Thousands rally in Berlin to commemorate founders of German Communist Party

Thousands remember German communist party founders

BERLIN — Thousands of people held a rally in east Berlin to pay tribute to the founders of the German Communist Party.

Organizers say some 9,000 people gathered at Friedrichsfelde cemetery to mark the 91st anniversary of the deaths of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, who were killed Jan. 15, 1919, by right-wing militiamen during a failed uprising.

The commemoration rally is traditionally held on the second Sunday of each year. It was started in the former East Germany and was revived in 1992 by the ex-communist Party of Democratic Socialism, now known as The Left party, after a merger with a group of disgruntled Social Democrats.