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Ludendorff, Erich

(Encyclopedia)Ludendorff, Erich āˈrĭkh lo͞oˈdəndôrf [key], 1865–1937, German general. A disciple of Schlieffen, he served in World War I as chief of staff to Field Marshal Hindenburg and was largely respon...

Hertling, Georg, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Hertling, Georg, Graf von gāˈôrkh gräf fən hĕrtˈlĭng [key], 1843–1919, German statesman and philosopher, imperial chancellor (Nov., 1917–Sept., 1918). He was professor of philosophy and a ...

Haase, Hugo

(Encyclopedia)Haase, Hugo ho͞oˈgō häˈzə [key], 1863–1919, German Socialist leader. A Social Democratic member of the Reichstag, he opposed World War I, but initially followed his party's position in support...

Papen, Franz von

(Encyclopedia)Papen, Franz von fränts fən päˈpən [key], 1879–1969, German politician. Appointed (1913) military attaché to the German embassy in Washington, he was implicated in espionage activities that le...

fire

(Encyclopedia)fire, the phenomenon of combustion as seen in light, flame, and heat. One of the basic tools of human culture, its use is extremely ancient, predating the existence of Homo sapiens by several hundred ...

Dimitrov, Georgi

(Encyclopedia)Dimitrov, Georgi gĕôrˈgē dĭmēˈtrŏf [key], 1882–1949, Bulgarian Communist leader. A revolutionary from boyhood, he was a leader in the 1923 Communist uprising against Alexander Tsankov. When ...

Severing, Wilhelm Karl

(Encyclopedia)Severing, Wilhelm Karl vĭlˈhĕlm kärl zāˈvəring [key], 1875–1952, German statesman. A Social Democrat, he served (1907–33) in the Reichstag, was German minister of the interior (1928–30), ...

Erzberger, Matthias

(Encyclopedia)Erzberger, Matthias mätēˈäs ĕrtsˈbĕrgər [key], 1875–1921, German public official. He was a leader of the left wing of the Catholic Center party in the Reichstag from 1903. Early in World War...

Bebel, August

(Encyclopedia)Bebel, August ouˈgo͝ost bāˈbəl [key], 1840–1913, German Socialist leader. A wood turner by trade, he became a Marxian Socialist under the influence of Wilhelm Liebknecht. At a congress at Eisen...

Liebknecht, Wilhelm

(Encyclopedia)Liebknecht, Wilhelm lēpˈkənĕkht [key], 1826–1900, German socialist leader and journalist. His participation in the revolution in Germany in 1848–49 forced him into exile, and he lived in Engl...