Anton Saefkow (15 October 1903 – 18 July 1944) was a German Communist politician and anti‑Nazist resistance activist. He is most notably remembered for his role as a leading member of the Saefkow‑Jacob‑Bästlein group, one of the largest underground networks opposing the Third Reich.
Early life and education
Anton Saefkow was born in Groß Silkow, Pomerania (then part of the German Empire, now Słupsk County, Poland). He attended elementary school and later worked as a clerk. In the early 1920s he became involved with the workers’ movement and joined the Communist Party of Germany (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD).
Political activity
During the Weimar Republic Saefkow held several party positions at the local and regional levels. After the Nazis seized power in 1933, he continued underground communist work, distributing illegal literature and organizing resistance cells. In 1935 he was arrested by the Gestapo and sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for “high treason” (Hochverrat). He served his term at the Brandenburg-Görden prison.
Resistance work
Following his release from prison in 1942, Saefkow resumed clandestine activities. He became a central organizer of the Saefkow‑Jacob‑Bästlein group, which coordinated sabotage, intelligence gathering, and the distribution of anti‑Nazi leaflets in Berlin and surrounding areas. The network sought to unify various left‑wing resistance groups and to prepare for a post‑Nazi government.
Arrest and execution
In February 1944 the Gestapo infiltrated the group, leading to the arrest of Saefkow and several co‑leaders, including Franz Jacob and Bernhard Bästlein. After a show trial conducted by the Volksgerichtshof (People’s Court), Saefkow was sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging at Plötzensee Prison in Berlin on 18 July 1944.
Legacy
Anton Saefkow is commemorated in Germany as a martyr of the anti‑fascist resistance. Streets, schools, and memorial plaques bear his name, particularly in Berlin and the former East German states. His diaries and letters, preserved after the war, provide valuable primary sources on underground resistance activities during the Nazi era.