#August Landmesser

[victusinveritas]

[girlactionfigure]

You may have seen this iconic photo before.

The photo took place in 1936 N*zi Germany in an event featuring Adolf Hitler. As you can see, there is a sea of people saluting "Der Führer".

During this tumultuous time, some courts required those in attendance to salute their leader.

But, in this sea of N*zi supporters, one man stands alone, defiant, arms crossed, refusing to salute the N*zi leader.

That courageous man was believed to be August Landmesser.

Landmesser had previously been a loyal N*zi follower.

First, some background. Hitler came to power after he was convicted and charged with treason after a failed coup in 1924 to overthrow the German government, according to The Smithsonian.

The failed coup, the Beer Hall Putsch, resulted in violence and deaths, but it gave Hitler a platform to espouse his beliefs on the failure of the current government, which were publicized in 1920 in a 25-point platform - “a haphazard mixture of antisemitism, nationalism and socialism, all tied to a furious rejection of the Treaty of Versailles,” according to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum.

Helped by the onset of the worldwide Great Depression in 1929, Hitler and the N*zis needed one or more groups to put the blame on and rally the citizens - that group back then was the Jews.

“Hitler offered the Germans a relatively coherent vision of national greatness, in which history and geopolitics destined Germany for the leading role in Europe,” according to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum. “This vision swept many off their feet.”

The Germans submitted “to the leadership of Adolf Hitler, who always knew best what needed to be done, and who was always right.”

“The popularity of the N*zis therefore stemmed from an accurate reading of the public mood; the adoption of a program that combined a rather dissonant assortment of nationalist, socialist, and anti-Semitic slogans; and the fact that, in Adolf Hitler, the party had a charismatic leader,”

according to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum.

Back to August Landmesser.

“Landmesser joined the N*zi Party in 1931 in hopes of gaining employment and was a member until 1935,” according to writer Andrew Kaczynski.

After joining the N*zi party, Landmesser would fall in love - with a Jewish woman named Irma Eckler. He would soon discover what the N*zi party was all about and he and his family would get caught up in its deadly race laws.

After the N*zi party found out Landmesser was engaged to a Jewish woman, he was expelled from the party. But, it didn't end there.

When Landmesser and Eckler tried to file a marriage application in Hamburg, the union was denied under the newly enacted Nuremberg Laws.

~~~

The Nuremberg Laws cast a “dark shadow [which] remains an enduring testament to humanity’s capacity for cruelty,” wrote Baruch Adler, Vice Chair of The International March of the Living.

“They institutionalized racial discrimination and persecution against Jews, serving as a chilling precursor to the horrors of the Holocaust. However, beyond their historical significance, they offer a stark lesson for our contemporary world in the ongoing battle against racism and prejudice.”

The International March of the Living continues, “The Nuremberg Laws, consisting of the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor set out to strip Jews of their fundamental rights and dignity. These laws criminalized Jews’ participation in public life, engagement in German culture, and even their right to marry non-Jewish Germans. Essentially, the Nuremberg Laws relegated Jews to second-class citizenship and legitimized their persecution.

“The consequences of these laws were nothing short of catastrophic. Families were torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and a pervasive fear enveloped the Jewish community in Germany. These laws laid the foundation upon which the N*zi regime built its monstrous campaign of extermination, the Holocaust. The systematic genocide of six million Jews can be traced back to the dehumanization and persecution initiated by the Nuremberg Laws.”

“Custom and law are closely linked systems that affect how people act toward each other,” according to the Houston Holocaust Museum. “In both the post-Civil War United States and in N*zi Germany, the freedoms and rights of some groups of people were limited. Each country developed a system of racially based laws influenced by past customs and beliefs. These systems would dramatically shape history.

“Under each system, groups were targeted. They lost important political, economic and social rights. African Americans were the primary target under the U.S. system of Jim Crow laws . . . In contrast, Jewish people were the primary target under the Nuremberg Laws of N*zi Germany.”

Even today, many countries target similar groups.

~~~

According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

“Hitler was obsessed with race long before becoming Chancellor of Germany. His speeches and writings spread his belief that the world was engaged in an endless racial struggle. White Nordic people topped the racial hierarchy; Slavs, Blacks, and Arabs were lower, and Jews, who were believed to be an existential threat to the “Aryan Master race,” were at the very bottom. When the N*zis came to power, these beliefs became government ideology and were spread publicly in posters, radio, movies, classrooms and newspapers. They also served as a basis for a campaign to reorder German society, first through the exclusion of Jews from public life, then the murder of disabled Germans as well as Slavs and, ultimately, the effort to exterminate European Jewry.

