AUSWÄRTIGES AMT
(Foreign Office)
NEURATH, Dr.h.c. Constantin Freiherr von
(1873 - 1956)
Reichsminister / SS-Obergruppenführer / Reichsprotektor / Hauptmann d.R. a.D.:
Born: 2. Feb. 1873 in Klein Glattbach / Württemberg.
Died: 14. or 15. Aug. 1956 on von Neurath family estate, Leinfelderhof, Enzweihingen.
NSDAP-Nr.: 3 805 222
SS-Nr.: 287 680
SS Promotions:
SS-OGruf.: 21. Jun. 1943; SS-Gruf.: 18. Sep. 1937 (entered SS that date).
Assignments:
On extended leave: 25. Aug. 1943 - May 1945.
Reichsprotektor Böhmen und Mähren (HQ: Prague): 18. Mar. 1939 - 25. Aug. 1943.
Reichsaußenminister (Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs): 2. Jun. 1932 - 4. Feb. 1938 (dismissed by Hitler).
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by International Military Tribunal, Nuremberg, and found guilty of all four counts of the tribunal's charter. Sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Due to health reasons, he was released from Spandau Prison, Nov. 1954.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I
1914 II
KVK I ohne Schw.
KVK II ohne Schw.
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Landesorden
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Ehrendegen des RF SS / Totenkopfring der SS
(Photo courtesy of R. J. Bender)
RIBBENTROP, Joachim von
(1893 - 1946)
Reichsminister/SS-Obergruppenfuhrer/M.d.R.:
Born: 30. Apr. 1893 in Wesel.
Hanged: 16. Oct. 1946 at Nuremberg Prison.
NSDAP-Nr.: 1 199 927
SS-Nr.: 63 083
Promotions:
SS-OGruf.: ; SS-Gruf.: ; SS-Brigf.: .
Assignments:
Reichsminister des Auwärtigen: 4. Feb. 1937 - Apr. 1945.
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by International Military Tribunal Nuremberg. Found guilty on all 4 counts of the indictment and sentenced to death, 1. Oct. 1946.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I
1914 EK II
KVK I ohne Schw.
KVK II ohne Schw.
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Silber
Ehrendegen des RF SS / Totenkopfring der SS
(Photo courtesy of R. J. Bender)
ABETZ, Otto
(1903 - 1958)
SS-Brigadeführer/Botschafter:
Born: 26.03.1903 in Schwetzingen.
Killed: 1958 in an auto 'accident' on the Köln-Ruhr Autobahn when the steering on his car malfunctioned; his death may have resulted from an act of vengeance for his role in the deportation of French Jews to the death camps.
NSDAP-Nr.: 7 011 453
SS-Nr.: 253 314
Promotions:
SS-Brigf.: 30.01.42;
Assignments:
Postwar Prosecution:
Sentenced to 20 years' hard labor by military tribunal, Paris, Jul. 1949. Released, Apr. 1954.
Decorations & Awards:
KVK I ohne Schw.
KVK II ohne Schw.
Ehrendegen des RF SS / Totenkopfring der SS.
Documents:
AUTHORITY OF NAZI AMBASSADOR TO VICHY FRANCE, AUGUST 3, 1940
[Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal, Nuremberg, 14 November 1945-1 October 1946, 42 vols. (Nuremberg, 1948), VI, 560-561 (Doc. RF-1061). The text in German may be found in ibid., XXXII, 432-433 (Doc. 3614-PS).]
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 3 August 1940
In answer to a question of the Quartermaster General, addressed to the High Command of the Armed Forces and transmitted by the latter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Führer has appointed Abetz, until now Minister, as Ambassador, and on my report has decreed the following:
I. Ambassador Abetz has the following functions in France:
1. To advise the military agencies on political matters
2. To maintain permanent contact with the Vichy Government and its representatives in the occupied zone.
3. To influence the important political personalities in the occupied zone and in the unoccupied zone in a way favorable to our intentions.
4. To guide from the political point of view the, press, the radio, and the propaganda in the occupied zone and to influence the responsive elements engaged in the molding of public opinion in the unoccupied zone.
5. To take care of the German, French, and Belgian citizens returning from internment camps.
6. To advise the secret military police and the Gestapo on the seizure of politically important documents.
7. To seize and secure all public art treasures and private art treasures, and particularly art treasures belonging to Jews, on the basis of special instructions relating thereto.
II. The Führer has expressly ordered that only Ambassador Abetz shall be responsible for all political questions in Occupied and Unoccupied France. Insofar as military interests are touched by his duties, Ambassador Abetz shall act only in agreement with the Military Command in France.
III. Ambassador Abetz will be attached to the Military Commander in France as his deputy. His domicile shall continue to be in Paris as hitherto. He will receive from me instructions for the accomplishment of his tasks and will be responsible solely to me. I shall greatly appreciate it if the High Command of the Armed Forces will give the necessary orders to the military agencies concerned as quickly as possible.
Signed: RIBBENTROP
BECKERLE, Adolf Heinz
(1902-19 )
SA-Obergruppenführer/Gesandter/M.d.R.:
Born: 4. Feb. 1902 in Frankfurt/Main.
Died:
NSDAP-Nr.: (Joined 29. Aug. 1922)
Promotions:
SA-OGruf.: ; SA-Gruf.: Feb. 1933;
Assignments:
German Minister (Gesandter) in Sofia, Bulgaria: Jun. 1941-1944.
Military Service, Western Front: 1940.
