Lothar Popp

Lothar Popp (7 February 1887 – 27 April 1980) was a German revolutionary and a leader of the sailors' revolt in Kiel in 1918.

Education and party membership Lothar Popp was born 7 February 1887 in the small German town Furth im Wald as son of a lower public servant (royal Bavarian station master); he was Catholic by denomination but left church later. He attended public school and did an apprenticeship as shop assistant in Augsburg. First he went to Leipzig, where he tried to make ends meet by selling shoe strings. From 1904 until 1914 he was a worker and merchant in Hamburg.

First World War and stay in Kiel When on 4 August 1914 the SPD parliamentary faction approved of the war loans for the First World War, Popp joined the German Peace Society (Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft).

Popp ensured that the initially spontaneously formed, unstructured soldiers' councils had a solid base through elections in all units, and the establishment of the Supreme Soldiers' Council (Oberster Soldatenrat, OSR) on 6 and 7 November. Popp was elected chairman of the OSR. He was succeeded by Karl Artelt on 10 December. He remained, however, a political advisor in the OSR. This, however, probably only pro forma, because he emphasized in later interviews that he had not cared about the Soldiers' Council since the decision for the National Assembly had been made.

Popp went back to Hamburg in the beginning of 1919. He became a street hawker and a carny at the Hamburger DOM and he founded the association of the ambulant tradespersons and the carnies. He rejoined the SPD at the unification party congress in Halle (1922). In 1941, he sailed to Martinique on board the Winnipeg. The Winnipeg had brought on two tours fighters for the Spanish republic to South America; a planned third tour could not take place because the Northern coast was blocked. Then Eleanor Roosevelt's organisation used the ship to help people escape from the Nazis. Popp managed to get on board one day before sailing, because he knew one of the sailors. Breitscheid and Everding were arrested, before they could get on board and later were handed over to the Nazis. The Winnipeg however did not make it to Martinique but was seized by a British ship and rerouted to Trinidad. "Once again the emigrants were placed behind barbed wire". After some time, those who possessed US visas were allowed to proceed. Popp went to New York. In the New York passenger lists, 1820–1957 the following entry was made: Lothar Popp, 54 years, single, merchant, born in Furth, Germany, visa issued in Marseille, France, last permanent residence: France, Marseille arrives at 6 June 1941 on board the S.S. Evangeline from Trinidad.BWI. in New York (accessible via ancestry.de). He was received by Max Brauer, Herbert Weichmann and Rudolf Katz and could stay temporarily in a house rented by SPD emigrants.

Popp became a US citizen and started the business "Lothar Popp Import and Export, Manufacturer of Educational Toys Microscopes and Musical Instruments, 446 East Str. 84th Street New York". Additionally, he established together with Richard Kramer the small shop "ELK Company" at 240 East 86th Street in New York, where they manufactured and sold sweets, especially marzipan.

He wrote articles for the Neue Volkszeitung (New Peoples Newspaper), which was published in the USA.

After WW II In 1949–50 he came back to Germany, but stayed only for some months, because he wanted to keep his American citizenship. Thereafter he came back often to stay for some months, the family also visited him in the States until he finally settled in Hamburg again. Meanwhile, legislation was changed so he could do so without losing his American citizenship. He kept his American citizenship until he died.

He became honorary chairman of the association of ambulant tradespersons and carnies. His son, Werner Popp after the second world war became chairman for some time. Ernst Harberger, Lothar Popp's half brother became after second world war chairman of the professional work group for the ambulant tradespersons until he died. Harberger himself ran a fruit stall in front of the Klosterburg opposite the main station.

After the death of his first wife Anna he married again in 1957 and ran a cafe together with his new wife. He was still an active member of the SPD.

He died on 27 April 1980 in Hamburg.

Tribute Lothar Popp was interviewed for German television documentaries regarding his role during the sailors' mutiny in Kiel.

Publications Lothar Popp unter Mitarbeit von Karl Artelt: Ursprung und Entwicklung der November-Revolution 1918. Wie die deutsche Republik entstand, Behrens, Kiel 1919, Reprint als Sonderveröffentlichung 15 der Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte, Kiel 1983. Im Jahr 2020 leicht gekürzt und kommentiert veröffentlicht in: IG Metall Bezirksleitung Küste (Hrsg.): Matrosenaufstand und Novemberrevolution 1918. Hamburg 2020, S. 96–115, ISBN 978-3-96488-063-5. Lothar Popp: Das Gesundheitsbrevier — Lange und glücklich leben durch vernünftig leben, Möven-Verlag, Hamburg 1977