Jan Appel

Jan Appel (1890-1985) was a German left-communist activist and council communist theorist. He was a prominent figure in the Communist Workers Party of Germany (KAPD) and later the General Workers' Union of Germany (AAUD), organizations that broke away from the German Communist Party (KPD) due to their dissatisfaction with its increasingly parliamentarian and centralized approach.

Appel was a skilled agitator and orator, particularly active among dockworkers in Hamburg. He played a significant role in organizing strikes and demonstrations during the tumultuous years of the Weimar Republic.

Theoretically, Appel is known for his contributions to the development of council communism. He emphasized the importance of workers' councils (Räte) as the organs of a future communist society, rejecting both state-controlled socialism and traditional forms of trade unionism. His ideas were influenced by the experiences of the Russian Revolution and the failure of the German Revolution of 1918-19. He believed the revolution should be led by workers self-organizing into councils within the workplace, rather than by a political party.

After the rise of Nazism, Appel was forced to flee Germany. He spent the war years in the Netherlands, where he continued his political activities in clandestine groups. Following World War II, he remained involved in the council communist movement, contributing to theoretical discussions and analyses of contemporary capitalism. His writings, although less widely known than those of some of his contemporaries, are considered important contributions to the council communist tradition.