- Born May 23 1871 in Lörrach to her father, a businessman, and her mother who runs a guest house.
- In 1893 Käte moves to Leipzig where she teaches at an all girls’ school.
- She attends a political meeting which is addressed by Marxist theorist and activist Clara Zetkin.
- Käte attends evening classes organised by the Leipzig Workers’ Education League, where she meets Hermann.
- In 1899 their daughter, Hedwig, is born. Käte immerses herself in left wing politics, becoming a member of the SDP and then a party worker, [legally it only becomes permissible for women to participate in politics in 1908].
- In 1903 the couple’s second child, Karl, is born: Käte’s health collapses.
- In 1906 she releases a publication on child labour (“Die Kinderarbeit und ihre Bekämpfung”) and becomes deputy editor for women’s magazine “Die Gleichheit” (“Equality”).
- In 1909 their third child, Wolfgang, is born.
- 1910: Duncker is delegate at the International Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, where she delivers a presentation on motherhood and childcare.
- February 1940: Käte helps pioneer International Women’s Day.
- In 1940, the Dunckers’ eldest son, Karl, commits suicide, aged 37.
- 10 November 1948: the Red Cross inform the Dunckers their younger son has died.
- May 2 1953, Käte dies in Bernau.
- Born May 24 1874 in Hamburg to the son of a salesman.
- 1883 – 1891: Duncker attends secondary school in Göttingen.
- In 1893 he studies Musical science in Leipzig and becomes a member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party). After his studies, Duncker works in the editorial team of Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper.
- In 1898 Duncker marries Käte.
- 1911: Duncker teaches at the SPD’s central school.
- Immediately after the vote on war credits in the Reichstag, a group of SPD anti-militarist activists, including Duncker, meet at the home of Rosa Luxemburg to discuss future actions.
- They agree to campaign against the war but decide against forming a new party.
- After two years of war, opposition to the official party line grows inside the SPD.
- February 1916 the group establish an underground political organisation Spartakusbund (Spartacus League).
- May 1916: the Spartacus League decide to come out into the open and organise a demonstration against the First World War in Berlin. Almost ten thousand workers assemble in the square.
- December 1918: the Spartakusbund formally rename themselves the Communist Party of Germany (KPD).
- January 1919: the KPD, along with the Independent Socialists, join the Spartacist uprising. The government accuse the opposition of planning a general strike and communist revolution in Berlin.
- Freikorps crush the uprising; Luxemburg and Liebknecht are taken prisoner and killed in custody.
- February 1933: Duncker is arrested and imprisoned in Brandenburg jail.
- In November 1933 he is released but lives under intense police surveillance.
- 1937: Duncker emigrates to Great Britain, then France.
- 1949: until his death, Duncker is Director of the Trade Union high school “Fritz Heckert” in Bernau.
- June 22 1960 Duncker dies in Bernau near Berlin.
