Josef Friedrich Matthes

Josef Friedrich Matthes ( born February 10, 1886 in Würzburg, † October 9, 1943 in the Dachau concentration camp) was a political editor and Rhenish separatist. It was in 1923, " Prime Minister " of the Rhenish Republic.

Matthes lived from 1909 meanwhile in Switzerland and subsequently worked as an editor in Baden. After 1918 he was editor of the SPD newspaper in Aschaffenburg. In 1920 he was expelled from the SPD. In 1921 he was convicted of libel and insult to six months in prison because he had the mayor Matt Aschaffenburg food thrusts accused. It was followed by the escape to the then French occupied Wiesbaden, where he is " The Torch " served as editor of the magazine. Early 1923 he co-founded the " Rhenish independence federal " in Dusseldorf.

In Koblenz, the capital of the former Prussian Rhine Province, Matthes founded by Josef Smeets, Hans Adam Dorten and Leo Deckers on August 15, 1923, the " United Rheinische movement." In Aachen City Hall on October 21, 1923, occupied under the leadership of Leo Deckers and Dr. Guthardt and proclaimed in the local Imperial Hall, the "Free and Independent Republic Rhineland ". The French High Commissioner and President of the High Commission, Paul Tirard, recognized the rule of the separatists on 26 October as the legitimate government. Hans Adam Dorten and Matthes formed a " Cabinet ". Matthes as its designated chairman was " prime minister" of the Rhenish Republic.

The power of the new government was based mainly on the French occupiers and the " Rhineland- protection troops." A massive wave of looting by the protective forces led to resistance in the population. In Aegidienberg came on 15-16. November in clashes between the security force and resistance fighters 2 inhabitants and 14 separatists were killed. The events split the Koblenz leadership.

Josef Friedrich Matthes entered on November 27 from his " office " and went back to France. Matthes and his wife was denied despite the granted of 31 August 1924 London Agreement amnesty under bending the law to enter Germany, which Kurt Tucholsky in 1929 prompting to publish the essay " For Joseph Matthes ". Since 1930, Matthes worked as a journalist in Paris. He was extradited in 1941 after the surrender of France to Germany and died in 1943 in the Dachau concentration camp.