12 Facts About Gerhart Eisler

Gerhart Eisler was a German politician, editor and journalist.

Gerhart Eisler's father was Jewish and his mother was Lutheran.

Gerhart Eisler's brother was the leftist composer Hanns Eisler and his sister was Communist activist Ruth Fischer.

In November 1918, Gerhart Eisler returned from the front of World War I and joined the Austrian Communist Party under the influence of his older sister.

Gerhart Eisler left Hede in 1923 for her sister Elli Tune.

Gerhart Eisler was, after a time, in complete isolation in Moscow, forbidden to read German papers in order to get Germany out of his system, and then sent as Comintern representative to China where, according to many reports, he achieved great success through his ruthless policy.

Gerhart Eisler was charged in two trials in 1947 first with refusing to answer the HUAC, then of violating US laws by misrepresenting his Communist Party affiliation on his immigration application.

Gerhart Eisler was sentenced to one and three years in prison, but was released on bail.

Gerhart Eisler was discovered by the crew only after the ship was at sea.

Gerhart Eisler became an employee of the party executive of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and a member of the People's Chamber.

From 1956 to 1962 Gerhart Eisler was deputy chairman and then until his death chairman of the State Committee for Broadcasting of the GDR, and from 1967 he was a member of the Central Committee of the SED.

Gerhart Eisler, who was supposed by many to be the covert leader and director of the Communist Party in America during and after the Second World War, became the centre of a diplomatic incident in 1949 when, having stowed away on a Polish ship out of New York, he was forcibly removed and arrested in Southampton.