to the 321 camp of foreign workers of Chanac (Lozere), where it sets up a group of resistance with the old ones of the International Brigades. This group is initially attached to the movement " Combat " , in spring 1942. It is in connection with the direction of the KPD and the Committee " Germany Libre" who is in Lyon.

In spring 1942, it is one of the founders of the maquis of Bonnecombe. It then bears the false name of " Mr Schumann" and tries to tie, not without difficulties, a contact with the French Communist party. Mistrust reigns at the beginning and one fears the infiltration of moles of Gestapo. But the German antifascists find a support strong in the Cevennes population for Protestant majority.

Otto Kühne is rather quickly the leader of this maquis. It has a reputation of solidity, intransigence and inflexibility. He becomes the political officer of the maquis " Montaigne" who, at the beginning of 1944, amalgamates three German maquis.

It takes part in the combat of the April 7th and 8th 1944, with Saint-Etienne-Valley-Frenchwoman (Lozere), where the German maquis destroys a patrol of Felgendarmerie and with a ambush against Waffen S, on June 5th, 1944, with the River. It directs an small group of ten men of the maquis when the maquis disperses to avoid the surrounding which try the S, in reaction to these actions of the maquis. When elements of the German maquis meet with the Plan of Fontmort, high place of resistance of Camisards, it is Otto Kühne which takes the direction of it. He then works with the French group " Bir Hakeim" , not without some conflicts. The GMR and the militiamans track them in the mountain. The Wehrmacht tackles the " group; Bir Hakeim" with Borie Parades it, Sunday of Pentecost 1944. The engagements make 61 dead; the men of the maquis who go were carried out. The group Otto Kühne loses ten men.

It takes part in the combat of the Release, accommodating deserters of Wehrmacht (in particular Armenian ), in the area of Mende. During this time, it obtains to its fastening with ftp me. Its name of resistant is " Robert". He becomes the military official of the ftp me for Lozere, Gard and Ardeche. In June 1944, it is promoted lieutenant-colonel and decorated with the Military Cross with bronze star. In July 1944, it has more than two thousand ftp under its orders.

It seems that Otto Kühne personally did not take part in the Release of Nimes, nor with the procession of September 4th in which the German antifascists were represented. It joined Lyon rather quickly where it takes part in the direction of the Committee " Germany Libre" (CALPO).

Schools, in Germany, bear its name.

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