He worked for a Health insurance fund and became the editor of the Königsberger Volkszeitung (1904–1906), the Danzig Volkswacht (1906–1912) and the Schwäbische Tagwacht in Stuttgart (1912–1914).

He became part of the innermost circle of the SPD's left wing, which was then called the Gruppe Internationale, the International Group, but which later became the Spartacus League, and which was led by Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and Clara Zetkin.

Crispien openly showed his support for him and was dismissed as editor-in-chief of the Schwäbische Tageswacht and came into conflict with Friedrich Ebert who later became the first president of the Weimar Republic.

When the Communist Party of Germany, KPD, was formed in December 1918 by Luxemburg and Liebknecht, Crispien remained in the USPD bloc.

In 1920, he led a delegation of the USPD to the 2nd World Congress of the Communist International but refused to accept Lenin's conditions for participation in the Comintern.

[9] On 30 January 1933 the Nazi seizure of power commenced, when President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor, who immediately urged the dissolution of the Reichstag and the calling of new elections.

Before the election, Nazi stormtroopers unleashed an extensive campaign of violence against members of the Communist Party, trade unions and the SPD.

As party leader of the SPD and former war opponent and member of Spartacus League, there were rumors after the election that Crispien was high on SA's list and that they wanted to arrest him and hang him at the Brandenburg Gate.