Born in Reutlingen in the Kingdom of Württemberg as the son of a metal worker, he  joined the KJD, the German Communist Youth Party, in 1923, and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) in 1927.
He was born in Reutlingen, part of the Kingdom of Württemberg, to a metal worker. In 1923, he joined the KJD, the German Communist Youth Party, and in 1927, he became a member of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD).