Horst Wessel
Horst Wessel (born September 9, 1907, Bielefeld, Germany—died February 23, 1930, Berlin) was a martyr of the German Nazi movement, celebrated in the song “Horst Wessel Lied,” which was adopted as an anthem by Nazi Germany.
A perennial student and low-life bohemian, Wessel joined the Nazi Party in 1926 and became a member of the SA (Storm Troopers). In 1930 political enemies, possibly Communists, killed him in a brawl in his room in the Berlin slums. Nazi propagandists, led by Joseph Goebbels, elevated him to martyrdom.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Horst Wessel
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
19 February 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026