Gustav Landauer

Gustav Landauer (German: [ˈlandaʊɐ]; 7 April 1870 – 2 May 1919) was a German anarchist writer and revolutionary. As one of the leading theorists of anarchism in Germany at the turn of the 20th century, he advocated a form of libertarian socialism that rejected both capitalism and Marxist historical materialism. Landauer's philosophy synthesized anarchism with romanticism, mysticism, and a non-racist, communitarian interpretation of völkisch thought, emphasizing spiritual renewal and the creation of decentralized, autonomous communities. He briefly served as Commissioner for Enlightenment and Public Instruction in the Bavarian Soviet Republic in 1919 before he was assassinated by Freikorps soldiers.