August Bebel, Wilhelm Liebknecht, and Adolf Hepner,…

August Bebel, Wilhelm Liebknecht, and Adolf Hepner, falsely accused of being in league with the French and part of a conspiracy to free French prisoners of war held in Germany and to lead them in an attack from the rear, had been arrested for high treason, but no prosecution was possible for lack of evidence.

Not wanting to release such important opponents of the war effort, old charges of preaching dangerous doctrines and plotting against the state were levied against Bebel and Liebknecht in 187 2and are tried for high treason in Leipzig from March 11-26.

Hepner is acquitted while Bebel and Liebknecht are each sentenced to two years in a fortress.

Bebel will be confined in Schloss Hubertusburg from July 8, 1872, to April 1874, and Liebknecht from mid-June 1872, to April 15, 1874.