“In order to make Jewish persecution publicly palatable, N*zi propagandists branded Jews as a biological threat to Germany. Government-sponsored racist propaganda was widely distributed denouncing Jews as “alien,” and “parasitic,” and responsible for Germany’s cultural, political, and economic “degeneration.” These words had an enormous effect, creating an environment in which persecution and violence were acceptable.”

“Prior to the war, the N*zis had focused on encouraging Jews to emigrate from the Greater German Reich through their antisemitic policies and actions,” according to The Weiner Holocaust Library. “By 1939 in Poland, the N*zis escalated their actions, and segregated and imprisoned Jews for future deportation. At this stage, the N*zis planned to deport Jews to Madagascar or lands further east. Later, in 1941, as both of these options were realised to be infeasible, the N*zis created extermination camps to liquidate the populations of the ghettos instead.”

~~~

In 1935, Landmesser and Eckler, amidst all the turmoil, would welcome their first daughter, Ingrid.

By this time, Landmesser was well informed about the N*zi party, and, so supposedly, on June 13, 1936, when given an opportunity to express his thoughts about Hitler and the N*zi party and what it was doing to his homeland, he decided to give his crossed-arm stance during Hitler's speech at the shipyard, to be captured forever in the iconic photograph, according to his daughter.

[The N*zi or Hitler salute debuted . . . as a way to pay homage to Adolf Hitler,” according to the Anti-Defamation League. “It consists of raising an outstretched right arm with the palm down . . . Since World War II, neo-N*zis and other white supremacists have continued to use the salute, making it the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world.”

“By 1934, it became mandatory, and special courts were established to punish those who refused, with penalties ranging from fines and intimidation to imprisonment in concentration camps,” according to the Weiner Holocaust Library.]

Landmesser became famous for the photograph showing him refusing to give the N*zi salute while surrounded by others who complied.

When the photo reemerged online as a meme, it was titled, “Be this Guy.”

~~~

In 1937, Landmesser decided N*zi Germany was no place to raise his family, he felt unsafe, and all the stories of violence against anyone who disagreed with "Der Führer" frightened him. He decided to flee to Denmark with his family, but he was detained at the border. He was accused of "dishonoring the race," or "racial infamy," under the Nuremberg Laws.

But, he refused to abandon his wife and child, ignoring N*zi wishes to end their relationship. He was arrested, sent to a N*zi concentration camp to serve three years.

He would never again see the woman he loved nor see his daughter(s) (his wife at the time was pregnant with a second child) grow up.

His wife was arrested by the Gestapo, giving birth to the couple's second child, Irene, in prison. Afterwards, she was sent to an all-women's concentration camp, then supposedly transferred in 1942 to what the N*zi's called a "euthanasia center" where she was murdered with 14,000 others.

Landmesser, lost without his wife and children, was released only to be drafted into war in 1944, where he was declared missing in action in Croatia and presumed dead.

The children of the couple would survive.

The photo of that moment in 1936 would lay unnoticed for nearly 55 years, until 1991, when a German newspaper republished the photograph, asking its readers whether anyone could identify the lone man in the picture.

During that time, one of the couple's daughters, Irene Eckler, had been researching her family, trying to gain an understanding of what happened to them. She and her sister had been separated, but had survived the war without their parents. She had found some information at Fasena, an educational site on the N*zi death camp at Auschwitz. She then saw the newspaper article and identified the photograph.

She would then publish her findings in a book titled, "Irene Eckler: A Family Torn Apart by Rassenschande (race disgrace)".

The picture would re-surface again after it was published by the Washington Post and then go viral online.

Writer Zoheb Alem in 2024 wrote:

“American poet E.E. Cummings once said, ‘To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight.’

“These words perfectly capture the story of August Landmesser, a courageous man who defied N*zi ideology for the love of his life.”.

