Lohstöter, Jürgen, 1947- 2006

Jurgen Lohstöter was born on December 23rd 1947 in Hamburg. He became interested in anarchist ideas from an early age and in 1969 meetings were held in the basement of his parents’ house, attended by among others, old comrades from the pre- and post-war period, When organisations along the lines of the French Organisation Revolutionnaire Anarchiste were being set up throughout Europe in the early 70s, Jurgen was involved in founding the German Organisation Revolutionärer Anarchisten in 1972 (similar developments took place in Britain, Denmark and Italy). He served on its international secretariat. He was involved in local struggles against the building of the Ottensen bypass. He also contributed to Otto Reimers’ anarchist magazine Zeitgeist.

In 1977 he joined the local branch of the recently formed Freie Arbeiter Union (FAU) in Hamburg, and was active in it, as far as it was possible, up to his death. A debilitating kidney disease put him out of action for long periods and he had to have two kidney transplants. He trained to work in merchant shipping but lack of work there meant he had to work in a large insurance company as a temp or a travelling salesman. He was valued within the FAU branch for his lack of personal vanity and his sound advice during internal discussions, particularly on international matters.

He died on 9th September 2006 of a heart attack at the age of 58.

Many thanks to Sally, who contacted libcom and provided us with a photograph