Norden, Albert

Norden, Albert 

Born Dec. 4, 1904, in Mysłowice, Upper Silesia, Poland. Politician of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), publicist, and historian.

Norden joined the Communist Party of Germany in 1920. He was active in the antifascist struggle in Germany and, from 1933, in exile. After the defeat of fascist Germany, he returned to East Germany (GDR). Since 1955 he has been secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, and since 1958, a member of its Politburo. In 1953 he was appointed a professor at Humboldt University in Berlin.

In his Lessons of German History (Russian translation, 1948), Norden gave a Marxist analysis of the political role of German finance capital and the Junkers. In such works as Between Berlin and Moscow: A History of German-Soviet Relations (1917–1921) (Russian translation, 1956) and The Falsifiers: A History of German-Soviet Relations (Russian translation, 1959), he showed the significance of the revolutionary ties between the peoples of the two countries and thwarted the falsifiers’ attempts to distort the ties. A tireless worker for peace, he is a member of the Presidium of the World Peace Council. Norden has been awarded the title of Hero of Labor (1964), as well as various orders and medals of the GDR.

WORKS

Das Banner von 1813, 3rd ed. Berlin, 1955.
Das spanische Drama, 2nd ed. Berlin, 1961.
Die Nation und Wir, vols. 1–2. Berlin, 1964.
In Russian translation:
Tak delaiutsia voiny. Moscow, 1972.