He joined the German Peace Society but, too, enlisted
In World War I, an engineer on the Western Front,
Where Germans with long range artillery did their damnedest
To take Paris, then stalled out in France, and shunted
All efforts to dislodge them. Ossietzky, after the war,
Became a full-time writer and peace activist.
He felt the foundation for lasting peace must draw
On gaining control of the arms industry. His gist
Was to focus writing articles as editor for Die Weltbuhne
Against anti-Semitism, and when political leaders were found
To have had opponents murdered, the paper reported them,
Which lead to libel charges and trial for treason.
Shortly after his jailing and release, he was sent to a camp
Where, forced into hard labor, he began to lose his reason.
June Edvenson 