author
August Bebel
1840–1913
A master turner who taught himself politics, he became one of the defining voices of German socialism and helped build the movement that grew into the Social Democratic Party. His speeches, organizing, and writing made him a central figure in the workers’ movement for more than forty years.
5 Audiobooks
Charles Fourier: Sein Leben und seine Theorien.
by August Bebel
Woman and Socialism
by August Bebel
Woman under socialism
by August Bebel
Aus meinem Leben — Erster Teil
by August Bebel
Aus meinem Leben — Zweiter Teil
by August Bebel
About the author
Born near Cologne on February 22, 1840, he trained as a turner and came of age in the world of German workers’ associations and self-education. That practical background shaped his politics: he spoke plainly, organized tirelessly, and rose from artisan roots to become one of the best-known socialist leaders in Europe.
He was a cofounder of the movement that became Germany’s Social Democratic Party, and for decades he served as one of its most influential public figures. Alongside his political work, he was also a writer whose books and speeches helped spread socialist ideas far beyond parliament.
His best-known book in English is Woman and Socialism, which argued that women’s equality was tied to broader social change. He died in Switzerland on August 13, 1913, but his life remained closely associated with the growth of modern social democracy in Germany.