~ jsr

The Jon S. Randal Peace Page

[pazzoincasamatta]

non farti cadere le braccia

[annasinthewalls]

Kendrick Lamar singing "be humble, sit down" when Trump attended the 2025 Super Bowl ║

A man (speculated to be August Landmesser) refusing to salute Hitler in 1936

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 13 June 1936, this photograph was taken at a rally for workers launching a new ship in Nazi Germany. The man circled, defiantly folding his arms rather than perform the Nazi salute is believed to be August Landmesser, a shipyard worker who fell in love with a Jewish woman. Landmesser was later imprisoned for the relationship and drafted into the army. During his military service he was killed in action, whereas his partner was murdered in the concentration camps. Learn more about German resistance to Nazism in our podcast episode 72. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or go to our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/72-edelweiss-pirates-swing-kids/ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=643610797812139&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[everythingismadeofchaos]

This is my list of (IMHO) genuinely heroic people. I keep this list so that when I'm feeling uninspired I can pick a name at random, look them up, and be inspired. My memory kinda sucks so I've usually forgotten about them in the interim so it's like hearing some inspiring story for the first time. Please feel free to use this list for that purpose or for whatever purpose helps you. This is a private thing I've been absent-mindedly curating for years, so it's a little discombobulated; maybe I should put it in alphabetical order, for example. Since it works for what I use it for, though, I've never had the need for that, although there may be some duplicates specifically because of that.

If you have any additions, I'd love to hear them.

If you know of a reason somebody should not be on here, I'd love to hear that too. There are some controversial choices here, some people I've hemmed and hawed about, but in the end they're still on the list.

In no particular order:

Einar Musæus Høigård

Charles Littlejohn

Rachel Corrie

Aaron Bushnell

Sophie Scholl

Irena Sendler

Eugeniusz Łazowski

Mary Schweitzer. I know who she is but I'm including her anyway. Takes guts to do what she did

Temar Boggs

Juan Pujol García

Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson

Robert Smalls

Temar Boggs

Henrietta Swan Leavitt

Aitzaz Hassan Bangash Shaheed. Might already be on here; I need to alphabetize this list

Sal Khan. Yeah, I'm including him

Irena Sendler

Neerja Bhanot

Iqbal Masih

Tank man

Stephen Ruth. The guy with the cameras. He's no tank man, but why not, he's on the list

Malala Yousafzai

Narendra Dabholkar

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Sophie Scholl

Charles Hazlitt Upham

Wang Weilin

John Rabe (? ... Kind of questionable for obvious reasons. He saved a couple hundred thousand Chinese people though. I don't know. He was what he was.)

Baron Jean Michel P.M.G. de Selys Longchamps, DFC

Aitzaz Hasan Bangash

Daniel Hale

Hannie Schaft

Reality Winner … I guess

Aki Ra

Norman Borlaug

Neil Armstrong

Stanislav Petrov

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov

William Kamkwamba

Donald A Henderson

Freddie Oversteegen

Daryl Davis and his collection of robes

Jacinto Convit

Sir Nicholas Winton

August Landmesser

Jonas Salk

Carl Lutz

Giorgio Perlasca

Derrick Nelson, principal of Westfield High School in New Jersey

Giles Corey

Chiune Sugihara

Sophie Scholl

Ronald McNair? Why not

Khader Adnan

Mordechai Vanunu

Corollary:

I'm not sure how to phrase "the opposite of this list," so I'm just going to call it the opposite of this list. Genuinely villainous people? Too easy, and honestly not what I'm going for. Anyway, I'm going to leave out the obvious like Hitler, Trump and Gaddafi because they're, well, obvious. Actually I'm not really sure what the goal of this list is so I'm just kind of winging it. People not to emulate?

Marvin Heemeyer

[anabluetz]

Finn Wittrock como August Landmesser y Victoria Pedretti como Irma Eckler | DETRÁS DE CÁMARAS de ORIGIN

[wingedalpacacupcake]

Of resilience and courage: August Landmesser and Rashida Tlaib

[filmdiagnostic]

Origin ★★★★★

Ava DuVernay's cinematic adaptation of the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents endeavours to bring Wilkerson's profound insights to a wider global audience. Leveraging her extensive experience in creating impactful documentaries like "13th" and "When They See Us," as well as her directorial prowess demonstrated in "Selma," DuVernay masterfully translates the book's narratives onto the screen.

One of the film's strengths lies in its ability to vividly portray pivotal moments in the history of resistance to oppression, transcending geographical boundaries. Through compelling scenes, viewers are introduced to characters like August Landmesser, whose defiance against the Nazi regime serves as a poignant example of individual resistance. Landmesser's story, alongside others like the undercover research conducted by Harvard anthropologists in Natchez, Mississippi, adds depth and context to Wilkerson's exploration of caste dynamics.

