Career
Karl was an anti-militarist activist during the First World War, but was arrested for his actions. On 16 November 1918 he signed the Appeal published by the Antinational Socialist Party. In 1930 he met Ellen Kroner with whom he worked closely with, marrying her in 1939.
Following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Otten first went to Spain and fought in the Spanish Revolution.
Following its defeat he went to London, where he wrote 120 radio broadcasts for the British Broadcasting Corporation. He went blind in 1944 and later moved to Switzerland. The Ellen Otten Family Papers (Leo Baeck Institute, New York) contain much information about Karl Otten.
