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Richard Runge * 1890

Bullerdeich Ecke Salzmannstraße (Hamburg-Mitte, Hammerbrook)

HIER WOHNTE
RICHARD RUNGE
JG. 1890
VERHAFTET 1934
'VORBEREITUNG HOCHVERRAT'
KZ FUHLSBÜTTEL
TOT AN HAFTFOLGEN
22.1.1938

Richard Runge, born on 21 Jan. 1890 in Jägerhof/Mecklenburg, died on 22 Jan. 1938 in Hamburg

Bullerdeich on the intersection to Salzmannweg (Bullerdeich 34)

Richard Runge was born on the Jägerhof farming estate north of Waren on Lake Müritz in Mecklenburg. He attended the village school in Garwitz near Parchim and then worked on his parents’ farm. In 1908, he moved to Hamburg and searched for a job in the port. The First World War interrupted his work career: In Sept. 1915, he was drafted into the military, fighting on the eastern front and returning with serious injuries. After his recovery, he was deployed on the western front, where he ended in French captivity, from which he returned to Germany in 1920. He was honored with the Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburgisches Verdienstkreuz).

Richard Runge moved to Süderstrasse 90 in Hammerbrook, also home to Selma Israel, born on 29 Nov. 1891 in Löbau (Saxony). They were married on 23 Dec. 1920, moving to Bullerdeich 34. In 1921, their daughter was born.

Richard Runge belonged to the SAJ, the "Socialist Young Workers” (Sozialistische Arbeiterjugend), and joined the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) as well as the Reich Banner (Reichsbanner) [the Social Democratic paramilitary formation] in 1926. After the banning of these organizations in 1933, he participated in the efforts toward rebuilding the SPD and restoring the organizational cohesion of the comrades by, among other things, receiving and distributing writings such as Rote Blätter and Sozialistische Aktion as well as leaflets. He paid over proceeds from the sales of publications, his own contributions, and donations to the benefit of family members of "protective custody prisoners” ("Schutzhaftgefangene”) to under-treasurer Emil Wellke. From 12 Oct. until 21 Dec. 1934, he was detained in "protective custody” ("Schutzhaft”) in the Fuhlsbüttel concentration camp. Nothing is known about the period until the opening of proceedings in Apr. 1935 against "Wellke and associates,” the first criminal action within the "Mehnke and associates” trial against 94 Social Democrats that year; probably the "protective” custody turned into pretrial detention.

Indicted along with Richard Runge were 13 other persons on charges of "preparation to high treason” ("Vorbereitung zum Hochverrat") and "violation of the Law against the Formation of New Political Parties [Gesetz gegen die Neubildung von Parteien] dated 14 July 1933.” The prosecution based its case on the writings mentioned above that allowed for violence as a means to change the Reich constitution and classified the collection of money along the same lines as a means to achieve the violent overthrow of the Reich. Richard Runge’s declaration that the funds served exclusively for the charitable purpose of supporting the "protective custody prisoners” was not admitted by the investigating judge. At the end of the court hearing, the conclusion was "guilty at least of rebuilding the SPD.” The outcome of the trial is not known. Richard Runge came through the prison term, but on 22 Jan. 1938, he died of the effects of imprisonment in the Elisabeth Hospital.

Selma Runge perished on 27/28 July 1943 in the "firestorm” [accompanying the Allied air raids]. Her daughter lived to see the end of the war.


Translator: Erwin Fink
Kindly supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, Hamburg.

Stand: October 2018
© Hildegard Thevs

Quellen: VAN-Totenliste 1968; StaH, 332-5 Standesämter, 3387+949/1920; 8152+41/1938; FZH Archiv, 8338, SPD 1933–1945; Für Freiheit und Demokratie, Hamburg 2003.