serviceyears death_date death_place birth_place allegiance party name birth_date rank image article_title birth_name
1926 -- 30 23 february 1930 friedrichshain , germany bielefeld , westphalia , germany sturmabteilung -lrb- `` storm detachment '' ; sa -rrb- german national socialist german workers party -lrb- nsdap -rrb- 1926-33 national people 's party -lrb- dnvp -rrb- 1922-26 horst wessel 09 october 1907 sa - '' sturmführer '' bundesarchiv bild 146-1978-043-14 , horst wessel.jpg horst wessel
 horst ludwig georg erich wessel
horst wessel

horst ludwig georg erich wessel -lrb- 9 october 1907 -- 23 february 1930 -rrb- was a nazi party -lrb- nsdap -rrb- activist known for writing the lyrics to the `` horst-wessel-lied '' .
his death in 1930 was used by the party for propaganda purposes .
wessel first joined the german national people 's party -lrb- dnvp -rrb- , but by 1926 was removed for being too extremist .
he then joined the nsdap , where he wrote songs for nazi events .
he rose to command several sa squads and districts .
on 14 january 1930 , he was shot in the head by two members of the communist party of germany -lrb- kpd -rrb- .
albrecht höhler was arrested and charged with his murder .
he was initially sentenced to six years in prison , but was executed after the nazis came to power .
wessel 's funeral was given wide attention in berlin , with many of the nazi elite in attendance .
after his death , he became a major propaganda symbol and martyr .
his name was used for several civilian and military purposes during the time of the third reich .