Polizeipräsident in Litzmannstadt (Lodz): 1939-
Gaubeauftragter des Reichssportführers, Gau Hessen-Nassau:
Führer SA-Gruppe Hessen: Feb. 1933-
Polizeipräsident Frankfurt/Main: 1933 - 1939.
Gauführer des NS-Reichsbundes für Leibesübungen, Gau Hessen-Nassau: 1933-
Mitglied des Reichstages (Wahlkreis Hessen-Nassau): 1932-1945.
SA-Führer: 1928-1945.
Decorations & Awards:
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen; Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Gold;
JAGOW, Dietrich von
(1892-1945)
SA-Obergruppenführer/Pr.Staatsrat/M.d.R.:
Born: 29. Feb. 1892 in Frankfurt/Oder.
Suicide: 26. Apr. 1945 in Merano (Ger.: Meran), Italy.
NSDAP-Nr.: ( )
Promotions:
SA-OGruf.: Jun. 1933; SA-Gruf.: Jul. 1932;
Assignments:
German Minister (Gesandter), Budapest: 1941-1945.
Military Service (as Army officer): 1. Sep. 1939 - 1. May 1941.
Preußischen Staatsrat: Sep. 1933-1945.
Führer SA-Obergruppe V (Frankfurt/Main): 1. Apr. 1933-
Mitglied des Reichstages (Wahlkreis Württemberg): 1932-
Führer SA-Gruppe Süd-West: 1931-
Führer SA-Brigade III: 1930-
Gaugeschäftsführer, Gau Württemberg: 1929 - 1930.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I/II; U-Bootabzeichen, 1918; Ehrenkreuz für Fronkämpfer; Goldenes Parteiabzeichen; Dienstauszeichnungen der NSDAP;
KASCHE, Siegfried
(1903-1947)
SA-Obergruppenführer/Gesandter:
Born: 18. Jun. 1903 in Straußburg.
Hanged: 1947, in Yugoslavia.
NSDAP-Nr.: (Joined 9. Jan. 1926)
Promotions:
SA-OGruf.: 1943; SA-Gruf.: 1932;
Assignments:
Auerordentlicher und Bevollmächtigter Minister in Kroatien: 1943-
German Minister (Gesandter) to Croatia : 20. Apr. 1941-1945.
Führer, SA-Gruppe "Hansa": 1937-1941.
Beauftragter der SA für Neubauernsiedlung und Volkstumsfragen: 1936-1941
Führer SA-Obergruppe III: 1934-1936.
Führer SA-Gruppe "Ostmark": 1932- .
SA-Untergruppenführer: 1931-1932.
Mitglied des Reichstages (Wahlkreis Frankfurt/Oder): 1930-1945.
Stellvertreter Gauleiter, Gau Ostmark: 1926-1931.
Decorations & Awards:
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen; Dienstauszeichnung der NSAP in Silber;
KILLINGER, Manfred Freiherr von
(1886-1944)
SA-Obergruppenführer/Gesandter/M.d.R./Korvettenkapitän a.D.:
Born: 14. Jul. 1886 in Lindigt.
Suicide: 3. Sep. 1944, in German Embassy, Bucharest (to avoid capture by Soviet troops).
NSDAP-Nr.: (Joined, 1927)
Promotions:
SA-OGruf.: ; SA-Gruf.: :
Assignments:
German Minister (Gesandter) to Romania: 1941-3. Sep. 1944.
Auswärtigen Amt, Berlin: 1938-1940.
Generalkonsul, German consulate, San Francisco: 1936-1938.
Mitglied des Volksgerichtshes (People's Court): 1935-
Ministerpräsident, Sachsen: 6. May 1933-1935.
Reichskommissar für Sachsen: Mar. 1933-
Führer SA-Obergruppe I: Feb. 1933-
Inspekteur der SA: 1932-
World War I & Freikorps Service:
Marine Brigade Ehrhardt:
Naval Officer in WW I.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I/II; Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer; Goldenes Parteiabzeichen; Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Silber;
LUDIN,Hanns Elard
(1905-1947)
SA-Obergruppenführer/Gesandter:
Born: 10. Jun. 1905 in Freiburg.
Hanged: 9. Dec. 1947 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.
NSDAP-Nr.:
Promotions:
SA-OGruf.: 1943; SA-Gruf.: 193_;
Assignments:
German Minister (Gesandter) to Slovakia: Jan. 1941-1945.
Military Service: 1939-1940.
Führer SA-Gruppe Südwest: Apr. 1933-
Reichswehr Service:
1924-1930 (as officer); fortress arrest due to Nazi political activities: 1930-31.
Decorations & Awards:
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen;
WEIZSÄCKER, Ernst Freiherr von
(1882-1951)
SS-Brigadeführer/Botschafter/Korvettenkapitan a.D.:
Born: 12. May 1882 in Stuttgart.
Died: 4. Aug. 1951.
NSDAP-Nr.: 4 814 617 ( )/SS-Nr.: 293 291
SS Promotions:
SS-Brigf.: 30. Jan. 1942;
Assignments:
German Minister to the Holy See (Vatican):
b. Stab RF SS: (30. Jan. 1942) - (9. Nov. 1944)
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by U.S. Military Tribunal, Nuremberg ("Wilhelmstrasse Case"), .
World War I Service:
Imperial German Navy: 1910-1920; attained rank of Korvettenkapitan.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I/II; KVK I/II ohne Schw.; Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer; Landesorden; Ehrendegen des RF SS/Totenkopfring der SS.
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