Karl Eberhard (15.5.1884 Augsburg – 23.2.1948 Munich)

Karl Eberhard trained as a gardener and from 1922 was employed at the Munich employment office. In 1919 he joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), from 1926 on he was a member of the ‘Reichsbanner’ (unarmed World War I veterans’ and trade unionists’ organization supporting the SPD). On March 11, 1933, two days after Nazis seized power in Bavaria, he was arrested along with other ‘Reichsbanner’ members in the Munich employment office in a combined operation of the Storm Battalion (SA) and police and held in 'protective custody' in Munich-Stadelheim Prison March 11-14, 1933. Before his release he had to sign a declaration stating that he was asking to be released, because he believed he was able to protect himself, that he knew that he was in ‘protective custody’ for his personal protection, and that he could return at any time if he believed he could no longer protect himself. In 1945 he was re-employed by the Munich employment office. In December 1946 the works council of the employment office commissioned him to write a memoir entitled "Der Kampf ums Arbeitsamt" (The Battle for the Employment Office) as part of the ‘Spruchkammerverfahren’ (civilian court proceedings handling denazification).