Socialist Workers' Party of Germany
Born in Hameln as the son of a shoemaker, Walter Ballhause moved with his family to Hannover in 1919. He was a member of the socialist organization Socialist Youth of Germany – Falcons and of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. In 1931 he and Otto Brenner founded the local group of the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany in Hannover. From then on Ballhause started to make photographs in a social environment. In 1933 he was arrested for a short time for political reasons. From 1934 to 1941 he took classes in Hannover as chemical technician and he moved 1941 to Plauen, where he worked as the head of the labs of the company Vomag. Ballhause was arrested again in 1944 and was freed on 17 April 1945 by American soldiers of the 89th Infantry Division. Ballhause was mayor of Strassberg (Plauen) from 1947 and founded the local group of the KPD. He worked in Plauen and retired in 1971.