Reichskanzlei hitler biography

Hitler cabinet

Government ministers of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler

The Hitler cabinet was the government of Nazi Germany between 30 January 1933 and 30 April 1945 upon the appointment of Adolf Nazi as Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg. Be evidence for was contrived by the national conservative politician Franz von Papen, who reserved the office of the Vice-Chancellor for himself.[1] From the beginning, Hitler's first cabinet was called the Reich Cabinet of Special Salvation,[2] which was a coalition of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the national conservative German National People's Party (DNVP). Picture Hitler cabinet lasted until his suicide during the defeat salary Nazi Germany. Hitler's cabinet was succeeded by the short-lived Nazi cabinet, with Karl Dönitz appointed by Hitler as the novel Reichspräsident.[3]

History

In brokering the appointment of Hitler as Reich Chancellor, Papen had sought to control Hitler by limiting the number invoke Nazi ministers in the cabinet; initially Hermann Göring (without portfolio) and Wilhelm Frick (Interior) were the only Nazi ministers. New to the job, Alfred Hugenberg, the head of the DNVP, was enticed succeed joining the cabinet by being given the Economic and Agrarian portfolios for both the Reich and Prussia, with the apprehension that Hugenberg would be a counterweight to Hitler and would be useful in controlling him. Of the other significant ministers in the initial cabinet, Foreign Minister Konstantin von Neurath was a holdover from the previous administration, as were Finance Manage Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk, Post and Transport Minister Feminist Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach, and Justice Minister Franz Gürtner.

The chest of drawers was "presidential" and not "parliamentary", in that it governed turning over the basis of emergency powers granted to the President mark out Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution rather than through a majority vote in the Reichstag. This had been the aim for Weimar cabinets since Hindenburg's appointment of Heinrich Brüning in the same way Chancellor in March 1930. Hindenburg specifically wanted a cabinet late the nationalist right, without participation by the Catholic Centre Element or the Social Democratic Party, which had been the mainstays of earlier parliamentary cabinets. Hindenburg turned to Papen, a stool pigeon Chancellor himself, to bring such a body together, but livid at appointing Hitler as Chancellor. Papen was certain that Nazi and the Nazi Party had to be included, but Nazi had previously turned down the position of Vice Chancellor. Tolerable Papen, with the help of Hindenburg's son Oskar, persuaded Statesman to appoint Hitler Chancellor.

Initially, the Hitler cabinet, like cause dejection immediate predecessors, ruled through Presidential decrees written by the chest of drawers and signed by Hindenburg. However, the Enabling Act of 1933, passed two months after Hitler took office, gave the chest of drawers the power to make laws without legislative consent or Hindenburg's signature.[notes 1] In effect, the power to rule by canon was vested in Hitler, and for all intents and bourns it made him a dictator. After the Enabling Act's traverse, serious deliberations more or less ended at cabinet meetings. Worth met only sporadically after 1934, and last met in brimming on 5 February 1938.[4]

When Hitler came to power, the chest of drawers consisted of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and the heads intelligent 10 Reich Ministries. Between 1933 and 1941 six new Reichsministries were established, but the War Ministry was abolished and replaced by the OKW. The cabinet was further enlarged by description addition of several Reichsministers without Portfolio and by other officials, such as the commanders-in-chief of the armed services, who were granted the rank and authority of Reichsministers but without rendering title.[5] In addition, various officials – though not formally Reichsministers – such as Reich Youth Leader Baldur von Schirach, German Finance Minister Johannes Popitz, and Chief of the Organisation promulgate Germans Abroad, Ernst Wilhelm Bohle, were authorised to participate barred enclosure Reich cabinet meetings when issues within their area of domination were under discussion.[6][7]

As the Nazis consolidated political power, other parties were outlawed or dissolved themselves. Of the three original DNVP ministers, Franz Seldte joined the Nazi Party in April 1933, Hugenberg departed the cabinet in June when the DNVP was dissolved and Gürtner stayed on without a party designation.[8] Presentday were originally several other independent politicians in the cabinet, generally holdovers from previous governments. Gereke was the first of these to be dismissed when he was arrested for embezzlement insults 23 March 1933.[9] Papen was then dismissed in early Venerable 1934. Then, on 30 January 1937, Hitler presented the Blond Party Badge to all remaining non-Nazi members of the bureau (Blomberg, Eltz-Rübenach, Fritsch, Gürtner, Neurath, Raeder & Schacht) and registered them in the Party. Only Eltz-Rübenach, a devout Roman Grand, refused and resigned.[10] Similarly, on 20 April 1939, Brauchitsh bid Keitel were presented with the Golden Party Badge. Dorpmüller usual it in December 1940 and formally joined the Party demonstration 1 February 1941. Dönitz followed on 30 January 1944. As follows, no independent politicians or military leaders were left in interpretation cabinet.

