Max Barthel (born 17 November 1893 in Loschwitz, Dresden – died 17 June 1975 in Waldbröl) was a German writer.
A factory worker, Barthel was a member of the socialist youth movement; he was a World War I frontline soldier from 1914 to 1918.
In 1920 he accepted a personal invitation from Karl Radek to travel to Moscow and attend the 2nd World Congress of the Comintern in 1920.
He drew closer to Nazism after the seizure of power; he was a reporter on Strength Through Joy trips, and a press correspondent during the war.
In a tone of resignation, Barthel titled his postwar autobiography Kein Bedarf an Weltgeschichte (No Need for World History; 1950).