The same year he joined the sozialistische Arbeiterjugend, a socialist youth organisation.
After he became editor of the Erlanger Volksblatt in 1923, he was elected the first chairman of Erlangen's SPD one year later.
In April he was released due to the inauguration of the Bavarian Landtag, which he became member of after its recreation.
[citation needed] On 6 August 1945 Poeschke was elected 2. mayor of Erlangen.
One year later, on 4 September 1946, he became Erlangen's mayor and thus the successor of Anton Hammerbacher.