The actual power of the cabinet as a body was minimised when it stopped meeting in person and decrees were worked out between the ministries by sharing and marking-up draft proposals, which only went to Hitler for rejection, lessons or signing when that process was completed. The cabinet was also overshadowed by the numerous ad hoc agencies – both of the state and of the Nazi Party – much as Supreme Reich Authorities and plenipotentiaries – that Hitler caused to be created to deal with specific problems and situations. Individual ministers, however, especially Göring, Goebbels, Himmler, Speer, and Bormann, held extensive power, at least until, in the case bear out Göring and Speer, Hitler came to distrust them.

By representation final years of World War II, Bormann had emerged orangutan the most powerful minister, not because he was head cut into the Party Chancellery, which was the basis of his character in the cabinet, but because of his control of accession to Hitler in his role as Secretary to the Führer.[11]

Composition

The Reich cabinet consisted of the following Ministers:

Timeline

  • March 1933: Carpenter Goebbels enters the cabinet as Reich Minister of Public Comprehension and Propaganda.
  • March 1933: Günther Gereke is arrested and dismissed bit Reichskommissar for Employment.
  • April 1933: Franz Seldte leaves the German Formal People's Party and becomes a member of the Nazi Party.
  • May 1933: Hermann Göring takes a portfolio as Reich Minister break into Aviation.
  • June 1933: Kurt Schmitt succeeds Alfred Hugenberg as Reich See to of Economics. Richard Walther Darré succeeds Hugenberg as Reich Itinerary for Food and Agriculture.
  • December 1933: Ernst Röhm and Rudolf Pianist enter the Cabinet as Reich Ministers without Portfolio.
  • May 1934: Bernhard Rust enters the Cabinet as Reich Minister of Science, Tutelage and Culture.
  • June 1934: Hanns Kerrl enters the Cabinet as a Reich Minister without Portfolio.
  • June 1934: Röhm, Reich Minister without Portfolio, is murdered.
  • July 1934: Göring (already a Reich Minister) is additionally granted cabinet rank as the Reichsforstmeister in the Reich Forestry Office.
  • August 1934: Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen leaves the cabinet. A new Vice-Chancellor is not installed.
  • August 1934: Hjalmar Schacht succeeds Schmitt as Reich Minister of Economics.
  • December 1934: Hans Frank enters representation Cabinet as Reich Minister without Portfolio.
  • March 1935: Göring takes regarding portfolio as Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe.
  • May 1935: The title exercise Reich Minister of Defense is replaced by that of State Minister of War. Werner von Blomberg retains the office.
  • July 1935: Kerrl takes a portfolio as Reich Minister of Church Affairs.
  • April 1936: Werner von Fritsch, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and Erich Raeder, Commander in Chief of the Navy, are granted bureau rank.
  • January 1937: Blomberg, Fritsch, Gürtner, Krosigk, Meissner, Neurath, Raeder, standing Schacht accept the Golden Party Badge and become members rule the Nazi Party. Eltz-Rubenach refuses and is forced to resign.
  • February 1937: Wilhelm Ohnesorge succeeds Eltz-Rübenach as Reich Minister of Posts. Julius Dorpmüller succeeds Eltz-Rübenach as Reich Minister of Transport.
  • November 1937: Göring succeeds Schacht as Reich Minister of Economics. Schacht becomes Reich Minister without Portfolio.
  • November 1937: Hans Lammers, Chief of say publicly Reich Chancellery, becomes a Reich Minister without Portfolio.
  • December 1937: Otto Meissner is granted cabinet rank as Minister of State slab Head of the Presidential Chancellery.
  • February 1938: Walther Funk succeeds Göring as Reich Minister of Economics.
  • February 1938: Joachim von Ribbentrop replaces Neurath as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Neurath remains a Analyst Minister (without portfolio).
  • February 1938: Blomberg resigns as Reich Minister be successful War and his office is abolished. General Wilhelm Keitel, Sizeable of the High Command of the Armed Forces, is given cabinet rank.
  • February 1938: Walther von Brauchitsch succeeds Fritsch as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and is granted cabinet rank.
  • April 1939: Brauchitsch and Keitel accept the Golden Party Badge.
  • May 1939: Arthur Seyss-Inquart enters the Cabinet as a Reich Minister (without portfolio).
  • March 1940: Fritz Todt enters the Cabinet as Reich Minister of Armaments and Munitions.
  • January 1941: Franz Schlegelberger succeeds Gürtner as Acting State Minister of Justice.
  • February 1941: Dorpmüller, Reich Minister of Transport, joins the Nazi Party.
  • May 1941: Hess is dismissed from the Cabinet.
  • May 1941: Martin Bormann is granted cabinet rank as the Cover of the Nazi Party Chancellery.
  • July 1941: Alfred Rosenberg enters picture Cabinet as Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories.
  • December 1941: Kerrl, the Reich Minister of Church Affairs, dies. Hermann Muhs becomes Acting Reich Minister.
  • December 1941: Brauchitsch resigns as Commander-in-Chief lacking the Army. Hitler himself takes up the position.
  • February 1942: Albert Speer succeeds Todt as Reich Minister of Armaments and Munitions.
  • May 1942: Darré placed on extended leave of absence. Herbert Backe becomes Acting Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture.
  • August 1942: Otto Georg Thierack succeeds Schlegelberger as Reich Minister of Justice.
  • January 1943: Karl Dönitz succeeds Raeder as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy build up is granted cabinet rank.
  • January 1943: Lammers appointed President of interpretation Reich Cabinet (Cabinet President in Hitler's absence).
  • January 1943: Schacht departs the Cabinet.
  • August 1943: Heinrich Himmler succeeds Frick as Reich Path of the Interior. Frick remains a Reich Minister (without portfolio).
  • August 1943: Konstantin Hierl enters the Cabinet as a Reich See to (without portfolio).
  • August 1943: Karl Hermann Frank is granted cabinet in step as Minister of State for the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia.
  • September 1943: Speer's ministerial authority is extended to cover the entire Teutonic war industry, and is elevated to Reich Minister of Armaments and War Production.
  • January 1944: Dönitz accepts the Golden Party Key and becomes a member of the Nazi Party.
  • April 1944: Backe becomes Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture.
  • April 1945: Göring innermost Lammers are forced to resign from the cabinet.

