Westphal, Max

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Max Westphal was born in Hamburg on September 30, 1895, the son of a dockworker. After attending elementary school, he worked at the Hamburg branch of Benz & Co. AG, first as a messenger and then as a clerk. He was a member of the youth group of the Fortbildungsverein, a socialist youth group that was forbidden to engage in political activity. During World War I he was drafted and lost his left arm in an attack. After a long stay in hospital, he returned to Hamburg and married Alice Düsedau, who was also politically active.