Ernst Paul

Paul was born on 27 April 1897 in Steindorf, Bohemia, the son of Anton Paul and Anna Paul (née Tampe).^[1] His father was a weaver and the family lived in poverty.^[1] He attended volksschule in Riegersdorf 1903–1908.^[2] Between 1908 and 1911 he attended bürgerschule in Eulau.^[2]

After leaving school, Paul worked as a typesetter apprentice 1911–1915.^[2] Paul's mother died in 1912.^[1] In the same year he joined the Young Workers League of Austria.^[3] He became a SDAPÖ member in 1913.^[2]

During World War I he served as corporal in the Austro-Hungarian army.^[1] He fought at the Battles of the Isonzo and on the Eastern Front in Galicia, Bukovina and Romania.^[1] He was awarded a Medal for Bravery.^[2]

After his military service, he became a member of the German Social Democratic Workers Party in the Czechoslovak Republic (DSAP).^[3] He took part in founding of the Social Democratic Workers Youth League and served as chairman until 1920.^[2] In 1920 he moved to Teplitz-Schönau.^[2] Between 1920 and 1926 he served as chairman of the Socialist Youth League.^[2][3][4] He took part in the founding of the Socialist Youth International, and served as a member of its bureau between 1923 and 1932.^[2][4] In 1924 he moved to Prague.^[2] Between 1925 and 1938 he served as editor of the Prague-based newspaper Der Sozialdemokrat ('The Social Democrat').^[1][3] In 1930 he was named Educational Secretary of the party, later being named Central Secretary of DSAP.^[3] He served as vice chairman of the German Popular Education Institute.^[2] Moreover, Paul led the paramilitary wing of the party, Republikanische Bürgerwehr.^[1]