following the assassination of leo jogiches, paul levi became the kpd leader. other prominent members included clara zetkin, paul frölich, hugo eberlein, franz mehring, august thalheimer, and ernst meyer. levi led the party away from the policy of immediate revolution, in an effort to win over spd and uspd voters and trade union officials. these efforts were rewarded when a substantial section of the uspd joined the kpd, making it a mass party for the first time.