Horst Ludwig Wessel (October 9, 1907 – February 23, 1930) was a German Nazi Party activist and an SA-Sturmführer who was made a martyr of the Nazi movement following his violent death in 1930. He was the author of the lyrics to the song "Die Fahne hoch" ("The Flag On High"), usually known as "Horst-Wessel-Lied", which became the Nazi Party anthem and, de facto, Germany's co-national anthem from 1933 to 1945. His death also resulted in his becoming the "patron" for the Luftwaffe's 26th Destroyer Wing and the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division during World War II.