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The Young Communist League of Germany (Opposition) (German: Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands (Opposition), abbreviated KJVD-Opposition, KJVDO, KJVO or KJO) was a youth organization in Germany. KJVD-Opposition was the youth wing of the Communist Party of Germany (Opposition).

Organization

KJVD-Opposition had approximately 1,000 members. It was strongest in Thuringia and Saxony. Other areas where the organization was active were Berlin-Brandenburg, Wasserkante, Silesia, Württemberg and Hesse. KJVD-Opposition had a national school (Reichsschule), which could host 35 people at a time. At the school, the organization conducted political training, usually for two weeks at a time.

Publications

KJVD-Opposition published the monthly Junge Kämpfer ('Young Fighter') in Berlin from 1929-1931, which was distributed amongst members and sympathizers of the movement. Junge Kämpfer was mainly edited by Walter Uhlmann. Another monthly KJVD-Opposition publication, Kommunistische Jugend-Politik ('Communist Youth Politics') dealt with organizational issues and was distributed amongst cadres.

Under the Nazi regime

In 1932 the national leadership of KJVD-Opposition shifted from Berlin to Stuttgart. Around this time Alfred Albrecht became the national leader of KJVD-Opposition. Albeit a minor group in the German labour movement, KJVD-Opposition organized some resistance activities against the Nazi regime in the 1930s. Under Albrecht's leadership KJVD-Opposition formed a youth cartel of left-wing organizations, and conducted anti-fascist mobilizations in working-class neighbourhoods. Walter Uhlmann was the representative of KJVD-Opposition in the underground Berlin Committee of the mother party.

References

1. ^ Schilde, Kurt. Jugendopposition 1933-1945: ausgewählte Beiträge. Berlin: Lukas, 2007. pp. 21-22
2. ^ Miller, Frederick Alfred. Left-wing splinter parties in the Weimar Republic
3. ^ Gruppe Arbeiterpolitik. Archiv Arbeiterpolitik Rundbrief Nr. 3
4. Beseler, Hartmut. Die Haltung der KPO zur Sowjetunion hinsichtlich ihrer inneren Systementwicklung, Aussenpolitik und Politik im Rahmen der kommunistischen Internationale. 1981. p. 252
5. Diers, Andreas. Arbeiterbewegung - Demokratie - Staat Wolfgang Abendroth ; Leben und Werk ; 1906 - 1948. Hamburg: VSA-Verl, 2005. p. 620
6. Tjaden, Karl Hermann. Struktur und Funktion der "KPD-Opposition" (KPO); eine organisationssoziologische Untersuchung zur "Rechts"-Opposition im deutschen Kommunismus zur Zeit der Weimarer Republik. Meisenheim am Glan: A. Hain, 1964. p. 145
7. ^ Bergmann, Theodor, and Tom Adler. Klassenkampf und Solidarität: Geschichte der Stuttgarter Metallarbeiter. Hamburg: VSA-Verlag, 2007. p. 362
8. Foitzik, Jan. Zwischen den Fronten: Zur Politik, Organisation und Funktion linker politischer Kleinorganisationen im Widerstand 1933 bis 1939/40. S.l: Neue Gesellschaft, 1986. p. 60

• Youth wings of communist parties
• Historical youth wings of political parties in Germany
• Right Opposition