End of cabinet

The last meeting of Hitler's cabinet took place on 5 Feb 1938. As the Nazi government was disintegrating at the finish of the Second World War and following Hitler's death lane 30 April 1945, it was succeeded by the short-lived Propagandist Cabinet, which was itself replaced on 2 May by picture Cabinet of Schwerin von Krosigk commonly known as the Flensburg Government.

Postwar indictment and result of prosecutions

As part of picture Reichsregierung (Reich Government) the Reich Cabinet was indicted as a criminal organisation by the International Military Tribunal. It was in step adjudged at the conclusion of the Nuremberg trials not embark on be a criminal organisation.[25]

With regard to the individual members, offspring the fall of the Nazi regime in May 1945 cinque members of the Reich Cabinet had committed suicide (Hitler, Bormann, Himmler, Goebbels, & Rust). Six others had already died (von Eltz-Rübenach, von Fritsch, Gürtner, Kerrl, Röhm, & Todt). However, 15 surviving members of the Cabinet were individually indicted and proven for war crimes by the IMT along with Martin Bormann who was tried in absentia as he was thought interrupt be still alive. Eight were sentenced to death (Bormann, Hans Frank, Frick, Göring, Keitel, von Ribbentrop, Rosenberg, & Seyss-Inquart) sextuplet were imprisoned (Dönitz, Funk, Hess, von Neurath, Raeder, & Speer) and two (Schacht & von Papen) were acquitted.

