Hecker

Hecker, FRIEDRICH KARL FRANZ, a leader of the democratic party in the German revolution of 1848, was born at Eichtersheim, Baden, September 28, 1811. After studying law in Heidelberg, he became in 1838 advocate of the supreme court in Mannheim. But in 1842 he abandoned his profession for political life, joining the democratic and socialistic party, of which he speedily became one of the recognised heads. On the outbreak of the revolution in 1848 he endeavoured to convert the preliminary convention (Das Vorparlament) into a permanent republican assembly. But, frustrated in this attempt, he put himself at the head of a band of revolutionists, and invaded Baden from the south; he was, however, defeated at Kandern (20th April), and fled to Switzerland. In the following year he settled in America as a farmer near Belleville, in Illinois. On the outbreak of the civil war he raised a regiment of Germans, and afterwards for a time commanded a brigade. He died at St Louis, 24th March 1881.