Abbreviations and Acronyms

AAU – Allgemeine Arbeiter-Union, ‘unionist’ organisation of an ultra-leftist tendency.

ADGB – Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, workers’ trade-union confederation.

AfA – Allgemeiner freier Angestelltenbund, white-collar trade-union confederation.

Agit-prop – Department of the Central Committee for propaganda and agitation.

Bezirk – Party district; grouped together to form Oberbezirk, subdivided into Unterbezirk.

BL – Bezirksleitung, Party leadership in a district.

Comintern – Communist International.

DMV – Deutscher Metallarbeitverband, metalworkers’ union.

IKD – Internationale Kommunisten Deutschlands, organisation of the ‘left radicals’ in 1918, successor to the ISD.

Inprekorr – Internationale Presse-Korrespondenz, Comintern information bulletin.

ISD – Internationale Sozialisten Deutschlands, organisation of the ‘left radicals’ before 1918.

ISR – Red International of Labour Unions.

KAG – Kommunistische Arbeitsgemeinschaft, group organised by Levi and his supporters in the summer of 1921.

KAP (or KAPD) – Kommunistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands, left-Communist party founded in 1920.

KJVD – Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands, organisation of the Communist Party youth.

KO – Kampforganisation, combat group of the KPD(S).

KPD – Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, name of the Communist Party from November to December 1920 and after August 1921.

KPD(S) – Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (Spartakusbund), name of the Communist Party from January 1919 to November 1920.

KPO (or KPD-O) – Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (Opposition), organisation of the ‘right’ Communists, with Brandler, after 1929.

Leninbund – Lenin League, organisation of the ‘left’ Communists, with Urbahns, after 1928.

Oberbezirk – See Bezirk.

Orgburo – Organisation Bureau of the Zentrale.

Orgesch – Organisation Escherisch, extreme right-wing terrorist group.

Orgleiter – Party member with organisational responsibility.

Polbüro – Political bureau of the Zentrale.

Polleiter – Communist Party member with political responsibility.

Profintern – Red International of Labour Unions.

SAP (or SAPD) – Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands, left Social-Democratic Party from 1931.

SED – Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, party formed from the fusion of the Communist and Social-Democratic Parties in East Germany.

SPD – Sozialistische Partei Deutschlands, name of the Social-Democratic Party until 1922.

Teno – Technische Nothilfe, technical emergency service, organisation of strike-beakers.

Unterbezirk – See Bezirk.

USPD – Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, Independent Social-Democratic Party.

USPD (Linke) – Independent Social-Democratic Party (Left), name of the Independent Party from the Halle Congress to the Fusion Congress with the KPD.

VKPD – Vereinigte Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, name of the United Communist Party from December 1920 (fusion with the USPD) to August 1921 (Jena Congress).

VSPD – Vereinigte Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, name of the United Social-Democratic Party after the reintegration of the Independents in 1922.

Zentrale – Centre, leadership of the Communist Party, composed of leading members resident at the centre.

Zentralausschuss – Central Committee, broader leadership body of the Party including representatives from the various regions.

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Last updated on 13.2.2014