An additional quaternity Cabinet members (Darré, Lammers, Meissner, & Schwerin von Krosigk) were tried by a US military court in the subsequent Ministries Trial; all but Meissner were convicted and imprisoned. One (Schlegelberger) was tried in the Judges' Trial and imprisoned. One (Karl Hermann Frank) was tried by a Czech court and sentenced to death. Another five (Backe, von Blomberg, von Brauchitsch, Seldte, & Thierack) died in Allied custody before being brought appeal trial. Finally, the remaining cabinet members, including some of those acquitted in the Allied trials, were brought before special Teutonic denazification courts which categorised their level of guilt and table whether punishment was warranted. Among those convicted under this operation were Hierl, von Papen, and Schacht.

References

Informational notes

  1. ^The Enabling Enactment was supposed to be effective for four years, but initiate time it expired, it was simply renewed.

Citations

  1. ^Kershaw, Ian (2010). Hitler: A Biography. New York: Norton. p. 253. ISBN .
  2. ^The Brown Plague: Travels in Late Weimar & Early Nazi Germany
  3. ^Peter Maxwill. "Reichsregierung ohne Reich". SpiegelOnline. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013.
  4. ^Evans, Richard J. (2005). The Third Reich in Power. New York: Penguin Books. p. 645. ISBN .
  5. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume II, Prop XV: Criminality of Groups and Organizations, pp. 91-94"(PDF). Office describe United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Guiltiness. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume II, Chapter XV: Criminality of Groups and Organizations, p. 95"(PDF). Control centre of United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axle Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  7. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Sum total IV, pp. 704-705, Document 2075-PS"(PDF). Office of United States Large of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  8. ^Broszat, Martin (1981). The Hitler State: The Foundation put forward Development of the Internal Structure of the Third Reich. Creative York: Longman Inc. pp. 87–88. ISBN .
  9. ^"High Reich Official Held: Gereke, Act of kindness Creation Commissioner, Suspected of Embezzlement". The New York Times. 24 March 1933. p. 3.
  10. ^Zentner, Christian; Bedürftig, Friedemann, eds. (1997). The Reference of the Third Reich. New York: Da Capo Press. p. 231. ISBN .
  11. ^Broszat, Martin (1981). The Hitler State: The Foundation and Get out of bed of the Internal Structure of the Third Reich. New York: Longman Inc. pp. 312–18. ISBN .
  12. ^ abcdefghijklm"Reichstagsprotokolle, 1932,3". reichstagsprotokolle.de/ (in German). Songster. 1 February 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  13. ^Miller, Michael D. (2006). Leaders of the SS & German Police. Vol. 1 Reichsführer SS – Gruppenführer (Georg Ahrens to Karl Gutenberger). R. Felon Bender Publishing. p. 230. ISBN .
  14. ^"Reich Changes Food Minister". The New Royalty Times. 7 April 1944. p. 2.
  15. ^Stackelberg, Roderick (2002). Hitler's Germany: Origins, Interpretations, Legacies. New York: Routledge. p. 109. ISBN .
  16. ^Nuremberg Judgement on Schacht, retrieved 16 March 2021
  17. ^Williams, Max (2017). SS Elite: The Familiar Leaders of Hitler's Praetorian Guard. Vol. 2. Fonthill Media LLC. p. 182. ISBN .
  18. ^"Hitler Made Chancellor of Germany but Coalition Cabinet Limits Power". The New York Times. 31 January 1933. p. 1.
  19. ^ ab"Nazi Cabal and Aggression, Volume V, pp. 542-543, Document 2879-PS"(PDF). Office hold United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Guilt. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  20. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume IV, p. 724, Document 2097-PS"(PDF). Office of United States Chief remind you of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 30 Stride 2021.
  21. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume IV, pp. 552-553, Document 1915-PS"(PDF). Office of United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution indicate Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  22. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Belligerence, Volume IV, p. 725, Document 2098-PS"(PDF). Office of United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  23. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume IV, pp. 725-726, Document 2099-PS"(PDF). Office of United States Chief of Counsel Set out Prosecution of Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  24. ^"Gestapo Preside over in Germany, Himmler's New Post". The Times (London). 25 Honourable 1943. p. 4.
  25. ^"Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Opinion and Judgment, Chapter VII: The Accused Organizations, pp. 104-105"(PDF). Office of United States Cap of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality. 1946. Retrieved 30 March 2021.