Furthermore, the film delves into the harrowing experiences of marginalized communities beyond the US, such as the Dalit caste in India. Through visceral scenes depicting the dehumanizing practices endured by the Dalit community, the film sheds light on the universality of caste-based discrimination and oppression.

One of the film's most compelling aspects is its exploration of Wilkerson's own journey as she delves deeper into the subject matter. As Wilkerson grapples with the complexities of caste systems, her revelations serve as a lens through which viewers gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of systemic oppression worldwide. Wilkerson's realization of the parallels between Jim Crow laws in the American South and the anti-Semitic policies of the Nazi regime underscores the film's central thesis: that caste is a pervasive and insidious force that transcends geographic and cultural boundaries.

By weaving together these diverse narratives with Wilkerson's personal insights, DuVernay crafts a multi-layered exploration of caste that resonates on both an emotional and intellectual level. Through its meticulous attention to historical detail and its powerful portrayal of individual experiences, the film offers a compelling examination of the enduring legacy of caste-based oppression and the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.

[millesbianforce]

In case anyone was wondering how terrible Christianity is right now, this is tomorrow's "inspirational" message on this Christian calendar my mom keeps in the bathroom

[Text: Long after acts of compliance are forgotten, acts of courage are pondered. Consider the bow famous photo of the man who refused to salute Hitler. No one captured the defiance of Mordecai on canvas. But the crossed arms of August Landmesser? Study the black and white photo taken at a 1936 Nazi rally in Hamburg, Germany, and you'll see him standing in a sea of Nazi loyalists. Hundreds of arms are extended in the "Sieg Heil" Except one.]

I cannot describe how sick I feel. Imagine being so fucking obsessed with victimizing yourself because people have the nerve to call out your deadly behavior that you compare your situation to one of the deadliest tragic genocides in human history. I'm beyond disgusted

[hetesiya]

Bu fotoğraf 13 Haziran 1936'da, Nazi Almanyası'nda yeni bir gemiyi denize indiren işçiler için düzenlenen bir törende çekildi.

Çember içine alınan kişi, Nazi selamı vermek yerine meydan okurcasına kollarını kavuşturan tersane işçisi August Landmesser. Yahudi bir kadına aşık olan August Landmesser, bu fotoğraftan bir süre sonra ilişkisi nedeniyle hapse atıldı ve ardından zorla orduya alındı ve bir çatışmada öldürüldü. Yahudi partneri ise toplama kamplarında katledildi.

[everwalldigan]

I haven’t seen this posted in the reblogs so as someone who grew up in the German schooling system, it’s not for nothing that this picture is very well known here.

[image description: a 1936 black and white picture of a crowd of people gathered to watch the launch of a new German navy vessel. Everyone in the crowd is doing the Nazi salute except one man (August Landmesser). His arms are crossed, refusing to do the Nazi salute. There is a red circle around him edited onto the picture to highlight him.]

dear usamerican high schoolers looking for a way to resist fascism: sit through the pledge of allegiance.

no getting up. no looking at the flag.

everyone will be looking at you. you'll be sweating like a fucking hippopotamus. your teacher will sternly tell you to get up. you'll feel stupid and that maybe its not worth it because you're just a kid in a classroom. but I'm here to remind you that there are no real life consequences to detention. there are however real life consequences to resisting a thoughtless performance of nationalism.

[nityarawal]

August Landmesser - Wikipedia

[meandmybigmouth]

In the top right-hand corner of the photograph, one man, believed to be August Landmesser, is not giving the Nazi salute like the rest of his colleagues. Landmesser was opposed to the Nazis and their racial worldview. His partner, Irma Eckler, was Jewish.

[anabluetz]

Finn Wittrock as August Landmesser in ORIGIN by Ava DuVernay

[avivas-mess]

It reminds me of this

From wiki:

August Landmesser (German: [ˈaʊ̯ɡʊst ˈlantˌmɛsɐ]; 24 May 1910 – 17 October 1944) is suggested to be the man appearing in a 1936 photograph conspicuously refusing to perform the Nazi salute.Landmesser had run afoul of the Nazi Party over his unlawful relationship with Irma Eckler, a Jewish woman.

my queen