Adolf Dethmann (born 3 December 1896, Neumünster; died 6 August 1979, Hamburg) was a German engineer, social scientist and communist activist and industrial manager. Adolf Dethmann was a son of Hans Peter Adolf Dethmann (born 20 February 1865 in Meldorf) and his wife Katharina Henriette (Henny), (born Boysen on 8 December 1870 in Flensburg; died 1 October 1952 in Heikendorf). Dethmann was active in the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), editing the journal Spartakus - the KPD journal for Schleswig-Holstein in March 1919. However he was thrown out of the party following the Heidelberg conference in October 1919, and became a founder member of the Communist Workers Party of Germany (KAPD) when that was founded in April 1920.